Lake Marion High School prepares for renovation projects to building, athletic facilities

SANTEE, SC (WOLO) — Out in Santee, exciting additions are taking place at Lake Marion High School in and outside of the classroom.

This morning, Orangeburg County School District broke ground on a new project at the high school. School and district staff broke ground Monday morning on a new turf athletic field being installed at the football stadium.

“We’re so excited because it levels the playing ground,” said Sean Glover, Lake Marion High School principal. “It gives our kids an opportunity to experience what college and NFL players do, but it also creates that culture that we’re seeking here.”

The renovations to the stadium also include the addition of a new jumbotron scoreboard. 

“It’s an honor to play for Lake Marion,” said sophomore football player Dewaine Shivers. “The coaches and staff are so great.”

“I want to say thank you to Coach Davis and the board members for making this possible,” added junior football player Mason Miles. “To the team, I also want to thank y’all, especially the seniors. It was a pleasure playing with y’all.”

The installation of Lake Marion’s turf field is just one of many such projects going on around Orangeburg County School District. Others are taking place at Hunter-Tyler-Kinnard, Bethune-Bowman and others.

“We want to make sure these kids are proud and the community can see the investment of the dollars they voted on last November,” said Orangeburg County School District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster. “We’re putting them where we said we’re going to put them, in our children.”

A new football field is not the only addition at Lake Marion High. The addition of a new middle school is expected to be finished by next school year. Students from Holly Hill-Roberts and Elloree Middle Schools will attend the new Lake Marion school when it is completed. 

“It also makes the transition to high school a little easier,” said Principal Glover. “The goal is for our middle school students to take high school credits early so they can be exposed to our technology center and all the great things they are doing over there.”