Grace to be honored for work
on early childhood education
with Winter-Reed award

Grace

Leadership Mississippi alum Dr. Cathy Grace (1982-1983) will be presented the 2009 Winter-Reed Partnership in recognition of her commitment to improving education in Mississippi. The award will be present Sept. 21 at Winter-Reed Partner in Education program to be held at Mississippi State University.

Dr. Grace played a key role in Mississippi’s statewide implementation of kindergarten, which was strongly supported by Leadership Mississippi. When Mississippi became the last state in the country to require school districts to offer kindergarten in 1985, Dr. Grace headed the initiative as early childhood coordinator for the state Department of Education.

“Cathy Grace is a bona fide hero in the fight for quality public schools in Mississippi. She was deeply involved in the successful push for public kindergarten ... and has not slowed her advocacy since. She is the expert and advocate for early childhood education in our state. She exemplifies the type of work Leadership Mississippi graduates can do with their life,” said President of The Molpus Woodlands Group Dick Molpus, Leadership Mississippi graduate (1976-1977).

At Mississippi State University, Dr. Grace is a professor in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education of the College of Education and director of its Early Childhood Institute. She is currently on sabbatical to serve as director of Early Childhood Development Policy for the Children's Defense Fund. Dr. Grace has taught at the university level, been executive director of a regional professional development association for early childhood educators, and created and directed a comprehensive family support agency for Lee County.

“America is now getting the benefit of one of our state’s great human assets. Cathy has had her strong shoulder to the wheel of early childhood education since we persuaded the Mississippi Legislature to enact statewide kindergartens and she hasn’t stopped since,” said Tupelo Mayor and Leadership Mississippi graduate Jack Reed, Jr (1976-1977). The award was partly named after Reed's father.

For more than 40 years, Gov. William Winter and Jack Reed Sr. have been driving forces on behalf of public education in Mississippi. In recent years, they have united in a bi-partisan front to promote the need for quality education and consistent, adequate funding of our public education system.

In their honor, the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education in 2007 established a perpetual award in their names to be presented annually to promote the ideals and partnership exemplified by their lifelong commitment to education. Since 1984, the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education, a 501 (c)(3), has served as a statewide network of educators and community partners.

Proceeds from the event will be used to enhance the program services of MAPE, including scholarships for member school districts to send representatives to MAPE1s annual training events.