South Garner High School Principal Keith Faison says it’s a true team effort to support students as they work toward graduation, helping them overcome any number of challenges while also guiding them toward college and career paths that are right for them.
Two members of the South Garner Class of 2024 offer perfect examples.
Taylor Haywood-Wilkins says she’s the first of her siblings to graduate high school with plans to proudly serve in the U.S. Army .
She received support from many teachers and her beloved grandmother, who helped her improve her school attendance and her grades.
It wasn’t easy, but Principal Faison recognized Taylor as a student who “didn’t let those challenges define her,” and now she is off to do her family, her school, and her country proud.
Naisuan Wilkins (no relation to Taylor) also struggled to find direction through much of high school. But he is now set to graduate and pursue a career in the field of automotive repair, thanks to South Garner staff members who connected with him to learn more about both the obstacles he was facing and what academic pursuits would inspire him.
His coach and marketing teacher, Kenneth Hyman, says: “If you don’t get to know the students, it's hard teaching them. I like to build positive relationships with all my students.”
Naisuan now is a high school graduate, something he once thought impossible.