Tag: SC Youth

Lt. Gov. Evette joins high school coaches to promote the Coaches vs. Overdoses program

Repost of story from MYHORRYNEWS: Coaches vs. Overdoses program comes to Myrtle Beach area by Joe Wedra, — Oct 29, 2023

The national program Coaches vs. Overdoses was officially introduced to the Myrtle Beach area Friday night.

Coaches vs. Overdoses is an opioid abatement program which raises awareness for proper drug disposal and is attempting to fight the country’s opioid epidemic. It was active at Friday’s Myrtle Beach vs. North Myrtle Beach football game, distributing drug disposal packets to fans in attendance.

Supporting the initiative, South Carolina Lt. Governor Pamela Evette was at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium serving as an honorary captain.

Evette was in Myrtle Beach to support the efforts of the Coaches vs. Overdoses campaign and to share the group’s key messaging, including phrases like “one pill can kill.”

“This is great, because this is who we want to reach,” Evette said of the program being able to have a presence at Friday’s well-attended rivalry game.

“We want to reach the athletes and we want to reach parents. We want them to take the playbook that has been put together and make them understand. I have three kids, and they don’t think this kind of stuff is going to come to their school, their neighborhood or their friend group. But the shocking reality is that we are losing kids as young as 10 years old due to the fentanyl crisis.”

The new national pilot program has now launched in five states, with South Carolina being a state where efforts have been significant.

South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association Executive Director Scott Earley — who was the head football coach at Myrtle Beach High School from 2000-2008 — is leading the charge to promote the Coaches vs. Overdoses program in the state.

Earley said after meeting with various leaders and seeing its significant effects in other states, it was an obvious decision to make this area a key initiative for the association.

“My charge is to inform and educate,” Earley said. “And looking at the data, that produces positive success when it comes to fighting against opioids. So for me, this just made sense. I wanted to try to get this thing off the ground and grow it. Then, if the tidal wave comes here to the great state of South Carolina, we might have some preventative measures in place that can cause us not to suffer what these other states have.”

Coaches vs. Overdoses began with Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy White’s desire to turn a tragic situation into a positive lesson for others. White lost a son-in-law to a fake pain pill, and he is now helping to raise two grandchildren due to the tragedy.

The program is attempting to underscore the importance of disposing of unused drugs, which is why it is handing out pocket-sized DisposeRx disposal kits across the country. Friday’s event in Myrtle Beach coincided with Saturday’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day as well as October being Substance Abuse Prevention Month.

Earley said his goal is to help athletes understand how difficult it can be to spot fake pills. He hopes the messaging of Coaches vs. Overdoses can help prevent potential tragedies across the state of South Carolina.

“A lot of our athletes across the country who are losing their lives are losing it by accident,” Earley said. “But they just haven’t been educated on it. I think this thing got here a lot faster than we thought it was coming. So, I want to be a part of that [education].”

Evette said efforts like Friday night’s are valuable for everyone, particularly students at the local level.

She hopes that the initiative can provide valuable awareness in schools across the state and says that can start with providing information to athletes.

“A lot of our high school athletes, they are leaders in the school,” Evette said. “They are role models in the school. So we want to make sure they are armed with the right information and they pass it on to their peer groups.”

Earley’s efforts with Coaches vs. Overdoses is just getting started, and he hopes that Friday night’s introduction into the Myrtle Beach area is the beginning of a charge to “prevent, not solve” issues.

The program hopes to continue to share key statistics that they provide, including:

  • The rate of overdose deaths among U.S. teenagers nearly doubled in 2020
  • 70% of teens say unused prescriptions were their first source of acquiring drugs
  • 65% of teens are less likely to consider misusing Rx drugs if warned about fentanyl in counterfeits

Friday was not the end of the efforts in the Myrtle Beach area. It is expected that a further emphasis will be placed on the program in December at the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives North vs. South Bowl at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium.

Earley is excited to help bring the message to the Myrtle Beach area.

“We wanted Myrtle Beach to be a part of this because they do so much,” Earley said. “The city of Myrtle Beach has been so great to all of us over the years. It was just one of those things that really worked out.

“Myrtle Beach will always be home to me. It will always be a special place in my heart. It’s just a good place to do things… The more people who hear the message, the more people get the message. It’s kind of like going to church.”

SC lieutenant governor promotes STEM education as key to attracting tech industry

by Michael Owen – originally published by WPDE on September 14, 2023

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — South Carolina is pushing to be an attractive destination for tech companies, and our state’s Lieutenant Governor said the key is being a national leader in stem education.

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette visited the Grand Strand today to speak at a tech conference.

She was the host speaker Wednesday at the SC Decoded Conference in North Myrtle Beach.

She said that having these types of jobs and education resources available is crucial to our area if we want the younger generations to stay here.

The Lieutenant Governor also said that while Myrtle Beach has always been routed in hospitality, it’s now expanding into a new industry.

“With DC Blox announcing they’re coming to Myrtle Beach, basically bringing transatlantic fiber in here and being a data center. So, what that’s saying is this is the area you want to be in if you’re going to be in the cyber computer science arena,” said Lt. Gov. Evette.

In order to keep attracting those companies and providing future generations with jobs, Evette said education is the key.

“We have an opportunity. There are great choices in this field, and we as a state, want our kids to stay here. We’re looking out into the future that we are educating our kids for the jobs of the future,” she said.

In 2018, just 43% of all high schools in South Carolina offered computer science courses. Now 93% offer them, which is number two in the country.

She said we need to introduce kids to stem fields at earlier ages.

“It’s never too young. You know I first learned here in Myrtle Beach about STEM and STEAM doing robotics. They start them out very young with Legos getting the dexterity to put things together to create and build and they continue to ramp that up each year,” said Lt. Gov. Evette.

The leader of FIRST Robotics competitions in South Carolina tells me they have kids as young as four years old participating.

“When you go look at kids, they’re using technology. They’re using their iPads. They’re using all these resources and sometimes it’s just to have an environment they can relax in. What we try to do is flip that brain the other way and say how can we actually show the kids how to build that app,” said Chris Cortez, FIRST South Carolina. He added, “They’re using encoding skills that we teach them to build those apps. So they can actually understand at a fundamental level of actually how this comes to be.”

Cortez said FIRST wants to give all kids the opportunity to be introduced to STEM fields and have mentors to be able to help guide them in the industry.

“We also want to empower the students that are in our programs, and future members of our programs to stay in the state of South Carolina. There are great opportunities here and we are going to help build that economic boom of those STEM leaders with our programs,” said Cortez. He went on to add, “When they say there’s great jobs here, we want to be a part of that and say we’re helping build those opportunities for those kids to be successful for those businesses. So those businesses can come here and say ‘You know what there is a great workforce here.’ ”

The Lieutenant Governor agrees that equipping students with the right resources will be crucial to continued expansions into STEM careers for South Carolina. It’s not just kids she wants to be educated either. She also wants to see more veterans use scholarship opportunities to live in South Carolina and enter the STEM field. 

“We know that cyber is the future, technology is the future, and we want to make sure that we equip all South Carolina students with the knowledge that they need for these amazing careers,” said Lt. Gov. Evette.

Many tech companies were on hand for the meet and greet style event with speakers on topics like A.I. and cyber security.

Lt. Governor Pamela Evette Calls on Lander Grads to Never Fear Failure

Below is an excerpt from a story written by Karen Petit, May 3, 2023

Although many sitting in the audience already had overcome obstacles in their pursuit of a college degree, South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette called on the Class of 2023 to embrace failure without fear as Lander University conferred bachelor’s and master’s degrees to 555 graduates during its 167th commencement Wednesday (May 3).

Evette was the guest speaker for the 11 a.m. ceremony for graduates of the College of Business, College of Education, and the School of Nursing.

During a ceremony at 3 p.m.,  Dr. Lucas McMillan, dean of the College of Behavioral & Social Sciences, addressed the graduates from his college, as well as those from the College of Arts & Humanities, College of Science & Mathematics and the Interdisciplinary Program.

“Don’t allow fear to keep you from jumping headfirst toward your dreams,” said Evette, who was a successful business leader before being elected as the Palmetto State’s first Republican lieutenant governor in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.

She told the graduates to put fear into perspective. “When we fail, we learn from it,” she said, noting that she looked back on every hardship and failure with positivity and had learned to accept life’s curve balls as opportunities for growth.

Evette implored the graduates to have integrity, which she called “a precious resource.”

Living with integrity, she explained, “is something you must do every day … even when you know no one is watching or listening. To me, having integrity is and will always be one of the most valuable things that we have in life.”

The descendant of immigrants who came to the United States after fleeing the hardships of life in Poland in the early 1900s, Evette told the graduates to dream big. “Don’t pump the brakes before you even get started.”

She asked the graduates a series of questions about their future. “Will you limit yourself or will you go for it, go for the big dream? Will you let fear stand in the way or will you take risks? What will you do when no one is watching? Will you choose to be divisive or will you engage with others with open arms and an open heart? Will you be willing to put in the time and persevere, to see curve balls in life as gifts?”

In concluding her remarks, Evette said, “This education has equipped you to launch your careers and participate in the civic lives of your community, defy expectations, inspire others and make an impact that radiates through your community and beyond.”

Read the full story originally published by Lander University on May 3, 2023.

Pamela Evette: South Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor & a TR Local

Lt. Governor Pamela Evette sat down with Lacey Eibert Keigley with Travelers Rest Here. During the interview they discussed Evette’s service to the state, her priorities, her values, her family, and living in Travelers Rest. 

Please find an excerpt below. Access the full story here.

Pamela Evette has served as South Carolina’s Lt. Governor for the past four years (with a recent re-election for four more years) and she lives in Travelers Rest. She and her husband have raised their family on a farm in TR for the past twenty years or so. The family home and farm are next door to their business and when she’s not traveling throughout the state in her official capacity, you can definitely find her at home with her husband and three children and her 94 year old mother who also lives with the family.

“Everybody knows everybody,” Evette shared about TR. “That’s the beauty of small towns.” We joked about the added benefit of raising kids in small towns. “Yes, we really bonded over that,” Evette laughed. “I mean, in a small town, as a kid, all the parents knew one another. If you did something two blocks away, your parents probably knew about it before you got home.”

Her family’s farm is an operating horse farm and Evette said she still enjoys riding. “In fact, not long after I was sworn into office, I rode a horse in the Aiken Christmas Parade.”  We shared a few stories of falling off horses, something we’ve both experienced and would rather not experience again, particularly as women over forty. As far as we both know, she’s the only female elected official in South Carolina to ride a horse in a parade – and, more importantly of course, Evette is the first female Republican Lieutenant Governor in our state of South Carolina. We’re proud she’s a local – and she’s proud to be one too.

Of course, TR continues to grow and to change – and has changed dramatically during the history of both Evette’s family life here and her personal and professional career. “Back when I moved here, downtown wasn’t really a downtown. It’s been so encouraging to see how everything has grown. The wonderful history that wraps around everything,” Evette said.

She believes the growth of Travelers Rest reflects the growth of the entire state. “I think the revitalization of the Main Street here in Travelers Rest is mirrored all over Main Streets in South Carolina.” She’s proud of TR – and we are too. Evette said she frequently talks about our shared small town’s growth and improvements. “The vision of the small shops, the Farmer’s Market – they’ve done a great job going back to their roots and finding their heritage. People are yearning to connect to that. It’s the best last stop before you go to the mountains.”

[…]

I found Evette to be sincere and direct. She cares about South Carolina, its economy, its diversity, its people.

“I want our kids to be proud South Carolinians, to be so proud of being from South Carolina,” she shared. “I talk a lot to people about South Carolina’s fingerprints. Sometimes we can take it for granted – how great this place is. For example, we are building more BMWs than anywhere in the world. That’s our fingerprints. We’re building boats in Charleston. Our fingerprints. We are building planes. Fingerprints of South Carolina. We make pharmaceuticals in the midlands that go all over the world. South Carolina fingerprints. I want to explain to our kids how proud they can be of where they live, how our South Carolina finger prints are all over.”

DEW and Lt. Gov. Partner Through Youth PSA

Originally posted on SCDEW Website October 10, 2021

S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce and Lt. Governor Pamela Evette partner to share the number one thing employers are looking for when hiring and how to learn it

Columbia, SC – The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) in partnership with Lt. Governor Pamela Evette is touting the long-term benefits of softs skills that can be learned by young people through their first jobs. South Carolina employers report that one of the most critical requirements they seek in applicants are soft skills, and the public service announcement released by the Lt. Governor and DEW aims to help parents understand the importance of soft skills and the opportunity for their child to learn them through a first job, while still in school.

“In my time visiting businesses of every size and type throughout the state, I hear the same message over and over – the best employees are the ones that have soft skills, and there aren’t enough of them,” said Lt. Gov. Evette. “People need to have the experience from a basic part-time job as a young person to help them learn these important skills which build the foundation to a successful lifelong career, no matter what field they pursue.”

Soft skills are very different from work skills. Soft skills include things like strong communication, digital literacy, problem-solving, teamwork, the importance of attendance, following rules and more. Work skills are the experience or training in a specific type of job like accounting for financial jobs, driving for trucking, delivery and distribution, or medicine for nursing. Without soft skills, individuals will have a hard time excelling, even with exemplary work skills. Soft skills help a person’s work skills shine.

“The purpose of the PSA is to help parents understand that first-time employment is not all about money. I think people do not realize how many soft skills are learned on a job. As a young person works for a business and is responsible to someone outside of the family, they are accountable for their time management, their appearance and their communication. The skills they learn on a job are invaluable and by learning them at a young age, while in school, they will be better prepared for future employment and success,” said DEW Executive Director, Dan Ellzey.

The PSA also encourages parents to think beyond the common misconceptions of a first job. There are many employers in the state from retail to manufacturing to hospitality to distribution that have flexible schedule options and open positions for people to learn specific works skills on the job. Evette says, “I hear from employers across the state that they are willing to be flexible with students as early as middle school through college. They are willing to train on the job and offer competitive pay.”

SC Works has created a webpage that offers resources and guidance for parents to learn more and share with their children. Parents, teachers and community mentors are encouraged to share these resources with youth in their homes and communities and look at local options for first employment. To see the PSA, visit scworks.org/youth.

DEW is a core partner in the SC Works centers located throughout South Carolina that leverages the state’s workforce system by providing services such as career guidance, job referrals, and testing and training to meet the needs of jobseekers, employers and those looking to further their careers. The professionals in the SC Works centers can connect parents and their children with local employers who are actively hiring young people.

South Carolina Lt. Governor To Speak At Limestone’s Outdoor Graduation On May 29 At Gaffney High School Stadium

Limestone College is shaking things up in order to provide a commencement ceremony for its recent graduates.

For the first time in several decades, Limestone is moving its ceremony outdoors. The guest speaker will be South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette.

In what will be the final commencement exclusively for Limestone College – due to the institution’s impending name change to Limestone University this summer – the graduates will receive their degrees at Gaffney High School’s football stadium on Friday, May 29, at 10 a.m.

Two ceremonies for the Spring Term were originally scheduled for Saturday, May 2, inside Fullerton Auditorium, but those were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One combined ceremony will be held at the Gaffney High stadium.

For graduates who cannot attend the re-scheduled ceremony on May 29, they will have the option to return to campus to graduate during the regularly scheduled Fall Term commencements on December 12.

Limestone will have a total of 295 students graduating, including 267 bachelor’s degrees, 16 associate degrees, and 12 Master of Business Administration degrees.

Including those who graduated this past December, the College will confer a total of 518 degrees for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Limestone’s ceremony on May 29 will follow the one by Gaffney High School the evening prior. Both schools will practice social distancing at its respective ceremonies. The College and GHS will also use similar ceremony set-ups that will include graduates seated on the field and spectators utilizing both the home and away sides of the stadium.

More social distancing details involved in Limestone’s graduation ceremony will be released soon.

Students will receive two tickets for guests to attend the commencement. The ceremony will also be live-streamed so family and friends not in attendance can view online at www.limestone.edu.

“We are thrilled to offer a meaningful graduation ceremony to reward our students, in a time when many colleges and universities are moving to virtual ceremonies or cancelling them all together,” said Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker. “We were considering other options for a ceremony later in the summer or possibly in the fall. But this opportunity presented itself to partner with the local school district and we are grateful that it worked out. They have developed a fantastic plan that we are utilizing. We appreciate the chance to use Gaffney High School’s stadium, which is certainly not unfamiliar to our campus community because we play our football games at The Reservation. The Cherokee County School District and officials at Gaffney High have been tremendously supportive in welcoming Limestone’s graduation to the stadium.

“We certainly understand that for some graduates and their families, returning to Gaffney later this month might not be feasible,” Parker continued. “For that reason, any graduate who cannot be here on May 29th will be welcome to return to take part in a ceremony in December.”

Parker added that graduates and their families are also being encouraged to travel to the Limestone campus following the ceremony to walk the front campus and take photos.

Prior to moving its ceremonies inside Fullerton Auditorium in the 1990s, Limestone traditionally held its commencement exercises outside on the front campus.

Just over a year after welcoming South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster as its commencement speaker, Limestone will have Lieutenant Governor Evette deliver a message to its graduates on May 29.

Evette was elected as the 93rd Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina on November 6, 2018. Prior to her election as the first female Republican Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, Evette founded Quality Business Solutions, Inc., a payroll, human resources, and benefits services firm headquartered in Travelers Rest. Under her leadership as President and CEO, Quality Business Solutions grew exponentially, going from start-up to one of the nation’s fastest growing small businesses.

Evette has received numerous business and professional accolades, including the ATHENA Leadership Award; the Enterprising Woman of the Year Award; the Women Presidents’ Organization 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies Award; and as a member of the Impact 50, an annual ranking of the most powerful women leaders of Inc. 5000 companies.

A native of Ohio, Evette is the granddaughter of Polish immigrants. Her parents were first generation Americans who she credits with teaching her the value of hard work and the importance of getting involved and giving back.

Evette holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Accounting from Cleveland State University.

“Limestone was founded in 1845 as an institution of higher learning for female students,” Parker said. “And now we have the highest-ranking female official from the state of South Carolina speaking at our final graduation ceremony as Limestone College. We are truly honored to have Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette addressing our graduates. We’re looking forward to an exciting and historical day for Limestone.”

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