This year's recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award is Ms. Martha Strickland. Ms. Strickland is a resident of Walterboro, South Carolina and a lifetime educator who has devoted her professional career to helping children learn.
Ms. Strickland has taught children of all ages and currently ably leads her school, Black Street Early Childhood Center, as their principal. She is engaged in her community, serving on numerous boards whose goals are to strengthen families, which is essential to the foundation of a good education. Ms. Strickland is also an enthusiastic Indians fan, and her school forged a partnership with our men's basketball team where players read to children and teach them to "shoot hoops" and the children, in turn, are often the loudest fans at the game, cheering for their favorite player-a mutual admiration which is built on caring and respect.
Martha: One of the most rewarding things I have ever been involved with is the partnership that has been cultivated between the 3K, 4K and 5K students of BSECC and the USC Salkehatchie Indians basketball team. It began with a small visit in the fall of 2010 by some players and, like wildfire, has engulfed our school and families. Last year's players brought more freshmen this past fall. Almost the entire team has adopted one or more classes of children. Coach Travis Garrett, AD Jane Brewer, and Dawn Rizer helped us to form this "perfect storm" of experiences. It has been a magical, moving time to watch the bonds that have formed between the young men and little students. These men are special beyond words as I don't think it is ordinary for all college students to have donated their free time so willingly to a community effort. But excitedly they came and have spent many Fridays reading, playing, working with, and mentoring our students. They have worked in the gardens, built sandboxes, danced at The Bunny Hop, and taught countless hours of basketball drills. Our students look up to them as their supporters and heroes, not for their stature and physical skill but for the size of their hearts. The devotion that both sides have given to each other will be sustained in great ways for their futures. What a win-win for all! Both big and little, they aspire to live up to the expectations of the other.
