Miss South Carolina visits students in Aiken County
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Miss South Carolina, Jada Samuel, visited Aiken County Public Schools on Friday to promote reading, as well as the upcoming Run United race, which is Saturday.
During her visit, Samuel engaged with students at various schools, talking to them about self-esteem and determination, inspiring the next generation to dream.
She spent time reading to students at North Aiken Elementary School and Aiken High School and Schofield Middle School and helped assist with race packet pick-up at Aiken Center for the Arts.
“D is for determination, R is for resilience. E is for education. A is for adaptability. And M is for. Oh, I forgot that one. Mentor,” said student Aurora Thomas.
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Samuel says sharing this inspiration with children across the state during her reign came from her own story of resilience.
“I competed for Miss South Carolina five times. Just being able to share with them that their dreams are possible, that they are within reach, and that they can do absolutely anything they set their mind to. Um, is super important for me,” she said.
She’s showing students like fourth grader, Aurora Thomas, what it means to go after your goals without fear.
“She inspired me because I’m in the cheer group. We go on the stage and do a dance, and I’m scared to do it for the people because I’m afraid they’ll laugh, but she made me feel that I’m not so scared anymore,” said Thomas.
Samuel says she hopes these lessons carry far, from one leader to the next.
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“Once they recognize that they have value in whatever they decide that they have dreams to do, that they also have the tools within their pockets to pursue those dreams. And they have all of the things that they need right within them. And that’s something that I hope that they gain,” she said.
The visit is meant to not only inspire students but also encourage community members to participate in the Run United race, thereby promoting physical activity and community engagement.
Run United aims to raise awareness about health and wellness while supporting the local community.
Check-in begins at 7 a.m. Saturday in downtown Aiken in the Newberry Street festival area. The half-marathon runs at 7:30 a.m., 10K at 7:30 a.m., 5K at 7:45 a.m., and one-mile kids fun run at 9:30 a.m. Race end time: 10:30 a.m. EST.
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