South Carolina: Red Since Reagan

The citizens of South Carolina have been red since they elected Ronald Reagan to office in 1980, and they seem to be holding true to that tradition in the 2012 general election.  Four-fifths of the people we interviewed at our local polling precinct, the Daniel Island School, declared their vote for the Romney/Ryan ticket.

When asked who he voted for Michael Baker shrugged and replied, “I voted for Romney and Ryan because I am a fiscal conservative.”

A majority of the voters in South Carolina seem to be taking the same approach to this year’s election, not overly enthusiastic but strongly conservative.

Despite the fact that South Carolina is a largely conservative state, there were a few Democratic voters that showed up, including Daniel Quick.  Quick wants to give Obama another four years based on his efforts toward environmental conservation, trying to find alternate energy sources, and his healthcare policies.

Most people we asked at the polls were fed up with the negative campaigning of the two parties.

“I feel that they should focus more on politics and less on being negative towards each other,” said Jenna Coleman when questioned on how she felt about this year’s campaign season.

Aside from all the hype about the four presidential and vice presidential debates, none of the debates seemed to impact the decisions of the voters we interviewed. If our polling precinct is any indication it appears that once again South Carolina will be a red state, voting for the Romney/Ryan ticket.

[Editor's note: South Carolina was won by Mitt Romney. Stay tuned to scholastic.com/election for the final vote totals.]

—Kid Reporters Faith and Zach Dalzell

Pink for a purpose

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do as much as she could to help others with breast cancer. Who knew that one sister’s promise would start a revolution in medicine?

Nancy started a foundation, in her sister’s name, which promotes breast cancer awareness and helps individuals who have a cancer diagnosis. The foundation has many fundraisers, but none as famous as Race for the Cure. This event serves as a celebration of life and freedom breast cancer and also promotes breast cancer awareness and early detection. 

Recently, I participated in one of the many Races for the Cure that take place around the world. The one I was part of happened on Daniel Island, South Carolina. Approximately 10,000 people gathered to run or walk for this cause. Symbolic pink trappings were everywhere, from survivors decked in pink shirts and hats to posters and even ornamental pink ribbons tied to the trees that marked the route. Along the 5K route people waved posters with messages like "Fight like a Girl” and “Go Pink.”

While running in the Race for the Cure, I saw how many people had flocked to support this cause. Many people running/walking were actual breast cancer survivors. Seeing these people run kept me going even when I started to get tired. It felt great at the end to know that I had just run for a wonderful cause that affected so many people. 

I will always support the work that the Susan G. Komen Foundation does. Thanks to this foundation many lives have been saved and a lot of scientific research has been funded in hopes of finding a cure to breast cancer.

—Kid Reporter Faith Dalzell

Photo: Kid Reporter Faith Dalzell after finishing the 5K Race for the Cure. (Courtesy Faith Dalzell) 

Learning From History

The waves crashed elegantly against the boat’s graceful curves as the ship’s engine roared to life skipping us across the river. The smell of salt water tickled our noses and stimulated our senses. We were aboard the Charleston Explorer on a journey to Morris Island to see a re-enactment commemorating the first shots fired in the Civil War 150 years ago. The boat’s engine rumbled to a stop as it collided with the sandy beach on Morris Island. In the distance, upon a grassy hill full of winter weeds, we saw Citadel Military College cadets standing proudly beneath their flag with muskets in hand and cannons by their side aimed and ready. It seemed as if we had stepped back in time.

First, we toured the period camp where the Citadel Military College cadets and re-enactors had spent the previous night on the island in solitude with temperatures of 20 degrees. A period camp is a camp set up to look exactly like the time period that is being replicated. The winds had ravaged the camp and sand was piled on the edges of their tents. We saw a fire pit at one end of the camp where the cadets would have kept warm and cooked their meal before heading to bed that night. 

When asked about his stay on the island Brandon Yelton said "It was an interesting night."

Everything seemed so real that we wondered if the cadets might have heard the cries of men from a 150 years in the past while sleeping. 

After we walked through the period camp and everyone was settled the re-enactors prepared to stage a reenactment of the first shots in the Civil War. Originally, Citadel cadets and militia that were stationed on Morris Island fired shots at The Star of the West. The Star of the West was a merchant ship that stowed over two hundred and thirteen Union soldiers beneath its deck, as well as ammunition and necessities for Union troops stationed at Fort Sumter. As the ship stealthily crept into Charleston Harbor at 1:50 am on January 9, 1861, the Confederate soldiers fired seven shots upon the Star of the West. The first two shots missed. However, the next two hit the hull of the ship and the last three shots were fired upon the back of the ship as it retreated to its escort ship waiting farther out.  

Steve Smith, a Civil War re-enactor and military expert, said “History is not black and white, but shades of gray.”

While we had mixed feelings about attending an event that commemorated such a difficult time in our nation’s history, we learned from the Citadel cadets and Civil War experts that it is important to reflect upon all of our nation’s history both the positive and negative.  This helps us to learn from our past mistakes and understand our history better thus, helping to make our country stronger.

Check out our video report from the Citadel re-enactment commemorating the first shots fired in the Civil War!

—Kid Reporters Faith Dalzell and Zach Dalzell