Tajia Dawson brings Town Hall crowd to its feet

Fort Mill High School senior Tajia Dawson has faced more challenges than most on her journey to becoming a dedicated student and community member.

After years of suspensions and expulsion that culminated in a heated argument with her mother involving local police, Dawson, 17, is now known for her loving attitude toward school and her complete turnaround. She attributes the change in part to the Fort Mill High School community.

“They changed my life,” Dawson said. “They have always believed in me.”

Dawson was honored as the Do the Right Thing grand prize winner Jan. 14 to the first standing ovation seen at the awards program now in its sixth year which honors students for going above and beyond and making good choices.

“I’m speechless,” Dawson said.

Originally from Richmond, Va., Dawson faced suspension from school many times and had a negative attitude that caused fights with her mother, according to the nomination form. Her troubles continued when she moved with her mother to Fort Mill as a sophomore as she was forced to repeat ninth grade because she didn’t have enough credits to transfer into 10th.

Dawson’s anger led to her attending the district’s alternative program and eventually being expelled from school.

“I came here troubled,” she said. “I didn’t believe in myself.”

Dawson said she started to see that she needed to change for her family. She said Fort Mill High School students and staff helped her turn things around.

“They live by their mission statement every single day,” she said.

Dawson has not been suspended since her sophomore year and recently took it upon herself to clean and donate the school’s unclaimed lost and found items to a local women’s shelter, according to the nomination.

Dawson said her experience has helped her reach her goals today.

“I had to get to a point where I broke,” she said.

“It’s the people that go through the most and make the worst decisions in life that are the most successful. They know how to fight through things.”

Dawson said other students facing similar challenges should listen to those around them.

“You may think you know everything, but you don’t,” she said.

It is stories like Dawson’s that the Do the Right Thing Awards wants to honor, said Fort Mill Police Dept. Crime Prevention Officer Johnathan Gilbert, who runs the program that was started by Lt. Ray Dixon.

“It’s not every day that you see young adults go above and beyond and doing something amazing,” he said.

Other winners

Fort Mill Middle School sixth-grader Shane Dorn was nominated for his dedication to his aunt, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the nomination. Dorn shaved his head before his aunt’s first chemotherapy treatment as a way to show support.

“She’s really special to me,” he said.

Nation Ford High School sophomore Brandon Maier, who was not in attendance at the recent ceremony, was honored for making a phone call that saved a life, according to the nomination.

A cadet in the high school’s Marine Corps JROTC program, Maier learned that a teammate on the rifle team had decided to commit suicide. Despite the teammate’s request to keep it a secret, Maier called 911, leading officers to the cadet.

“This young man saved his friend’s life by doing what he knew was the right thing to do,” Gilbert said. “It makes me proud of our youth.”

Each of the nine Do the Right Thing winners received bags of gift cards, an iPod, coupons, a T-shirt and other gifts. Dawson also received additional gift cards and a new Kindle Fire HD.

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Tajia Dawson brings Town Hall crowd to its feet."