Schools
DIS students honored for 'Turnaround Achievement'
By Elizabeth Bush
Jun 2, 2010 - 12:34:53 PM

Sharnyece Stokes (left) and Shakeera Cromedy (middle), both eighth graders at the Daniel Island School, recently received Turnaround Achievement Awards from Berkeley County Schools. The students are shown above at the awards ceremony on April 29 with Daniel Island School Guidance Counselor Carolyn Aarons. A total of 27 students were honored with awards.

Two eighth grade students at the Daniel Island School were honored recently at the 15th Annual Turnaround Achievement Awards program presented by Berkeley County Schools. Sharnyece Stokes and Shakeera Cromedy received their awards at a ceremony on April 29.

Sharnyece was recognized for demonstrating improvement in her academic effort and for her behavior over the past school year. In previous years, Sharnyece had been "written up" for fighting and disrupting class. She is now "very reliable," said Carolyn Aarons, Daniel Island School guidance counselor, and has "matured and grown as a person." All of Sharnyece’s teachers noted a wonderful difference in the student and nominated her for the award with strong conviction, added Aarons.

Prior to her change in behavior, Shakeera was known as someone who "went along with the crowd." According to Aarons, she did not complete her school work, caused disruptions in the classroom, and had issues with respecting authority. Things steadily improved each year, noted Aarons, and now Shakeera is doing much better academically and is interested in pursuing a career as a pediatrician.

"We cannot express the joy we feel watching this girl evolve into such a wonderful lady," said Aarons.

A total of 27 students received Turnaround Achievement Awards. Each recipient was given a plaque, a monetary award according to grade level, a journal and a DVD of the awards program.