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Cathy
Grace presented a framed print of an
illustration in the children’s classic
picture book Swimmy to Stephen
Renfroe of Chevron at the annual
conference of the Mississippi Early
Childhood Association Oct. 6, 2006, in
Jackson. (Beverly Peden)
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Chevron’s
Stephen Renfroe Receives Swimmy Award from
Mississippi Early Childhood Association
OCT. 12, 2006 | Stephen Renfroe of
Chevron received the Swimmy Award from
the
Mississippi Early Childhood Association
last week in Jackson, Miss., for his deep
commitment to Mississippi’s young children.
Cathy Grace Ed.D., professor and
director of the Mississippi State University
Early Childhood Institute (ECI), presented the
award to Renfroe Oct. 6 during the association’s
annual conference. Grace is a past president of
the association.
“After Hurricane Katrina, Steve Renfroe not only
led the effort to restore early care and
education for children in Jackson County, where
many Chevron employees and their families live,
but set an example for other corporations and
organizations,” Grace said. “He does not realize
how far and wide the story of his help to young
children, their teachers and caregivers, and
their families has spread in the early childhood
arena. Mississippi is very fortunate to have
such a compassionate, yet strategic advocate for
young children.”
Chief of policy, government, and public affairs
for Chevron’s refinery at Pascagoula, Miss.,
Renfroe spearheaded the company’s restoration of
licensed child care facilities in Jackson
County, Miss., following Hurricane Katrina of
August 2005. The corporation has helped reopen
40 child care centers by providing construction
crews and materials for structural repairs and
purchasing furnishings, equipment and learning
materials at a cost of $500,000 or more. ECI
provided technical assistance for the Chevron
project as part of its
Rebuilding After Katrina Initiative.
The character Swimmy in the classic children’s
picture book of the same name (Leo Linni, 1963)
is a fish who inspires other fish to work
together to solve a problem.
Connie Clay, M.S., director of ECI’s
Rebuilding After Katrina Initiative, presided at
the Mississippi Early Childhood Association’s
conference as her last official act as president
of the association.
46 Blackjack Rd. / P.O. Box 6013
/ Mississippi State, MS / 39762 / tel. 662-325-4836 / fax 662-325-5436
© 2004- Mississippi State University
Updated
11/22/2006
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