JV Martin Junior High School girl attends Presidential speech Watch Video Read Comments
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Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 12:22 a.m.

Read more: Local, Jv, Martin, Obama, Dillon, Ty'sheoma Bethea

President Barack Obama says he will lead the country from a "day of reckoning" to a brighter future.

Addressing a joint session of Congress, he asked lawmakers to join him in doing whatever is necessary to restore financial stability and urged them to reform the outdated financial regulatory system.

In just the first few minutes, the President's optimism was clear, although he wasted no time getting to the heart of the country's economic crisis and addressing its impact on Americans.

"If you haven't been personally affected by this recession, you probably know someone who has a friend; a neighbor; a member of your family. You don't need to hear another list of statistics to know that our economy is in crisis, because you live it every day," the President said Tuesday night.

Also in the spotlight, a middle school girl from Dillon who sat next to First Lady Michelle Obama during the speech.

"I think about Ty'Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from that school I visited in Dillon, South Carolina - a place where the ceilings leak, the paint peels off the walls, and they have to stop teaching six times a day because the train barrels by their classroom. She has been told that her school is hopeless, but the other day after class she went to the public library and typed up a letter to the people sitting in this room. She even asked her principal for the money to buy a stamp. The letter asks us for help, and says, 'We are just students trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters."

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10 Comments on this Story
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Dear Sirs & Madams

Posted by Frances Saxton, Cleveland, Ohio - Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 11:22 p.m.

It saddens my heart to see the conditions inside this middle school. I am also saddened because the adults in that small community watched it happen and allowed it to go this far. How many of you offered to get a group together and raise money and take on one project at a time at the school??? Or, how many of you said I will not take my family out to dinner for a month and use that money to donate to the school's needed repairs??? Are there any painters, plumbmers, contractors, clean-up specialist willing to make a small investment in the community by giving a little time, elbow grease, and yes a few of your own dollars to invest into all of our futures afterall when we support children and insure a decent learning environment we are insuring a more secure future for all of us. Or maybe its just easier to take a handout, bailout etc. We are our brother's keeper whether we like it or not. I believe the stimulus will benefit a lot of people in a lot of areas but to repair this school....? it belongs to the community, take owership, you can handle it. One hand at a time. You may be pleasantly surprised at what the human spirit can accomplish when we care. Brighten the corner where you are !!

Mrs.

Posted by Edna Knight, Ottawa, Canada - Wednesday, March 04, 2009 at 4:57 p.m.

My compliments to the young lady who wrote that letter from the Dillon, SC high school. We pass through the Carolinas when we visit Myrtle Beach.
I am always impressed with the hardworking and courteous people of that area. Shame on the State that does not provide adequate schools and resources to each and every school in a fair manner. Good Luck to you and your school and look forward to hearing/seeing improvedments pronto.

Shame on you Larry M.

Posted by sara D, Mullins, SC - Thursday, February 26, 2009 at 7:40 p.m.

This comment is for Larry M and everyone who shares the same opinion he does. You should be ashamed of yourself for calling the good people of Dillon lazy. Sure Dillon does not have a hugh tax base like you do in Horry County but that is because all of the jobs in Dillon and counties like Dillon are going overseas. People want to work and increase the tax base but there just aren't any jobs. Of course you in Horry County don't have to worry about that much since your jobs are based on tourism and unless the Atlantic Ocean goes somewhere else you will continue to have jobs.

Speaking Up

Posted by Ashley Carmichael, Doesn't Matter - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 11:41 p.m.

WELL ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT IS SAYING THERE IS ALOT OF SCHOOLS LIKE THAT WELL WHY ARE YOU COMPLAINING AND NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.IF THERE IS SOMTHING WRONG WITH YOUR SCHOOL YOU WOULDNT BE SITTING BACK COMPLAINING,STOP BRAGING ABOUT HOW BAD YOUR SCHOOL IS NO ONE KNOWS HOW BAD IT IS BECAUSE YOUR NOT TELLING ANYONE.ANOTHER THING OBAMA WAS BEEN TRYING TO HELP J.V. MARTIN JR. HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE SHE EVEN WROTE THAT LETTER,SO HE ALREADY KNEW ABOUT IT BECAUSE ITS THE TOP SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES THAT NEEDS TO BE REBUILT.THE CONDITION OF THAT SCHOOL HAS ALREADY BEEN ACROSS THE NEWS BUT NOW ITS ACROSS THE WORLD.

Not the Only School

Posted by R A, Myrtle Beach - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 3:21 p.m.

There are other schools in the state like JV Martin. St John's Ele. and the old St. John's High School in Darlington, SC were built in 1818, which makes the building 191 years old.

Go Ty'Sheoma!

Posted by Deborah Koch, Louisville - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 2:45 p.m.

What an awesome girl you are!

I went to school at the same school Ty'Sheoma attends and I am sure nothing substantial has been done since I was a student there in the 70's. When I tell people about the schools I attended, no one beleives me. Sad, but Dillon isn't the only problem we have. There are many schools in rural and urban communities with the same issues and this needs to be corrected.

My question is... Why did it take a sweet young girl to bring it to light? Ty'Sheoma, great things will happen to you and I am proud to say, you are my hero!

Sad day for America

Posted by John Smith, Rocklin, CA - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 1:07 p.m.

To those that would accuse a city, county or state and the people thereof of being lazy and not willing to help themself I remind you this is America. We are all Americans. Such a selfish attitude is what is wrong with America today. We should be ashamed that even one school in such a great country as our exists anywhere in this country. Every child in America is our future and deserves a good education and a safe, clean environment to study. When we are willing to spend $560 billion dollars in Iraq to build their infastructure and provide them security then by gosh we can spend some of our tax dollar right here at home to help our own citizens. Jv Martin Junior High School and this young lady are on the map!! and we are NOT going to standby any longer and watch Americans suffer.

Nice appearence by Ty'Sheoma Bethea

Posted by Barb Pyles, Myrtle Beach SC - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 11:21 a.m.

She was very pretty and very self possessed in the spotlight. A credit to her school.It's time to fix that school up for students like this.

Dillion

Posted by larry m, Mrytle Beach - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 7:36 a.m.

What has been going on Dillion over the last 10yrs?
NOTHING!! Towns have to have a tax base in order to make it. In one word "lazy" and that's why it looks the way it does.

Student In Dillon

Posted by James Dochnal, St Louis - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 3:01 a.m.


You are a really SMART AND HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE.

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