REWARD Program Recognizes Graduates

By SHARRON HALEY The Clarendon Sun MANNING — On Nov. 1, the first graduates of the Rural Economic Workforce Alliance for Resource Development (REWARD) program were recognized at a luncheon at the F.E. DuBose Career Center auditorium. Borrowed from Marlboro County, the REWARD program is designed to help workers learn the skills necessary to find gainful employment, John Truluck, executive director of the Clarendon County Development Board, told the audience. "They let us have a copy of the program," he said. "We tweaked it to meet our own needs." A lack of funding didn't prevent it from getting off the ground, Truluck said.

Photo by Chris Moore Hannah G. Tremer sits with her children Ashton Tremer, 8, Chelsea Gibbons, 11, and Phoenix Tremer, 4, at her home in New Zion on Wednesday afternoon.

 "There was no money to fund the program," he said. "We had to make it work and make it available at no charge."

Truluck credited Julie Griffin and Ann Cutter with Clarendon Adult Education and Dr. Tim Hardee, president of Central Carolina Technical College, with getting it up and running.

"Adult Ed had the biggest burden," Truluck said. "Those two women are wonders. Their staff of teachers was wonderful. They made it work."

Truluck also commended the 15 students who stuck with the eight-week program.

"The only way to compete today is with a more technically advanced workforce," he said. "Employees need to be able to operate automated equipment. We can't give up on manufacturing jobs and service jobs are continuing to grow."

The students coursework included interviewing, computers and work ethics as well as etiquette.

Griffin told the graduates that she was proud of them for seeing the program through the end.

"More than half of you have a reading level above 12.9," she said. "You're a smart group."

Graduate Marlene W. Garland spoke during the ceremony.

"Thank you for giving us a positive, uplifting program," she said. "Thank you to everyone. Thank you for all you have done. Just thank you."

Graduate Johnny K. Wilson addressed the audience.

"In room 301, 24 or 25 of us gathered to begin the program," Wilson said. "Fifteen stuck in there. This shows that we are willing to work together to make things happen."

Hannah G. Tremer, 38, a single mother of three, ages 11, 8 and 4, used the program as a "refresher course."

"I had just relocated here from Virginia," she said later. "I need to brush up on my computer skills and didn't have the funds to pay for college courses."

Tremer had nothing but praise for her instructors and Griffin and Cutter.

"If I had a problem with transportation, they were there to help," she said. "I had babysitting problems a couple of times and they were there to help me work it out. Without their support, I couldn't have completed the course.

"I am confident now," she said. "It was quite an accomplishment to finish the program and to be a part of the first graduating class is an added incentive to get out there and succeed."



Contact Staff Writer Sharron Haley at shaley@theitem.com or (803) 435-8511.

Clarendon County REWARD program
Session II application deadline: Jan. 7; registration Jan. 14; classes begin Jan. 29
Session III application deadline: March 10; registration March 17; classes begin March 31

For more information, call (803) 473-2531 or log onto www.REWARDSC.org.