Keys to Success
Bonita Watters
Saturday, June 14, 2025
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
The fire service demands dynamic leaders, and that starts with instructors who are adaptive to each individual. In an ever-evolving industry, instructors should know how to meet student’s learning styles in order to effectively cultivate a suitable learning environment. Understanding how people learn can be a difference maker in your next class.
The “Keys to Success” course during Fire-Rescue is designed for instructors who are eager to foster the next generation. The course will touch on preferred learning styles, study resources available through the South Carolina Fire Academy, promotional exams, how to use Appendix A in fire manuals, and feature a discussion on the concepts of self-efficacy and locus of control, or the internal belief over how much control we have over our lives. The connection between NFPA levels, Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) and accredited level South Carolina Fire Academy courses will also be explained. With these tools at your disposal, you’ll be equipped to navigate your upcoming classes with confidence and competence.
Bonita Watters
I have dedicated over a decade to the Curriculum Section of the South Carolina Fire Academy, serving as Section Chief for Curriculum since 2017. Prior to this role, I spent more than ten years at Greenville Technical College, working in Student Services and Grant Management. During my tenure at GTC, I contributed to the development and implementation of the Fire Administration Associate Degree program and served as an academic advisor for the program.
Supporting students and their academic and professional journeys is a professional and personal passion. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of South Carolina Upstate, a Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Higher Education from the University of South Carolina, and a Master of Science in Management from Southern Wesleyan University. Currently, I am furthering my education by pursuing a master’s degree in Instructional Design at Columbia Southern University.
