Dutch Fork Students Engaged Through Socratic Seminars!

By Kelly Payne, Social Studies Teacher

On October 7, students and faculty members from, Dutch Fork High School,  Chapin High School and Irmo High School participated in an all day Social Studies Socratic Seminar held in the Irmo High Media Center. The day’s agenda included a continental breakfast hosted by the Irmo High PTO, followed by an explanation of the day’s activities and how the sessions would be conducted.

• From 9:00 until 10:30, Dr. Sara Burrows led the students in a 90-minute discussion on the topic of “Balancing Civil Liberties While Keeping America Safe in a Post 9/11 World”.
• From 10:45-12:15, Mr. Neil Mellen led a discussion on “Some Thoughts on Education”, followed by a buffet luncheon at Zorba’s Restaurant.

Upon returning, the students were led in another 90-minute discussion led by Dr. Brent Nelson on the topic “Enemies Into Friends: How the United States Can Court Its Adversaries”. Student participants included: from Chapin High School -  Harrison Church, Carolyn Hagerty, Stuart Hope, Alex Meert, Ryan O’Neill, and Haley Spearman; from Dutch Fork High School - Reggie Gallant, Nick Wyatt, Tanner Mirt, Taylor Moore, and Michael Shedd; from Irmo High School - Aariel Dees, Alex Drake, Brittnee Hill, Hector Mireles, Katherine Stewart, and Will Watkins. A special thank you goes to Nancy Benitez and Martha Hutchinson from Irmo High for recording all of the discussions that took place. Teacher organizers for this event were ,Kelly Payne (DFHS), Anastasia Sease (CHS), and Tommy Collier (IHS).