What began as one student’s idea will become a new clay target team at North Dorchester High School.
The Board of Education of Dorchester County approved the program after hearing a presentation from North Dorchester Principal William “TJ” Thompson, students and other supporters.
“This was not my idea,” Thompson told the board. “This idea came from one of our students.”
That student, Isaac Uncapher, approached Thompson last year about creating a team. Thompson agreed to support the proposal if students could develop a plan and find an adult willing to help lead it.
“I’ll be honest,” Thompson said. “While I supported the idea, I wasn’t convinced that it would actually happen. There were simply too many obstacles.”
Students and community supporters kept working. They held interest meetings, recruited volunteer coaches and raised more than $15,000, with additional donations promised after board approval.
The team will be supported through donations and fundraising, with no school-system operating funds requested. Students must maintain at least a 2.5 grade-point average, complete firearm-safety training and practice under certified coaches and range-safety officers.
Organizers repeatedly said the league’s priorities are “safety, fun and marksmanship,” in that order.
The proposal also carries a strong cultural connection to Dorchester County, where hunting, sporting clays and outdoor recreation have long been part of family and community life. Supporters said the team gives students a chance to represent their school through an activity many already know and value, while placing that tradition inside a structured program built around safety and responsibility.
For Thompson, the larger point was what can happen when a school listens to a student and the community steps forward to help.
