Bonnie J. Wilson, native of Hampton County, earned her undergraduate degree in English from Charleston Southern University and her master’s degree in elementary and secondary administration from The Citadel. Mrs. Wilson is a 2008 Milken Family Foundation National Education Award winner. She is also the 2008 Hampton County Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year recipient, and the South Carolina Association of School Administrators 2007 Elementary Principal of the Year finalist.
Mrs. Wilson, a former high school English teacher, taught at Branchville High School, Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School, and Wade Hampton High School for a total of thirteen years. For the last eight years Mrs. Wilson has served as principal of Ben Hazel Primary School (BHPS). During her tenure, she and her staff had a track record of success. They were able to move BHPS from its Adequate Yearly Progress not met status in 2004 to Met status six of the last seven years. The school was also recognized as a two time winner of the SC Department of Education’s Exemplary Writing Award 2006-2012 and Red Carpet Award 2005-2012. BHPS was also a Palmetto Silver Award recipient and Education Oversight Showcase school several times. BHPS was selected by the SC Department of Education as one of only four schools in SC to serve as a Response to Intervention Demonstration site.
Mrs. Wilson is married to Dewaine J. Wilson, Chief Financial Officer of Palmetto Rural Telephone Cooperative. They have four children, all of whom attend Hampton District One Public Schools.
Mrs. Wilson said a quotation that has influenced her as an administrator is John Dewey’s statement, “What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all its children. Any other ideal is narrow.” Mrs. Wilson adamantly believes educators must want for all children what they want for their own personal children and as an administrator she must always stay focused on making decisions in the best interest of children.
