UNION — The 2013 Rotary Scholars were urged Tuesday to remember that growing up in Union County is a privilege and to carry the lessons they learn here with them throughout their lives.
Rotary Scholars Day recognizes the top academic students in grades 9-12 from Union County High School and Union Christian Day School. The students were honored during the Rotary Club meeting at Covenant Baptist Church Tuesday afternoon. The 2013 Rotary Scholars are:
9th Grade
Union County High School
• Lennah D. Farr
• John-Henry Ford Jolly
• Anna K. Kelly
• Payton R. Martin
• Carra A. Phillips
Union Christian Day School
• Tyler Heatherly
• Cayde Newton
10th Grade
Union County High School
• Maisie Fisher
• Matthew Haney
• Marissa McNeace
• Shreya Shah
Union Christian Day School
• Casey Stepp
11th Grade
Union County High School
• Alex Heatherly
• Cole Heatherly
• Samantha Melton
• Dillon Sailors
Union Christian Day School
• Carley Garner
12th Grade
Union County High School
• David Beavans
• Joseph Clark Beavans
• Louis Mercado
• Gray Ransom
Union Christian Day School
• Blake Brewington
• Chelsea Crocker
The guest speaker for Tuesday’s meeting was Robert Goings, a Santuc native who graduated from Union High School in 1999 and now practices law in Columbia. Goings directed his remarks to the Rotary Scholars, telling them that he was privileged to grow up in Union County and so are they. He said he has carried the lessons he learned growing up in Union County with him throughout his life and urged the scholars to do the same.
Goings said those lessons included finding your passion in life; that there is no substitute for an education; the importance of building relationships; and giving back.
“Find what you are passionate about,” Goings said. “Be passionate about what you do and do it well and never give up.”
Goings said “there is absolutely no substitute for an education” and urged the scholars to always “have an incurable curiosity for knowledge.”
As for relationships, Goings told the scholars that relationships can help them throughout their lives.
“You have to build relations,” Goings said. “Make friends, let others know you passions. Relationships can open doors for you.”
Goings also urged the scholars to have a relationship with themselves. He said this would enable them to have a conversation with themselves about themselves. By having such a conversation, Goings said the scholars could learn what their passion in life is.
The development of a spiritual relationship is also important. Goings told the scholars that a spiritual relationship can help them overcome adversity in life.
In urging the scholars to give back, Goings reminded them that by achieving the status of top of their classes they have received a great blessing and that with that blessing comes great responsibility. Citing the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self,” Goings told the scholars that what they will be remembered for is the services they rendered others. He also cited the example of his grandfather who he said brought him to his first Rotary meeting in 1986 when he was five years old. Goings said that while his grandfather was not a rich in the material sense, he was nevertheless a rich man because of the blessings he gave to others.
Editor Charles Warner can be reached at 864-427-1234, ext. 14, or by email at cwarner@civitasmedia.com.
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