On February 7, the Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo welcomed as speaker Dr. Kaaren Wells Hampton. Hampton is the Principal of Irmo High School International School for the Arts. Highlights of Hampton’s presentation included a snapshot of the school’s current status and a look into future projects and goals. Hampton previously taught English and Journalism at I.H.S. The motto of the school is “In ourselves, our future lies.”
Hampton shared some statistical facts that spoke to the current status of Irmo High:
1,277 enrolled students
902 students involved in one or more club activities
728 student athletes
98 teachers, with a 90 percent retention rate that is trending upward
87 staff members
4 Magnet Programs offered
Any casual passerby on St. Andrews Road cannot miss the school’s East Wing Replacement construction. The completed project will debut in 2026 and will enable, among other things, isolated science areas with fully equipped labs. The goal is for the building to function for the next 50 years.
Another plan in the offing is to create a small business incubator. In this setting, students will be able to experience the realities of entrepreneurship, from all facets of running a business.
While the graduation rate is trending upward, there are still some students whose prospect of graduation is tenuous. Once those students are identified, a faculty team meets with them for coaching and encouragement. Hampton referred to that effort as “finishing the job.” The students go through this process without being stigmatized.
Pictured are Club President Gary Boyd and Hampton, who received a copy of the Optimist Creed.
