Stronger Together: Two Schools, One Future

Team members: Sara Ballard, JB Blair, Connie Breeden, Leonardo Brown, Cynthia Davis, Matthew Fowler, Josh Malkin, Bob Ruff, Darci Rush

Stronger Together: Two Schools, One Future brought together approximately 40 high school students from two Midlands high schools with different demographics to participate in collaborative team-building exercises at Camp Longridge in Ridgeway, SC for a half-day on May 21, 2025. The schools participating were Fairfield High School (Fairfield County) and Blythewood High School (Richland County).

Despite living just 15 miles apart, the students from these schools come from different counties, school districts, and socioeconomic backgrounds.  The pupils in poverty rate at Blythewood is 39%, whereas Fairfield Central’s poverty rate is 84%.

By engaging in a structured team-building experience, the students formed connections that transcended these differences, preparing them for future roles in the local workforce of Richland and Fairfield counties. The initiative served as a communication bridge, helping students think beyond themselves and develop relationships that will benefit their personal and professional growth. The project also included pre-experience and post-experience surveys to gauge students’ perception of the event, its value, and what they learned from one another, which resulted in overall very positive feedback.

Sponsors included Aflac, Norfolk Southern, Sustain SC, and Trane Technologies. Sustain SC has adopted this project for continuation in the future and secured a partnership with the SC Department of Employment and Workforce for support.