Irmo, SC – Fourth and fifth grade students at Irmo Elementary were recognized for their leadership development skills at the school’s I AM GOLD ceremony on May 19.
As part of the school ceremony, students and parents were treated to a guest speaker. Savannah McCaskill, University of South Carolina All-American soccer player and daughter of Irmo Elementary principal Tina McCaskill, spoke to the group about what it means to be a leader.
“You can always have an impact in someone’s life,” McCaskill told the audience. “What we do on a day-to-day basis can change a person’s life by leading as an example. It doesn’t have to even be through sports. It can be in a classroom setting or through a group. The teachers here have provided you with such an incredible opportunity to develop leadership skills and it is awesome to see you learn these at such an early age.”
One of the main focuses for I AM GOLD is for students to learn about and take part in community service projects. This year, Irmo Elementary students participated in several service projects including: Socktober, a collection of over 500 pairs of socks from students who then donated them to the Epworth’s Children’s Home. Caps for Kids was a fundraiser where students purchased caps and had them signed by sports and entertainment celebrities. Students then presented the caps to children battling cancer. The Bags to Beds project featured students who collected recyclable grocery bags and turned them into plastic yarn, which were then sent to other local service groups who made bed rolls to be delivered to the homeless in Columbia.
“Being a leader isn’t easy… in fact, being a leader is hard,” Irmo Elementary physical education teacher John Goodale told the students. “As you grow up, you are going to have some things that don’t go your way. But take a look at your parents. They went through the same things and they are here to help you. It is important that you all continue to learn and grow from experiences like these.”
Principal McCaskill was elated to see the progress the fourth and fifth grade students have made since taking part in I AM GOLD.
“Every day I am blown away by the amazing leadership skills our students show,” McCaskill said. “Their willingness to seek and conduct these service projects is so impressive. It is great to know that our fourth and fifth grade students are setting examples to our younger students so that when they are old enough, I AM GOLD will continue to thrive!”
