Fort Dorchester student group aims to revolutionize school climate

NORTH CHARLESTON — A diverse group of students at Fort Dorchester High School want their classmates to put aside their stereotypical teenage angst and actually look forward to coming to school every day.

To the bleary-eyed 16-year-old who can barely drag himself out of bed, the idea of enjoying the high school environment may seem revolutionary. But Fort Dorchester’s new “Revolution” student group is determined to slowly transform those attitudes.

“We are passionate about having a better school that’s second to none,” sophomore Chase Mizzell said.

The club’s steering committee consists of students from all grades, ethnicities and cliques. They banded together after hearing about a similar program at Berkeley’s Stratford High School called “Renaissance,” which aims to put academics and school spirit on an equal footing with athletics by sponsoring incentives for positive behavior. Stratford Principal Jim Spencer is a big proponent of his school’s efforts, and his daughter Erin Spencer now is a freshman at Fort Dorchester who is involved with Revolution.

Read more in Monday's Post and Courier.