Latest News

Dr. John Stockwell Recipient of the 2017 Cradle to Career Champion Award by StriveTogether

The Spartanburg County Foundation Dr. John Stockwell Strive Award

The Spartanburg County Foundation congratulates Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. John Stockwell on winning the 2017 Cradle to Career Champion Award!

CINCINNATI, OHIO — After 17 years as chancellor at the University of South Carolina Upstate, John Stockwell joined an effort to pursue high levels of academic achievement for children in Spartanburg County. His long focus on helping kids succeed is why he has been selected for the Bill Henningsgaard Cradle to Career Champion Award by StriveTogether, a national nonprofit organization working to improve education for every child.

At its eighth annual Cradle to Career Network Convening, StriveTogether today announced Stockwell as the 2017 award recipient. Stockwell is executive director of Spartanburg Academic Movement, a partnership of schools and colleges, businesses, governments, foundations, faith communities and individuals across the county.

“I feel deeply honored to receive this award,” Stockwell said. “Spartanburg Academic Movement, like many communities across the nation, owes a big thanks to StriveTogether for its approach and guidance on getting better results for every child. But I’m even more thankful for our teachers and school leaders with their unwavering dedication to our kids. Uniting the community alongside these gifted people is the honor of a lifetime.”

Stockwell has built strong cross-sector partnerships and secured a countywide commitment to data-driven action. Under his leadership, Spartanburg Academic Movement facilitated better data use by piloting the Early Development Instrument to measure kindergarten readiness in one school district. Through an unprecedented data-sharing agreement among the county’s seven school districts, the EDI now will be used countywide.

“Throughout his career, John has embodied the dedicated spirit and commitment to excellence that truly enables this work to improve outcomes for kids,” StriveTogether Interim CEO Jennifer Blatz said. “As a testament to how he truly mobilizes a community, all seven school superintendents in the county nominated him together for our award. John’s tireless advocacy and support, coupled with exceptional and energetic leadership, has enabled a vision of a few to become the shared vision of many.”

Prior to the University of South Carolina Upstate, Stockwell held other higher education positions in California, Indiana, New York and Wisconsin. He has served in numerous volunteer civic capacities in the county, including the founding board chair of the Spartanburg Chapter of the Urban League of the Upstate; the board member and chair of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, the Children’s Services Alliances and the College Hub; and a current trustee of the Spartanburg County Foundation.

Named after one of the earliest and staunchest champions of our work, the Bill Henningsgaard Cradle to Career Champion Award annually recognizes a local advocate from the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network. Bill Henningsgaard united partners around a common vision for helping every child succeed through Eastside Pathways, a cradle-to-career partnership in Bellevue, Wash.

The award is given annually to an individual who embodies the passion and persistence modeled by Bill every day in his local work and in the broader collective impact field. Past winners include Mary Jean Ryan (the Road Map Project); Dan Ryan (All Hands Raised); Greg Landsman (StrivePartnership); and Scott and Anne Jones (Every Hand Joined).

About StriveTogether

StriveTogether is a national nonprofit working to improve education for every child. We coach and connect partners in more than 70 communities and work together to get better results. Communities using our approach have seen measurable gains in kindergarten readiness, academic achievement and postsecondary success. The StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network reaches 8.2 million students, involves 10,800 organizations and has partners in 32 states and Washington, D.C.