St. James High School keep spirits high after Palmetto’s Finest loss

August Cribb cheered when St. James High School was announced as a finalist for the 2015 Palmetto’s Finest award, and she was as disappointed as her fellow classmates when the Sharks lost the award to Chapin High School.

“I really thought we were going to win,” Cribb, 10th-grader said Tuesday. “But we were finalists, so that’s definitely an honor.”

St. James was one of three S.C. high schools in the running for the statewide award, joining Chapin High and Clover High School. The winner was announced around 2 p.m. Tuesday. A total of 11 S.C. schools were finalists for the award.

Palmetto’s Finest is given annually by the S.C. Association of School Administrators to schools with the best in innovative and effective education programs. Each school goes through an intensive application process that includes self-evaluation, peer review and on-site examinations, and is evaluated on student achievement, instructional programs, professional learning communities and school culture.

This was the first school year St. James applied for the award, Principal Vann Pennell said. The fact that the school made it all the way to the finalist position on their first try says a great deal about the school’s atmosphere though, he said.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed, but I’m disappointed for the kids,” Pennell said. “We’re going to resubmit next year, though.”

About 1,200 students and faculty gathered in the Shark’s gym to watch a live stream of the announcement by officials at the S.C. Department of Education. Two elementary and one middle school winners were announced first, and every winner received thunderous applause from the students.

“The behavior of the kids, when the other winners were announced, was just fantastic,” said Rick Maxey, superintendent.

“They’re all winners in my book.”

Even though the school lost, students and staff cheered and chanted their support of St. James High. Pennell, whose eyes were brimming with tears, said the student’s reaction to their loss makes him even more proud of his school family.

“I am just so proud of these kids,” he said. “Our relationships, from the staff to the kids to faculty, there’s a genuine care there.”

Midland Elementary School in Galivants Ferry and Myrtle Beach’s Forestbrook Middle School were named 2014’s Palmetto’s Finest, the first time Horry County Schools had two schools win the award in the same year.

Palmetto’s Finest is awarded to two elementary schools, one middle school, one high school and one specialty school in the state.

Horry County Schools have won Palmetto’s Finest 13 times since the awards were first given in 1978. The school district had back-to-back winners when Loris Middle School won in 2011, followed by Burgess Elementary School in 2012.

Cribb, 10-grader, said she’s sure her alma mater will win next year.

“We’re just one big Shark family,” she said.

This story was originally published March 24, 2015 at 6:21 PM with the headline "St. James High School keep spirits high after Palmetto’s Finest loss."