PICKENS — The Blue Flame will be led by one of their own next year, as Pickens High School graduate Corey Willimon has been named as the school’s next principal.

Willimon currently works at Walhalla High School, where he has been the assistant principal of operations since 2014. He previously served as assistant principal of instruction at Walhalla Middle School from 2011-2014. Prior to becoming an assistant principal, Willimon was a social studies teacher at Southside High School, Pendleton High School and Easley High School. He also served as an administrative intern during his final year of teaching at Easley High, and he has coached football and basketball at several schools.

He holds a B.A. in secondary social studies education from Clemson University and an M.A. in secondary school leadership from Furman University. He is currently pursuing an Ed. D. in education leadership from Liberty University. Prior to pursuing his academic degrees, Willimon was a firefighter in the Greenville City Fire Department.

“Mr. Willimon will bring of wealth of experience from both inside and outside the classroom to this position,” School District of Pickens County superintendent Dr. Danny Merck said. “As a product of Pickens High School, he understands the Pickens community. I know that he will lead the Blue Flame family with enthusiasm, integrity, and a love for students.”

Willimon is a member of multiple education organizations, including the South Carolina Association of School Administrators, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Southern Regional Education Board, and the South Carolina High School League Coaches Association. Willimon lives in Seneca with his wife, Kelli, who is an assistant principal at West-Oak Middle School. In his free time, he enjoys reading and bass fishing.

Willimon’s hiring will become effective June 1, and he will work closely with current PHS principal Marion Lawson, who was recently hired as the district’s new assistant superintendent of administration, to ensure a smooth leadership transition.