Visitation:

(803) 534-2646

Funeral Service:

Saturday, July 14, 2018, 11 a.m.

Edisto Fork United Methodist Church

356 Lariot Road

Orangeburg, SC 29115

(803) 531-1283

 

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Claflin University Ratliff Scholarship Fund or Good Hope A.M.E. Church Building Fund (Cope, SC).

More than 100 area middle school and high school students experienced life on a college campus during the Henry N. Tisdale Summer Leadership Academy at Claflin University.  Youth from Calhoun, Colleton, Orangeburg, Williamsburg and York counties participated in the two-week residential program that featured guest lectures and seminars on topics such as applying for college, researching and completing scholarship applications, creating a resume, and tips on preparing for a job interview. Separate one-week sessions were held for the students in June. The program concluded recently with an awards and recognition luncheon in Ministers' Hall.

 

"It was great living on campus and meeting new people," said Danalli Manigo, a 10th grader at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School and a first-time participant in the program.  "The seminars and lectures were very informative. I plan to attend college and learning about how to find and apply for scholarships was very helpful."

 

The HNT Leadership Academy began seven years ago with a group of students from Kingstree, S.C., home of Claflin President Henry N. Tisdale for whom the program is named. It was designed to introduce students to a collegial environment and opportunities for personal and academic development. Lectures and seminars held during the program are conducted by academic, business and industry experts from throughout the region. Another goal of the academy is to enhance the students' critical thinking and reasoning skills.  

 

According to Ms. Carolyn Snell, director of the academy and assistant to vice president of Student Development and Services/director of Career Development, students are selected by their respective school districts, which pays the enrollment fee of $350 per student.

"We started with 40 students and our numbers have increased each year since then," said Snell. "We even have students who were not funded by a school district, however, their parents paid for them to enroll in the academy. They see the value of what this program offers." 

Although the overall enrollment totals have grown, Snell hopes to attract more male participants in the future. She said they want to grow to 200 participants. 

 

Students who participate in the program are eligible for a scholarship at Claflin if they enroll for the fall semester after their senior year of high school.

 

"Our numbers reflect the gender gap between males and females attending college," said Snell. "Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell, '06, was one of our guest speakers and he talked about how young black males in middle school and high school need to make academics more of a priority to prepare themselves for college and the 21st Century workforce. We are going to intensify our recruiting efforts to increase our numbers in that category next year."

Donovan White, a 10th grader at Orangeburg-Wilkinson, was one of only eight males who participated in the program this summer.  "I enjoyed the Academy and the interaction with the counselors," he said. "We talked a lot about what it takes to be successful - in business, school, athletics - it's a learning experience. This was my second year in the program." 

White hopes he can earn a college scholarship for baseball, but the program has opened his eyes to other options.  "Coming back this year gave me a greater appreciation for the academy," he said. "I learned how to improve my social skills and we discussed selecting a career in doing  something you enjoy.  If college baseball does not work out, I want to be a chef."