Riley Institute announces three finalists for Dick and Tunky Riley Award for Excellence

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012
by Tina Underwood, Contributing Writer

GREENVILLE, S.C.—The Riley Institute at Furman and South Carolina Future Minds have announced the three finalists for the second annual 2012 Dick and Tunky Riley WhatWorksSC^sm Award for Excellence.

The award will be presented by Secretary Richard W. Riley on Oct. 17 at 4:30 p.m. in Columbia following the meeting of the fifth annual S.C. Conference of Public Education Partners. The event is open to the public.

The award highlights outstanding educational initiatives throughout the state, and is presented in conjunction with the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the South Carolina State Board of Education. Candidates were selected from more than 50 entries in the Riley Institute’s WhatWorksSC^sm clearinghouse.

The finalists are:

• Bridges to a Brighter Future, a college readiness and retention program serving students in Greenville County Schools
• Clemson University Reading Recovery Training Center, a literacy intervention program serving students statewide
• Teacher Cadet Program, Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA), an education career exploration program serving students statewide

The winner receives a $10,000 grant sponsored by BB&T for enhancement of the program or consultation with other schools, districts, and organizations interested in modeling the program. Two other finalists will receive $1,000 grants from the Riley Institute and the South Carolina State Board of Education.

For more information or to register for the event, please visit the Riley Institute’s Center for Education Policy and Leadership website at http://riley.furman.edu/education or contact Scott McPherson at scott.mcpherson@furman.edu. Information about the Riley Institute’s WhatWorksSC^sm clearinghouse can be found here.

About WWSC^sm

WhatWorksSC^sm ties strategies for world-class schools in South Carolina to promising in-state initiatives. It includes policy papers written by state leaders, case studies and an evolving clearinghouse of initiatives that explore and exemplify key strategies for improving South Carolina’s public schools. WWSC^sm continually seeks information about exemplary education initiatives and welcomes ongoing nominations for consideration for succeeding years’ awards.

Creation of WWSC^sm was driven by “In Their Own Words: A Public Vision for Educational Excellence in South Carolina.” This study, the largest ever done in South Carolina and unique nationally, details key strategies for creating world-class schools in South Carolina. A product of 3,000 focus group hours with more than 800 stakeholders, the study was conducted by the Riley Institute in 2005 and 2006 with funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.