Photo: Irmo High IB Students
IRMO – February 11 marked South Carolina’s first-ever IB Day of Service, a statewide initiative highlighting the mission of the International Baccalaureate to develop caring, globally minded citizens.
Organized by SCIBS, the South Carolina IB Conference, the Day of Service encouraged IB schools across the state to participate in projects aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year’s focus centered on Goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being.
At Irmo High School, an International Arts Magnet and authorized IB World School since 2004, students assembled and donated art kits to young patients at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital. The initiative used creativity as a means to support emotional well-being and healing.
Rooted in the IB mission of developing service-minded global citizens, the project allowed students to translate empathy into action. By providing art supplies, Irmo High students offered hospitalized children an outlet for self-expression, comfort and joy during their stay.
At Seven Oaks Elementary School, an IB candidate school, fifth-grade students approached the theme of well-being through inquiry-based learning. Students researched the effects of stress on adolescents and explored healthy coping strategies.
To apply their learning, students organized a “Bound Ball” tournament designed to promote physical activity, teamwork and fun while raising awareness of both mental and physical health. The event also aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, emphasizing fair play, cooperation and respectful interaction. The tournament was featured on the school’s weekly news broadcast to highlight the importance of exercise and positive social engagement in reducing stress.
Together, the projects demonstrated how IB learners of all ages can think globally while acting locally — using compassion, inquiry and service to support the health and well-being of their communities.
