Educational Leaders Encourage Commitment to Education

Partners for Education: Dr. Lemuel W. Watson, dean of the College of Education at the University of South Carolina, talks about the power of education during a public forum hosted by USC and other educational partners at Northeastern Technical College.

The University of South Carolina partnered with Chesterfield County School District and Northeastern Technical College to hold a public forum to remind the community about the power of education and the importance of working together to ensure every child gets an education.

Dr. Lemuel W. Watson, dean of the College of Education at USC, spoke about his modest roots of growing up on a dirt road in Chesterfield County and how education has made a difference in his life.

"Getting an education is essential to the quality of life that we will eventually live," Watson said. "Education makes a difference. An education becomes a powerful thing when you have partners working together with schools and teachers to make sure children learn and none of them is left behind."

Watson used his father as an example of what a little education can do to change a person's life.

"My father only had a fourth grade education, but he had enough education to read road signs and go all over this country driving trucks to make a living for his family," Watson said. "Not only did he have one doctor in his family of children, he has two doctors and an award-winning teacher who teaches in Anson County."

Watson said education not only empowers people, but it is essential to economic development and therefore one of the best investments a community can make.

"Education enables people to read, reason, communicate and make informed choices about their lives. A more educated person often has more opportunities in life, earns more and has a higher standard of living. Each year of schooling increases a person's earnings by 10 percent," he said. "Skilled workers enable a country to develop and become wealthier, which benefits everyone."

Several educational leaders spoke during the forum to encourage parents, teachers, students and community leaders to commit to the "promise" of an education for all children.

Superintendent of Chesterfield County School System, Dr. Harrison Goodwin, also talked about his family's educational background and how it shaped the expectations his parents had for him.

"It was never a discussion whether we were going to school or not. The question was where are you going to school and what are you going to do when you finish? And that's the type of mindset we need to work toward placing in our children in this community," Goodwin said.

Sen. Gerald Malloy talked about the importance of early education and prioritizing education over politics. He said not to let a lack of state funding for government programs keep the community from supporting children and encouraging them to work hard to get an education. He quoted a saying, "Each one teach one," and said, "It doesn't have to your be your child. It can be any child."

Other speakers for the event were Dr. Ron Bartley, president of NETC; Dr. Veverlyn Watson Smith, director of NETC's Institutional Advancement; and Ray Tomasco, a board member for the NETC Entrepreneurship Development Fund.

The NETC Entrepreneurship Development Fund is a grant for NETC students and alumni who want to start a new business or expand an existing one. Tomasco provided details about the fund and how it can help people become entrepreneurs.

"We are looking for people with new and creative ideas, and we are here to help you become successful," Tomasco said.

Learn more about the EDF grant.

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