The Riley Institute at Furman University\u00ae has announced the three finalists for the 2019 Dick and Tunky Riley WhatWorksSC Award, which celebrates promising education initiatives that are improving outcomes for South Carolina\u2019s students.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am delighted to honor and celebrate these wonderful programs,\u201d said Dick Riley, former two-term Governor of South Carolina and United States Secretary of Education.\u00a0\u201cThe finalists this year show that there are exciting things happening in our state to support new teachers, to prepare students for college and careers, and to help students during critical afterschool hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s finalists are:<\/p>\n
Carolina Teacher Induction Program<\/strong>, a University of South Carolina-based program that supports new teachers as they transition from university student to leading and teaching in a classroom of their own.<\/p>\n Pickens County Career and Technology Center<\/strong>, a center where faculty work diligently to help students develop the skills for success in college and the workplace by encouraging students to explore their talents and interests, and then identify career opportunities that match those skills and interests.<\/p>\n WINGS for Kids<\/strong>, a comprehensive, high-quality afterschool initiative designed to equip at-risk kindergarten through fifth-grade kids with the skills they need to succeed in school, stay in school, and thrive in life.<\/p>\n A national selection committee of corporate leaders and education experts selected the finalists from a broad pool of statewide nominations. Each year, the three finalists are added to Riley Institute\u2019s WhatWorksSC Clearinghouse<\/a> \u2013 an online repository of initiatives that have strong data to support how they are improving public education in South Carolina.<\/p>\n The winner of the award will be announced by Riley at a celebration luncheon Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 12:30 p.m. at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Prior to the awards presentation, former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will join Riley on stage for a conversation about public education.<\/p>\n