Laurens – Laurens County School District 55 (LCSD 55) under Superintendent Dr. Jody Penland is building a 5-star culture of excellence 2.0 with the goal of having A+ performances in academics, arts, athletics, attendance, and atmosphere. TONIGHT, October 17, 2025, the LCSD 55 Family looks forward to enjoying a positive atmosphere with community members at the KC Hanna Stadium for the Raiders Football Game versus the Wren Hurricanes, and to celebrate elementary students who achieved a maximum score in the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Assessments (SC READY) and high school students who achieved perfect scores in the End-of-Course Examination Program.
SC READY tests are statewide assessments in English language arts (ELA) and Mathematics. Both SC READY Math SC and ELA consist of operational questions and field test questions. However, SC READY also has a Text-Dependent Writing section. The maximum possible scale for both tests is 825. Four LCSD 55 elementary students were able to attain SC READY maximum scores.
Maddison Judith Hurt, now in fourth grade, was the only student in LCSD 55 to achieve a maximum score in the 2024-2025 SC READY 3rd Grade Math. Bailey Hurt, the Instructional Coach at Hickory Tavern School, is the mother of Maddie. She said, “We are beyond proud of our little girl! We’ve always known she’s smart, but this just took our breath away.”
“Maddie has always loved numbers and school, but her accomplishment is a result of team effort with the teachers and staff at Hickory Tavern School,” continued Bailey Hurt. Maddie has had positive interactions with many teachers, including Mrs. Hudson, Mrs. Crocker, Mrs. Satterfield, Mrs. Turner, and Mrs. Waldrop.
Autumn Louise Thomas (Waterloo Elementary School) and David Ezra Nelson (Laurens Elementary School), now fourth graders, both achieved a maximum score in the 2024-2025 SC READY 3rd Grade ELA. Lillie Francisca Cotoc (Waterloo Elementary School) is the only student in LCSD 55 to achieve a maximum score in the 2024-2025 SC READY 4th Grade ELA.
Marie Cotoc, E.B. Morse Elementary (EBM) School English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher, is the mother of Lillie Cotoc. She and her husband are proud of Lillie and shared how they support Lillie’s academic success. “We have always made reading literacy important by reading together. We try to give her opportunities outside of school, provide her with challenging educational materials, and encourage her to learn more about what she likes,” stated Marie Cotoc.
Marie Cotoc credits the teachers and staff at both Waterloo Elementary School (WES) and Ford Elementary School (FES). Lillie’s teachers at FES were Mrs. Hobbs and Mrs. Rice, and at WES are Mrs. Nelson and Ms. Smith.
Mrs. Nelson said they build relationships with students. Letting students know they care motivates them to learn. They also acknowledge how special Lillie is. Ms. Smith said, “Lillie is an extremely bright and gifted child!”
“She has a work ethic that cannot be matched and is very self-driven,” added Mrs. Nelson.
Lillie and Maddie are proud of their own achievements and shared tips for other students to be successful in taking SC READY. Lillie shared, “Read a lot, practice writing, really do listen to teachers, and always make sure to challenge yourself academically.”
“You will do well if you pay attention and study,” said Maddie.
The South Carolina End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) is a statewide assessment program that measures how well high school students have mastered academic standards in specific gateway courses. EOCEP test items are aligned to the South Carolina Academic Standards for each content area. The maximum test scores for EOCEP are 100. The combined data for Laurens District 55 High School (LDHS) 2024-2025 EOCEP Fall & Spring Algebra 1, English 2, Biology 1, and US History & Constitution (USHC), shows over sixty LDHS students achieved 100. Some students are being recognized for more than one test, like student Thomas Nichols, who will be recognized for Fall Algebra 1 and for Spring English 2.
A total of twenty-seven students made 100 in the US History & Constitution, and among them is Thomas’s brother, Ryan Nichols. Ryan’s mom, Danielle Nichols, said, “We have always been proud of Thomas’s and Ryan’s academic achievements, but also of the thoughtful, compassionate, and faithful young adults they are becoming.”
Danielle Nichols says that she and her husband, Art, support Thomas and Ryan by engaging in thought-provoking conversations, but her family gives lots of credit to teachers and staff in LCSD 55, specifically those at Gray Court-Owings School and LDHS, for their support. At LDHS, Mrs. Brooke Yarbrough, Dr. Iqbal Sharif, Mr. Thomas Smith, Mrs. Cassie Power, and Kimberly Martin are among the many they thank.
Kimberly Martin, one of the LDHS USHC teachers, is very passionate about teaching history, and it is important for her that her students can understand the contexts of events happening today. She said, “I hope my students will ask questions and develop curiosity about the past. I hope to develop a lifelong love of learning.”
Martin shared how much she enjoys teaching Ryan and her other students. She also shared that her students’ high success in the LDHS USHC EOCEP can be credited to her direct teaching strategy and her love for storytelling in teaching. She uses visuals and movie clips that bring history to life.
Ryan said Mrs. Kimberly Martin helped him and his class tremendously. “Mrs. Martin made sure we were all prepared for the USHC through hours of study and innovative lesson plans. I was fairly confident going into taking the test. I knew I had done everything I could to prepare with Mrs. Martin, and I tend to thrive in high-pressure environments like those present in standardized testing.”
LCSD 55 is very proud of all the 5-star students and is excited to recognize them at the Raiders Football Game tomorrow night. Student awardees will be admitted for free to the game. LCSD 55 also expresses its appreciation for the hardworking and caring teachers and staff, and for the families for their unwavering support for our students.
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