The Lowcountry Luau proved to be more than a coming out party for a new high school option in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties. It was also a place where students, educators and South Carolina community partners pledged their commitment to a better way.
“We want you to take charge. We want you to have a successful path,” Director Dr. Jacinta Bryant said. “That’s what we do here at Lowcountry Acceleration Academy.”
The academy is set to open in August on N. Rivers Ave. in North Charleston. As the young learners enjoyed Kona ice cones, Cajun food and the opportunity to meet their future teachers and coaches, it was clear they can hardly wait.
Madison Webb said she’s excited about the flexible, personalized learning offered at Lowcountry — which will allow her to move at her own pace toward a diploma and an ambitious future beyond.
“I want to go to college for marine biology and, hopefully, get a PhD,” said Madison. She is fascinated with sharks — she once saw a nurse shark swimming in the Florida Keys— and wolves. “They’re pack animals but they like to be on their own, too.”
Madison’s mother, Tiffany Bible, said she’s thrilled with the ample one-on-one coaching provided by the school. “I like that there are advocates for students,” she said. “She won’t get lost in the crowd.”
Students — who are called “graduation candidates” to remind them of their goals — and their families weren’t the only ones enjoying the Luau. So were community partners including Charleston RISE, We Are Family, the South Carolina Public Charter School District and representatives from faith-based organizations eager to support young people who want something different than traditional schools afford.
“We’re super excited to get involved in an organization like this,” said Jayson Palmer, a recent graduate of Morehouse University who’s working with Grace City Church. “It’s a great opportunity. People learn differently. People have difference circumstances.”
Kvon Clarke is only 14, but he’s got big dreams. “I want to be a chef,” he says, maybe even open up a restaurant some day. He’s also a quiet, thoughtful young man and looks forward to working at his own pace while also taking advantage of the personalized academic, social/emotional and career coaching at the Academy.
He came to the Luau with his mom, Latoya, and 5-year-old sister, Amythyst. LaToya says she looks forward to her son identifying his strengths with help from the academic, life and career coaches on the LAA team. “We want to build on that.”
Jaylin Green said he had trouble keeping his focus in a traditional high school, surrounded by friends who distracted him from his academic work. At Lowcountry, he said he plans to sit by himself and bear down on his dreams of graduating and going into real estate.
“I’m hoping that a setting that’s not a classroom will help him,” said his mom, Shatamia. Her son and other graduation candidates will find a quiet, cafe-like atmosphere where they can either settle into a comfortable chair and study alone or gather at small tables to work with coaches or fellow GCs.
Representatives from the LGBTQ+ support organization We Are Family set up a table at the Luau to send the message that young people deserve an affirming place regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Like its sister academies across the nation, Lowcountry Acceleration Academy will offer an accepting learning environment to all.
“It can be a great way for our youth to have a different high school experience” than ones in which they felt misunderstood and had to endure bullying, said Gabby Mullins of We Are Family.
Frank R. Hatten of Boeing South Carolina came to the Luau to tell young people that when it comes to their career ambitions, the sky is the limit — literally.
“Our planes fly over your school building when they do their test flights,” he said. “You could be building that plane in a few years.”
Hatten represents Boeing’s DreamLearners program, which inspires students to get the math, science, technology and community skills they can parlay into well-paying jobs at advanced manufacturing facilities like Boeing, Volvo and Mercedes Benz.
“Many of them didn’t know we hire young people right out of high school. We do,” he said. “But they need to have the skills to be competitive.”
As part of the Acceleration Academies emphasis on career and technical education, Lowcountry team members will work with graduation candidates to identify possible career paths and the academic, technical and life skills they need to succeed.
From their first day at the Academy to getting started on college, trade school, military service or the kinds of well-paying jobs available to high school grads, Dr. Bryant said, the message will be: “How can we support you?”