Mayor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities awards scholarships and community honors

Summerville Mayor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities held its 36th annual Awards Luncheon on May 6 at Summerville Country Club, distributing over $20,000 in scholarships and honors. The committee, founded in 1990 by the Summerville Rotary Club and the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, focuses on securing meaningful employment for people with disabilities. Keynote speaker Ken Harrell and emcee Quince Cody emphasized the community’s commitment to opportunity over charity. The Small Employer of the Year Award went to Beyond Handcrafted, a pottery and home décor shop that provides one-on-one job training in real-world skills. Piggly Wiggly of Ladson received the Medium Employer of the Year Award for its long-standing support of vocational rehabilitation and workforce integration. Noah Lisle earned the Employment Achievement Award for his nine-year tenure at Nexton Publix, where his consistency and kindness fostered workplace connections. Drew Honea received the CoCo Boyd Community Impact Award for his work as an aide and autism teacher, recognized for his patience and skill in helping students expand their abilities. Jaden Joseph, a Summerville High School senior, was named Student of the Year after earning multiple awards, including Employability Education Employee of the Month. His proficiency in tools and math prepared him for a construction career. Samuel J. Miller received the Keenan McKamey Eagle Award for his leadership in mental health and substance use counseling, now serving as executive director of the Dorchester Alcohol and Drug Commission. Anna Grace Tanner, a chemistry and forensic science double major, was awarded the Alex Rosche’ Memorial Scholarship. She plans to pursue forensic science, driven by a mission to bring justice to victims and closure to families.