Orangeburg County School District’s Robert Hemby II has been recognized with the prestigious South Carolina Education Association (SCEA) Human & Civil Rights Richard W. Riley Award for his leadership and commitment to serving the Orangeburg County community through the district’s innovative Rolling for a Reason initiative. SCEA presented Mr. Hemby with the award during its annual gala held in West Columbia, South Carolina. The award recognizes individuals whose efforts help enhance the sense of worth, dignity, and well-being of others through service and community engagement. Mr. Hemby accepted the honor on behalf of the students, teachers, administrators, and community partners who helped make the initiative a success.
Launched in 2025, Rolling for a Reason was created to combat food insecurity while strengthening communities throughout Orangeburg County. Through the OCSD food truck, students worked alongside Chef Lewis and Chef Pauling to prepare and serve meals at multiple locations across the county. The initiative involved students from the culinary arts programs at Orangeburg County Technology Center, Lake Marion Technology Center, and Edisto High School’s Family and Consumer Sciences program.
Together, students helped prepare and distribute meals including hot dogs, hamburgers, and chips to community members during four service events held throughout the year. For participating students, the experience provided more than community service, it offered valuable real-world training in food preparation, customer service, teamwork, and food truck operations.
Hemby expressed, “While this may have started as a vision, it became successful because of the support of our superintendent, stakeholders, teachers, chefs, and most importantly, our students. The body of work our students completed alongside our culinary instructors is what truly made this initiative impactful.”
According to Mr. Hemby, the mission behind Rolling for a Reason was simple: to combat food insecurity and strengthen communities by providing meals, promoting service, and building partnerships that create lasting impact. The initiative’s vision focused on inspiring hope and unity by meeting community needs and bringing people together through acts of compassion and service. Looking ahead, OCSD plans to continue utilizing the district’s food truck throughout the upcoming academic year and expand opportunities for students to engage with the community through service-based learning experiences.
OCSD Superintendent Dr. Shawn D. Foster stated, “Our students gained valuable hands-on experience operating in a professional environment. They now understand what it takes to prepare meals on a large scale and serve thousands of individuals.” Dr. Foster continued, “These opportunities help prepare students for college, careers, and life beyond high school. This recognition reflects the power of education beyond the classroom.”
For additional information, please contact Taylor R. Johnson, Communications and Multi-Media Specialist, at taylor.johnson@ocsdsc.org or 839-253-2070.
Orangeburg County School District
The mission of Orangeburg County School District, the catalyst of innovation and excellence, is to ensure all students discover and develop their person, purpose, and platform through high-quality educational experiences distinguished by a culture of collaboration, equity, and inclusion; a creative learning environment with inspiring opportunities; a commitment to nurture the academic, physical, social and emotional well-being of all. Visit us online at ocsdsc.org.