Horry County Schools hosts 2 ‘topping off’ ceremonies for elementary schools under construction

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Horry County Schools hosted two "topping off" ceremonies Tuesday for the two new elementary schools under construction in Carolina Forest.

The district held the ceremonies for its Carolina Forest Boulevard elementary school site and its Ronald McNair Boulevard elementary school site. A board of education member said "topping off" ceremonies are an ancient Scandinavian tradition.

Board members honored the tradition by signing their names on metal beams and watching construction cranes carry them up and over to the school sites.

"Schools are not brick, mortar, steel. They are hearts and souls of everybody that walks through the doors," interim superintendent Dr. Eddie Ingram said. "Every student, every teacher, every administrator, it's really a labor of love."

Each school costs more than $60 million and is funded by the penny sales tax. Next Monday, Nov. 18, the board of education will vote on school names.

Carolina Forest area principals, advisory committee members and elementary school students have ideas for the name and mascot of the Ronald McNair Boulevard site.

"They have made a recommendation to the board that this school be named Pine Island Elementary, acknowledging that this area has been known as Pine Island for 100 years or more," District 2 Board of Education member Debbie Edmonds said. "The school naming committee has also recommended that the school's mascot to be the Pelican."

According to another board of education member, the facilities department worked tirelessly on the new attendance areas. She said these areas follow clear natural or man-made boundaries and keep neighborhoods together.

"Every rivet, bolt, and beam in this building represents a commitment to the students who will walk the halls for years to come," District 2 member Tracy Winters said. "Who will come to become white or blue-collar workers. Who will say that the education they received at this school is what propelled them to become who they are and to make the world a better place."

Each of the 134,000 square-foot schools will welcome up to 1,200 students in August.

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Skylar Musick is a multimedia journalist at News13. Skylar is originally from Long Island, New York. She joined the News13 team in June 2024 after graduating from Villanova University in May 2024. Follow Skylar on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook , or Instagram , and read more of her work here .