Principal for a Day
- Details
- Category: Archives
- Published on Wednesday, 05 April 2017 14:26
- Written by Ralph Shealy
- Hits: 7914
Joseph Ordile with Administrator Robert Etheredge (District photo)
Grey Riley (District photo)
SHS Principal for a Day
By Mary Alice Quattlebaum
Saluda High School students, Joseph Ordile and Grey Riley, had their names drawn in a raffle to fulfill the role of “Principal for a Day” on Friday, March 24.
Joe and Grey did a great job acting as principal under the guidance of Mrs. Sara Longshore, Principal of Saluda High School. They checked e-mails, visited classrooms, monitored the hallways and the lunchroom, met with Superintendent, Dr. David Mathis, and ended the day by participating in the spring sports pep rally. While the experience allowed these two students to receive first-hand knowledge of what it may be like to be an administrator at a school, they also took advantage of an opportunity to show kindness and compassion to someone in need.
Principal Longshore’s husband, Marty Longshore, is in need of a kidney transplant. Marty has had kidney problems from the time he was 13 years old. He received a transplant 19 years ago from his step-father. Unfortunately, his kidney is failing now, and he is on dialysis. This husband, father of two little girls, and police officer is strong, brave, resilient, and living by faith.
There are three ways that Marty could get a kidney transplant: First, he is on the waiting list for a deceased donor (average wait time is 5-10 years). He also has an approved donor for the paired exchange program. Another option they are working on now is to find a living direct donor (little-to-no wait time and better results). Marty is blood type O, which is the most difficult blood type to match. Type A blood can be another possible match.
Under the leadership of Mrs. Heather Harmon, Saluda High teacher and advisor for SHS Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS), members rallied in support for Mr. Longshore and his family by holding a raffle for students to buy a ticket to become “Principal for a Day.” When Mrs. Longshore agreed to the project, she didn’t realize that the students were actually initiating this fundraiser as a way to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation in honor of her husband.
Ashley Strawbridge, Saluda High School President of the National Honor Society stated, “We hope by doing this, we will raise awareness of Kidney Disease and the impact that it can have on everyday people in our community. We want Mrs. Longshore to know how much we care about her and her family. This project represents not only our desire to help; it also incorporates the four pillars of what the National Honor Society is about: Leadership, Service, Character, and Scholarship.”
McKenzie Riley, Saluda High School National Honor Society Parliamentarian added, “We wanted to do something not only for the National Kidney Foundation, but in honor of Mr. Longshore that may help him while raising awareness.”
March is National Kidney Month. In honor of Marty and others affected by Chronic Kidney Disease, the SHS Chapter of the National Honor Society raised $600 for the National Kidney Foundation!
Maybe his match is someone you know. How do people find out if they are a match? It’s actually very simple to find out. A person would just fill out a form online: http://bit.ly/2ohNjkP. Even if you are not a match for Marty, you can share his story and pray. We are proud of the students at Saluda High School who have shown compassion and support for Marty and others that suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease.
SALUDA PRIMARY PROJECT - Mrs. Sara Sprott’s second grade students at Saluda Primary School have been completing a biography research unit on famous African-Americans. Students chose a person they wanted to learn more about and researched their lives and contributions in helping to shape America. They used books to gather facts they believed to be important and then created posters to share. On Friday, March 31st, these 2nd grade students shared their presentations to their parents, staff and fellow students at SPS as an interactive gallery walk in the cafeteria.