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Upstate Class XX, Fall 2015

Upstate Class XX, Fall 2015

View the participants from this class.

Scott Henderson, Uni-Form-Ity
Diane McNeil, Uni-Form-Ity
Stephanie Griffin, Project Discovery
Rodney Johnson, Out and About: Connecting Kids to Opportunities
Ken Miller, Bridge Builders
Benny Walker, Senior Associate with the Riley Institute
Frankie Felder, Upstate Class XVIII Fall 2014
Charles Davis, Upstate Class XIX Spring 2015
(l-r) Sonny Ledda, Benny Walker, Jil Littlejohn and Dana McConnell
Scott Henderson, Uni-Form-ity
Juan Johnson, Senior Distinguished Fellow in Diversity Leadership with the Riley Institute as well as the facilitator for the Riley Institute Diversity Leaders Initiatives
Uni-Form-ity (l-r): Leonard Kupersmith, Jordana Megonigal, Diane McNeil. Susi Smith, Ricky McGrady, Troy Chisolm, George Allwes and Scott Henderson
Leonard Kupersmith speaking for Uni-Form-Ity
Robin Mill, Principal at Berea Middle School, partnered with Uni-Form-Ity
Project Discovery (l-r): Wes Lehrer, Chad Lawson, Josh Patterson and Cornelius Huff
Project Discovery: Curt McPhail responding to a question
Project Discovery: Wes Lehrer responding to a question
Jo Anne Hennigan, Project Discovery
Bridge Builders (l-r): Pam Davis, Brenda Byrd, Gary Eichelberger and Paul Grosskopf
Bridge Builders (l-r): Pam Davis speaking, Brenda Byrd, Gary Eichelberger, Paul Grosskopf, Rich Everly and Ken Miller
Gary Eichelberger, Bridge Builders
Rich Everly, Bridge Builders
Paul Grosskopf, Bridge Builders
Ken Miller, Bridge Builders
Out and About: Connecting Kids to Opportunities (l-r) Dan Weidenbenner, Executive Director of Mill Village Farms, who partnered with Out and About, Linda Hannon, Becky Mann, Rob Stevens, Rodney Johnson, Shafiq Anwar and Anna Cass
Out and About: Connecting Kids to Opportunities (l-r) Dan Weidenbenner, Executive Director of Mill Village Farms, who partnered with Out and About, Neal Collins, Linda Hannon and Becky Mann
Rob Stevens, Out and About
David Taylor, Upstate Class XI, Spring 2011
Scott Henderson, Uni-Form-Ity
Michael Douglas partnered with C3
C3 (Community, Coats and Cops) (l-r): Pam Christopher, Ty Miller, Terri Newsom, Steven Prior, Jim Shew, Charles Weathers, Neil Jamerson and Chris Tolbert
Pam Christopher, C3
Michael Douglas partnered with C3
Sheriff Steve Loftis partnered wtih C3
Sheriff Steve Loftis and Michael Douglas
Don Gordon, Executive Director of the Riley Institute
Brenda Byrd, Bridge Builders, receiving her Riley Fellow certificate
Troy Chisolm, Uni-Form-Ity, receiving his Riley Fellow certificate
Chad Lawson, Project Discovery, gives Juan Johnson a big hug
Uni-Form-Ity: Row 1 (l-r) George Allwes, Leonard Kupersmith, Diane McNeil, Scott Henderson; Row 2 (l-r) Ricky McGrady, Jordana Megonigal, Susi Smith, Troy Chisolm (Not pictured: Jessica Fisher)
Project Discovery: Row 1 (l-r) Josh Patterson, Chrissie Cofield, Jo Anne Hennigan, Stephanie Griffin; Row 2 (l-r) Wes Lehrer, Chad Lawson, Paul Butler, Curt McPhail, Cornelius Huff
Bridge Builders: (l-r) Paul Grosskopf, Pam Davis, Brenda Byrd, Gary Eichelberger, Rich Everly, Ken Miller (Not pictured: Derek McGowan and Kimaka Nichols-Graham)
Out and About: Connecting Kids to Opportunities: Row 1 (l-r) Rodney Johnson, Rob Stevens, Neal Collins; Row 2 (l-r) Becky Mann, Linda Hannon, Shafiq Anwar, Anna Cass
C3 (Community, Coats and Cops): Row 1 (l-r) Steven Prior, Neil Jamerson, Terri Newsom, Charles Weathers; Row 2 (l-r) Ty Miller, Chris Tolbert, Pam Christopher, Jim Shew (Not pictured: Hubert Yarborough)
Congratulations Upstate Class XX Riley Fellows!

Uni-Form-Ity

Adopting uniforms is an increasingly common strategy to create a sense of equality and social harmony in public k-12 schools.  Although the costs of uniforms are typically low in absolute terms, they can be relatively high—even prohibitive—for some families. Uni-Form-Ity seeks to meet this challenge by assisting Berea Middle School, which is located near Furman University. The school plans on requiring uniforms beginning in the 2015-2016 school year.

Project Discovery

Project Discovery is the result of an innovative partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Upstate, Carver Middle School and DLI that provides 18 high-performing students with an opportunity to get an interactive view of three Upstate employers. Boys & Girls Club members will get an in-depth look at facilities and feature hands-on activities and informal discussions with business leaders to discuss future career options and study.

Bridge Builders

The Bridge Builders of The Riley Institute’s Diversity Leaders Initiative Class XX, will provide career exposure to students in Furman University’s Bridges to a Brighter Future program, which is a seven-year college access and success program for Greenville County high school and college students. It is designed to not only expose students to college, but to address and eliminate the personal, social, and cultural barriers that often prevent low-income and first-generation students from achieving college graduation.

Out and About: Connecting Kids to Opportunities

The biggest predictor of test scores and college access in the United States is income. There is a disparity in opportunities that students have access to outside of school, and evidence that this gap is widening.  Recognizing this problem in Greenville and that the experiences of each individual in our group positions us to be able to be part of the solution, Out & About: Connecting Kids with Opportunities decided to pursue ways to increase the diversity of opportunities for low-income children in Greenville.

C3 (Community, Coats and Cops)

Beginning on Nov. 23, the Greenville County Sheriff’s office will add a new element to their daily patrols. The deputies will be carrying winter coats that can be given to individuals and families who need protection from the cold weather. The coats will be stored in the officers’ vehicles and made available whenever a deputy recognizes a need.