Fox founded Sea Island Renaissance, a program that seeks to recognize and reward outstanding students with incentives from the business community, privileges at school and trips. Fox has won financial and logistical backing from major corporations, including Blackbaud and Charter Charleston Behavioral Health System.

 The program has yielded results as attendance and grade have improved dramatically, school officials say.

 "Mike is a fine example to every youth in South Carolina that they too can make a difference," Governor Beasley said. "His dedication to helping his school and his community and his state will pay dividends for all of us. For that, on behalf of the state of South Carolina, I thank him."

 The Governor created the Order of the Silver Crescent earlier this year after First Lady Mary Wood Beasley urged him to find a special award recognizing South Carolina's young people. The award is a companion to the Order of the Palmetto, created in 1970, that is given to those who show an outstanding commitment to their communities.