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ICS Celebrates Founders and
Launches Fellowship for Early Educators
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ICS Founders and Board Members attend the ICS Founders Luncheon:
ICS Senior Fellow Linda Brees, Founder and Board Member Emerita Ann Robinson, Board Secretary JoKeitha Seabrook, Founder and Board Member Emeritus Merl Code, Founder and Board Chair Emerita Susan Shi, Founder and Board Member Emeritus Dr. Bill Schmidt, and Founder and Board Member Emerita Tami McKnew.
| 2024 ICS Merl Code Early Educator Fellows: Steph Dean, Candice George, Jacob Mathis, CaNihja Simon. Fellows are joined by Founder and Board member Emeritus Merl Code, ICS Chief Equity Officer Mary Garvey, and CaNihja's daughter Olivia Marshall. | |
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On September 19, ICS hosted its biennial Founders Luncheon to share exciting updates, celebrate our distinguished founders, and honor the contributions of The Honorable Merl F. Code with the launch of The ICS Merl Code Early Educators Fellowship. Over 170 guests joined us in Greenville, SC to celebrate this event.
During the luncheon, Judge Code emphasized the critical role both his parents and his community had played during his earliest years and how that support impacted the trajectory of his life.
Four distinguished educators were recognized as the inaugural cohort of Fellows: Dr. Steph N. Dean, Candice George, Jacob L. Mathis, and CaNihja Simon. Learn more about each fellow, and this new fellowship, in the section below.
We relished this opportunity to gather with our Founders, Board Members, partners, and supporters. Please see below for photographs from the event.
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Meet the 2024 ICS Merl Code
Early Educators Fellows!
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ISC welcomes four early childhood professionals into the inaugural cohort of Code Fellows. | |
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In September, ICS launched the inaugural cohort of ICS Merl Code Early Educators Fellows to honor ICS Board Member Merl F. Code. This Fellowship highlights the importance of building and maintaining a robust pipeline of early career educators dedicated to the field of early childhood and improving child and family outcomes. We are excited about the impact on an area both central to the ICS mission and near and dear to Merl’s heart.
Merl F. Code is Of Counsel in the Greenville law firm of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak, & Stewart, P.C. He is a municipal court judge in Greenville and the owner/president of several Upstate businesses. Merl’s parents, both educators, greatly influenced him. In addition to ICS and Furman University, Merl serves on several local boards. He proudly co-leads the Greenville Racial Equity and Economic Mobility Commission.
Each year, ICS will honor early childhood educators in South Carolina identified as up and coming leaders, or those who are working in institutes of higher education, spearheading the training of future early educators. Fellows will receive mentorship, develop and communicate a research plan supporting young children, access a Fellowship alumni network, and receive a monetary award.
The three focus tracks of the Fellowship are: Equity / Advocacy / Practice.
Read our blog post to learn more about the Fellowship, and our inaugural cohort of Fellows!
The 2024 ICS Merl Code Early Educators Fellows:
Steph N. Dean, PhD,
Assistant Professor of Early Childhood & Elementary Science Education
Candice George,
Early Head Start Teacher
Jacob L. Mathis,
Physical Education Teacher
CaNihja Simon,
Childcare Specialist, SC First Steps, Family Voice Council Member
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Bryan Boroughs, ICS Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, Joining Riley Institute at Furman University | |
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ICS announces that Bryan Boroughs, our longtime COO and General Counsel, will be transitioning to the role of Executive Director of the Riley Institute at Furman University this fall. Furman University is a nationally recognized institution, as well as Bryan’s alma mater. The Riley Institute, named in honor of former US Secretary of Education Richard Riley, focuses on empowering leaders to advance equity and drive social and economic progress, across South Carolina and beyond. As Executive Director, Bryan will work to maximize the impact of the Riley Institute, as well as having a unique opportunity to give back to his alma mater. See Furman University's announcement here.
Bryan has faithfully served ICS for over a decade, where he has had a profound impact on the growth of our organization and helped improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of young children and families across the nation. His leadership, vision, and expertise have helped spearhead our work in the areas of policy research, advocacy support, and strategic impact financing. Jamie Moon, ICS CEO, notes “Bryan is one of the most talented, principled, and effective individuals I have ever been privileged to work with. ICS’s impact and growth over the last decade is due, in large measure, to Bryan’s extraordinary work. I know I speak for everyone associated with ICS when I say that, while we are saddened to see our friend and colleague leave his position, we look forward to continuing our work together and partnering even more closely with the Riley Institute moving forward.”
Bryan will also stay connected with ICS as a Senior Fellow.
Please join us in recognizing Bryan for his countless contributions to ICS and to young children everywhere, and in wishing him an impactful new start at the Riley Institute!
Jamie Moon,
ICS CEO
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ICS Advocacy Team Presents in St. Louis | |
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Left: SECEJN event attendees gather in St. Louis.
Right: ICS team members Deborah DePaoli and Citlaly Rojo
with ECCA community advocate Sandra Mercer.
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On September 18 and 19, the South Carolina Early Childhood Common Agenda (ECCA) gathered in St. Louis, Missouri, for the Southern Early Childhood Education Justice Network (SECEJN) convening. This event provided an opportunity to learn about initiatives from other southern states aimed at enhancing early childhood education. Together, attendees explored strategies for advancing our collective work and fostering a unified agenda across the region.
The ECCA is a coalition led by the Institute for Child Success, Save the Children Action Network, and the South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association. Together this group leads a coalition of dozens of community advocates dedicated to improving outcomes for young children (age 0-5) and their families. This group focuses on determining core priorities and makes recommendations for implementing them. The ECCA is designed to present a united front on matters related to early childhood health, education, and family well-being to policymakers in South Carolina. In past years, dozens of organizations have signed on to the ECCA, resulting in significant wins at the South Caroline State House—including 4K expansion, Earned Income Tax Credit, and more.
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ICS works on behalf of children from prenatal to age 8.
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