On November 2, nearly 300 educators and special guests attended the first annual Excellence In Teaching Awards (EIT) Celebration Soiree to honor the student growth achieved in the previous academic year. 

28-year educator, top award earner and Hunley Park 3rd Grade Teacher, Chidonna West, delivered the keynote address. She was joined on stage by South Carolina Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver, Interim Superintendent of Charleston County School District (CCSD) Anita Huggins, Superintendent of CCSD Acceleration Schools Jackie Haynes and Philanthropist and Founder of Meeting Street Schools Ben Navarro.

At the event, Superintendent Weaver announced six schools in Allendale and Williamsburg Counties will be joining the EIT initiative in addition to seven more elementary schools from CCSD. 

The performance-based award for educators started in 2021 exclusively for Meeting Street Schools. When select CCSD Acceleration Schools joined the initiative last year, it was officially branded Excellence In Teaching Awards and has since grown to 28 schools.