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Dr. John Weinberg with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond joined South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis Loftis and Pam Lackey of AT&T in a panel discussion, moderated by Susan Thomson Shi, at the South Carolina Economic Forum on Early Childhood Investment on February 6th in Columbia.
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Connecting the Dots
letter from ICS President
Friends of ICS: On February 6th, the Columbia Convention Center buzzed with corporate, civic, and government leaders who had come together to participate in the South Carolina Economic Forum on Early Childhood Investment. During the Forum, participants learned from an influential roster of speakers including Dr. John Weinberg of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, former Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley, retired Michelin CEO Dick Wilkerson, President of AT&T South Carolina Pamela Lackey, S.C. State Treasurer Curtis Loftis, and Michael Brenan, Chair of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. Despite the varied backgrounds and expertise of the Forum's speakers, the underlying message to those assembled was clear: we must "connect the dots" and understand that smart investment in healthy early childhood development is the path to a more prosperous South Carolina. The Richmond (Virginia) Chamber of Commerce "connects the dots" between early childhood development and economic vitality as follows: - If families and caregivers can provide quality early childhood development, then children will start school ready to learn.
- If children start school ready to learn, they are more likely to read at grade level by third grade.
- If children read at grade level by third grade, they are more likely to graduate from high school.
- If children graduate, they are more likely to get a higher education and/or enter the job market as tax-paying citizens.
- Employable, tax-paying citizens are critical to a vital economy[i]
Having recognized that smart early childhood investment is critical to our shared future, it is now our shared responsibility to act upon this understanding. "Connecting the dots" to get us from where we are now to where we need to be is the challenge before all of us involved in early childhood, whether we represent the business, nonprofit, academic, government, philanthropic, or healthcare sectors.
We believe that the February 6th Forum was a great contribution to an ongoing statewide conversation that will align efforts and foster systems that not only ensure the success of our state's youngest children, but that also ensure the future prosperity of all South Carolinians.
Sincerely,
Jamie Moon
President
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South Carolina Economic Forum on Early Childhood Investment
On February 6th, ICS partnered with New Carolina, and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce to host the SC Economic Forum on Early Childhood Investment.
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Forum participants included ICS Board Chair, Susan Thomson Shi, Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley, Pamela Lackey of AT&T, Former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley, Dr. John Weinberg of Richmond Federal Reserve, and ICS Board member and retired Chairman & CEO of Michelin, Dick Wilkerson
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Dr. John Weinberg of the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank, provided the keynote for the event, followed by remarks from former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley. Also participating in the forum was a panel of key business leaders and policy makers across the state including: Mayor Joseph Riley of Charleston, Pamela Lackey of AT&T, and South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis Loftis.
This event was sponsored by the United Way Association of South Carolina and Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd.
To learn more about the event please click here to read an article written in the Columbia Free Times.
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ICS Hosts Legislation Reception
On February 6th in Columbia, ICS hosted a legislative reception to recognize several policymakers and business leaders who are champions for smart early childhood policy in South Carolina.
The legislative members of the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children were each recognized: - Senator Mike Fair, Greenville
- Senator Brad Hutto, Orangeburg
- Senator Darrell Jackson, Hopkins
- Rep Mia S. McLeod, Columbia
- Rep Shannon Erickson, Beaufort
- Rep Kit Spires, Pelion
ICS also recognized was Representative Rita Allison (Lyman) for her service as a member of the  ICS Statewide Advisory Council, Representative Chandra Dillard (Greenville) for her leadership as a member of the ICS Strategic Leadership Advisory Council, and Representative James Smith (Columbia) whose military service and commitment to children demonstrates his understanding of the connection between early childhood outcomes and national security. In addition to the legislators recognized, ICS thanked three business leaders who have demonstrated sustained leadership in support of South Carolina's youngest children.  Lewis Smoak, a partner with Ogletree Deakins, was recognized. Since 1996, Lewis has been a leader in local and statewide early childhood initiatives including service on the United Way's Success by Six Board and then later with First Steps in Greenville County. Today, he provides state leadership in his role as Vice Chair of the South Carolina First Steps Board of Trustees.
Also, Jim Reynolds, Immediate Past Chair of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and Don Herriott, Board member of New Carolina were recognized. Together they co-chair New Carolina's Education and Workforce Development Taskforce, which is aggressively tackling early childhood as an imperative for South Carolina's future competitiveness.
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ICS and Nurse-Family Partnership Co-Host Luncheon with DHEC Director, Catherine Templeton
Nurse-Family Partnership and the Institute for Child Success hosted Catherine Templeton, director of South Carolina's Department of Health and Environmental Control, Chris Bishop of Nurse-Family Partnership, and Jennifer DuMont of South Carolina BlueCross BlueShield Foundation to discuss ways to improve outcomes proven for our state's youngest children. Both NFP and ICS agree that early childhood intervention and education help position children for future success.
"For many South Carolina families, the cycle of poverty feels unbreakable, but Nurse-Family Partnership gives mothers the support they need to ensure that their children are meeting developmental milestones while also helping them to reach their personal goals," said Chris Bishop, NFP's regional program developer. "This intervention has the potential to impact families for generations. And through our partnership with ICS, we continue to work toward innovative approaches to expand that impact."
Templeton expressed her support for the work of both organizations and early childhood development. "In tight fiscal times, evidence-based programs such as Nurse-Family Partnership are the types of investments we should be making. In fact, Nurse-Family Partnership has been proven to help prepare children to successfully start school, ultimately keeping them out of the juvenile justice system. All of this contributes to significant cost savings for South Carolina in the long run. Both Nurse-Family Partnership and the Institute for Child Success are great advocates and assets for children and families in our state."
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ICS Board Chair Susan Thomson Shi moderated the panel discussion with Chris Bishop of Nurse-Family Partnership, Catherine Templeton of South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, and Jennifer DuMont of the BlueCross BlueShield Foundation of South Carolina..
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ICS Welcomes New Directors, Ann Robinson and Carolyn Ellis
The Board of Directors of the Institute for Child Success has elected Ann Robinson of Greenville and Carolyn Ellis of Murrells Inlet as Directors effective immediately.
 Ann Robinson, a Senior Vice President in Commercial Banking at CertusBank where she directs the Healthcare, Institutions, and Government Group, is also chair of the Board of Trustees of the United Way of Greenville County. Ann is a Board member of the United Way Association of South Carolina, Eastside High School PTSA, and is a former board member of South Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities. She had previously served as a member of the Institute for Child Success' Strategic Leadership Advisory Council.  Ellis, a retired teacher, co-founded with her husband- Coastal Carolina Men's Basketball Coach Cliff Ellis- the Cliff and Carolyn Ellis Foundation whose mission is to support efforts to improve the educational opportunities for at-risk children. She currently serves as co-chair of the Early Learning Council of Georgetown County, and on the Board of Directors of Freedom Readers in Horry County and First Steps of Georgetown County. Susan Thomson Shi, Chair of the Institute for Child Success board said "Ann and Carolyn bring a wealth of expertise and enthusiasm for smart early childhood investment to their work with ICS. They both know that the most efficient way to build a stronger South Carolina and a competitive workforce for a 21st century economy is by investing in the first five years of life. We are thrilled that Ann and Carolyn have decided to join our board and we look forward to working with them in the years to come."
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Early Childhood In the News
Pew Charitable Trusts
February 14, 2013
Fox News
February 18, 2013
Brookings
February 20, 2013
The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
National Head Start Association (NHSA)
Released February 8, 2013
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Featured Partner: Nurse-Family Partnership
The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) National Service Office is committed to producing enduring improvements in the health and well-being of low-income, first-time parents and their children by helping communities implement and sustain an evidence-based public health program of home visiting by registered nurses. Nurse-Family Partnership is the most rigorously tested maternal and early childhood health program of its kind. Randomized, controlled trials conducted over 30 years demonstrate multi-generational outcomes that benefit society economically and reduce long-term social service expenditures.
NFP is a nationally recognized, evidence-based program that pairs low-income, first-time moms with a registered nurse. In-home visits from the nurse begining early in pregnancy and lasting through the child's second birthday. Nurses and mothers work together to accomplish the program's main goals:
- Improving pregnancy outcomes
- Promoting healthy child development
- Improving the economic self-sufficiency of the families served
NFP, a nationwide program serving 42 states, has operated in South Carolina since 2008 and serves 19 counties: Abbeville, Anderson, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Edgefield, Georgetown, Greenwood, Greenville, Horry, Lexington, McCormick, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and Williamsburg.
For more information please visit www.nursefamilypartnership.org/locations/South-Carolina.
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Greenville Office
(864) 382-3329 105 Edinburgh Court
Greenville, SC 29607 Columbia Office
(803) 748-1246
1201 Main Street
Suite 1980
Columbia, SC 29201
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