A Lexington-Richland School District Five educator and the current South Carolina Teacher of the Year has been selected for a prestigious statewide education policy program.
Amy Carter, Chapin High School teacher and the 2022 South Carolina Teacher of the Year, is one of 8 professional and civic leaders selected to participate in the SC Education Policy Fellowship Program (SC-EPFP) for 2021-2022. SC-EPFP is a 10-month intensive professional development program for established and emerging leaders in education and related fields to help equip them in working toward sound education policy and practice in South Carolina. SC-EPFP Fellows participate in a variety of activities to promote leadership, develop professional networks, demystify education policy, and foster greater understanding of the roles of government and the community in education.
“I am so honored to be selected for this year’s cohort for SC’s Educational Policy Fellows Program,” Carter said. “What I learn in this program will help me be a better advocate for my colleagues, my profession, my students, and my community. Additionally, I will have a chance to meet and work with an even broader network of other educational advocates. We are better and stronger together, and it’s an honor to be included in this group of talented educational advocates.”
South Carolina Fellows will meet monthly throughout the academic year for full-day dialogues, exercises, and group projects, in addition to a three-day Washington Policy Seminar in the nation’s capital in March.
SC-EPFP operates under the auspices of the national Education Policy Fellowship Program of the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) in Washington, DC, which oversees Fellowship programs in 10 states and the District of Columbia. In South Carolina the program is coordinated by the SC School Improvement Council, located in the Center for Educational Partnerships of the University of South Carolina College of Education.
“This year’s SC-EPFP cohort again represents some of the most dedicated and talented leaders from all corners of our state,” said Scott T. Price, Executive Director for the SC School Boards Association and SC-EPFP Advisory Board Chair. “Together, they will work to develop new perspectives, hone their professional skills, and network with other committed leaders so they can take definitive steps for meaningful education improvement at the state and local levels.”
Members of the SC-EPFP class for 2021-2022 are: Amy E. Carter (2022 South Carolina Teacher of the Year, Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA), Winthrop University); Ashley S. Cohoon (Elementary Assistant Principal, East Point Academy Public Charter School, West Columbia);
Sarah S. Gams (2021 South Carolina Teacher of the Year/Social Emotional Learning Program Director, CERRA / SC Department of Education); Claressa M. Hinton (Regional Family Engagement Liaison, Carolina Family Engagement Center (CFEC), University of South Carolina College of Education); Kimberly O. Johnson (South Carolina House of Representatives, District 64, Clarendon and Sumter Counties); Stephanie N. Lawrence, Esq. (Director of Policy and Legal Services, South Carolina School Boards Association); Cindy S. Riley (Executive Director, Colleton County First Steps); Dr. Andrea M. Sturkey (Director of Human Resources, Dorchester School District Four).
Since its inception in South Carolina, SC-EPFP has produced nearly 250 program graduates from a variety of professional backgrounds.
SC-EPFP is supported by an advisory board providing cross-disciplinary leadership representing the state’s K-12 education, higher education, and business communities.
For additional information on the SC Education Policy Fellowship Program, visit the SC-EPFP page online at https://sic.sc.gov/sic-information.
