Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School

Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School
Location
825 Cook Rd

Orangeburg, South Carolina
29118

United States

33°31′26″N 80°50′11″W / 33.5239°N 80.8364°W / 33.5239; -80.8364
Information
TypePublic
Established1971 (55 years ago) (1971)
School district
Orangeburg County School District
Principal
Dr. Patricia Moultrie–Goldsmith
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,000~ (2025–2026)
ColorsMaroon, orange, and white
   
MascotBruin
Websiteowhs.ocsdsc.org

Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

It is a part of the Orangeburg County School District. It is home to the Mighty Bruins/Bruinettes and also an International Baccalaureate World School.

History and Overview

Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School was formed in 1971 following the merger of the former all-white Orangeburg High School and the all-black Wilkinson High School as part of local school integration efforts. The school originally operated at its Bruin Parkway campus.

In May 2022, Orangeburg County voters approved a $190 million bond referendum to fund school construction across the district. The Orangeburg County School Board subsequently approved building the new high school facility off Cook Road. Groundbreaking for the new campus took place on April 18, 2024.

In May 2023, the Orangeburg County School District approved plans to build a new campus for Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School on Cook Road, funded by a $190 million bond referendum. Groundbreaking for the new facility took place on April 18, 2024. Construction was completed in mid-2026 at a cost of over $55 million.

After two years of construction, the district held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new $121 million campus on July 24, 2026. The modern facility features state-of-the-art classroom spaces and a 3,000-seat gymnasium, officially opening to students for the start of the 2026–2027 school year on August 3, 2026.

Delano Middleton, a student at Wilkinson High School, was one of those killed in the Orangeburg Massacre.

Rivalry between Bloods gang members and Folk Nation members escalated into a fight that lead to three students being shot and wounded on the school campus on Aug. 18, 2021; a 14-year-old male shot the students on the front lawn area of the school, and was later charged in adult court with three counts of attempted murder.

Media appearances

In 2016, the school was featured in the six-part BBC documentary series Segregated America: A School in the South.

Notable alumni

Miscellaneous

NFL players

References

  1. ↑ "Orangeburg Wilkinson High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  2. ↑ "EChalk". Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  3. ↑ Gleaton, Dionne (July 9, 2025). "The origins of Wilkinson High School". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  4. ↑ Samuels, Victoria (April 18, 2024). "Officials break ground on new Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School". WLTX News 19. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Orangeburg County School District breaks ground on new high school". WACH Fox 57. April 18, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  6. 1 2 Wade, Jamin (July 24, 2026). "Orangeburg-Wilkinson High celebrates opening of new campus with ribbon-cutting ceremony". WLTX News 19. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  7. ↑ Gleaton, Dionne (February 8, 2021). "The origins of Wilkinson High School". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  8. ↑ Carter, Maegan. "14 year old Orangeburg Wilkinson High School shooting suspect charged as an adult". WACH.
  9. ↑ "BBC Three - Segregated America: A School in the South". BBC.
  10. ↑ (Mar 20, 2005). Grant Jr., Thomas. It didn't come easy - Orangeburg's Shelton Benjamin shares his thoughts, views about life as a WWE' Superstar. thetandd.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Dr. Marianna Davis dies - Davis was the founder of the Black History Teleconference". 23 September 2021.
  12. ↑ Michael Hackett Player Profile, Jacksonville, NCAA Stats, Awards. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  13. ↑ (June 4, 2020). Blakeney, Barney. Can Jamie Harrison Beat Lindsay Graham in South Carolina?. The Charleston Chronicle. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Former South Carolina Senate candidate Jaime Harrison elected DNC chair". www.cbsnews.com. January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  15. ↑ Coach Mike O'Cain - Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  16. ↑ Eugene Robinson - South Carolina African American History Calendar. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  17. ↑ Arielle Hayes (March 21, 2014). "Lt. governor candidate Bakari Sellers tells Claflin students he is ready for next step as change agent". Claflin University. Retrieved March 3, 2016.[permanent dead link]
  18. ↑ Mike Sharperson Stats. Baseball-Reference. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  19. ↑ Herm Winningham Stats. Baseball-Reference. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Donnie Abraham". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Alex Barron". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Woodrow Dantzler". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Arturo Freeman". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Deveron Harper". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  25. ↑ Dwayne Harper Stats. Pro-Football-Reference. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  26. ↑ Albert Huggins, Orangeburg-Wilkinson. 247Sports. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Tim Jennings". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Maurice Kelly". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Max Runager". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  30. ↑ Sielski, Mike (November 18, 2017). "Hero's life, lonely death: Max Runager suffered because he no longer had football". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  31. ↑ "Rusty Russell". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Jonas Seawright". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.