The Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Minority Enterprise Development Awards Banquet, presented by RR Donnelley, will be held on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 in the Azalea Ballroom, Spartanburg Marriott.  A Reception, sponsored by AT&T, will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by Dinner at 6:30 p.m.    The evening will focus on recognizing the contributions of minority men and women and how their accomplishments have impacted our economy and community.  The Chamber of Commerce’s Diversity Committee is pleased to announce this year’s winners are as follows:

The 2011 Rising Star Award winners are  Christopher Cooper, a Senior at Boiling Springs High School and Jordyn Fox, a Spartanburg High School student.

The 2011 Minority Advocate of the Year is Carver Middle School in Spartanburg District 7.  Under the direction of Principal Raashad  Fitzpatrick, Carver Middle School has a vision and a plan for the students of Spartanburg that will allow them to excel in tomorrow's world of business.  Carver represents excellence in education and is the county’s first secondary STEM school (STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). As a STEM school, Carver focuses on these subjects to help youth gain the skills required to succeed in today’s challenging world.

2011 Minority Business of the Year is ReGenesis Health Care.  ReGenesis Health Care is dedicated to providing health care for the entire family.  They offer services in Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Immunizations, Women’s Health, Family Planning, Diabetes Care, Laboratory Services, X-Ray Services, Behavioral Counseling, and in 2010 introduced Oral Health and a Pharmacy .

The 2011 Rising Star Award winner is Christopher Cooper, a Senior at Boiling Springs High School.  Christopher, the grandson of Gene and Sherry Cooper, is a member of the Boiling Springs High Student Council; a 2010-2011 graduate of the Junior Leadership Spartanburg program; a member of the March of Dimes Spartanburg Youth Council; and has won several scholarships for piano education at The Lawson Academy of the Arts.  Christopher can play the piano, violin, guitar as well as the 7 string electric violin and has superior ratings in both concert festivals as well as solo and ensemble.  He has attended honors and region orchestra; has composed 7 original compositions and has conducted orchestra and ensembles in several concerts and events.  In addition to music and school, Christopher works for All-American Martial Arts, in Boiling Springs, as an office manager, camp counselor and a former assistant instructor.

A second 2011 Rising Star Award will be presented to Jordyn Fox, a Spartanburg High School student and a 2011 participant in the Spartanburg Black Legislative Youth Conference at the State House in Columbia.  Jordyn, the daughter of Karen Fox, has been active in the Student Council throughout middle and high school, serving as Class President of her Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior class; and is currently serving as Student Body President.  A 2010-11 graduated of the Junior Leadership Spartanburg program; Jordyn is also an Advisory Board Member and a cast member of the Imagine That  Improvisational Theatre;  All State Choir Selection 2010; Spartanburg. High School Honors Choir; and a member of Corporation  (Spartanburg High School’s premier show choir).  Jordyn is an active athlete, participating in Track freshman through her senior year / Varsity Letter; Volleyball her freshman and sophomore years and Swimming during her sophomore year.  In her spare time, Jordan volunteers with the Children’s Shelter.

The 2011 Minority Advocate of the Year is Carver Middle School in Spartanburg District 7.  Under the direction of Principal Raashad Fitzpatrick, Carver Middle School has a vision and a plan for the students of Spartanburg that will allow them to excel in tomorrow's world of business.  Carver represents excellence in education and is the county’s first secondary STEM school (STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). As a STEM school, Carver focuses on these subjects to help youth gain the skills required to succeed in today’s challenging world. High-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education can unleash the creativity and curiosity of their students, motivate them to understand their world, and provide them with tools to think critically, solve complex problems, communicate effectively, and drive advancements in science and technology. The school program offers small class sizes, increased technology, and also diverse course offerings including leadership and character education programs to supplement and enrich the classroom learning experience.

2011 Minority Business of the Year is ReGenesis Health Care.  ReGenesis Health Care is dedicated to providing health care for the entire family.  They offer services in Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Immunizations, Women’s Health, Family Planning, Diabetes Care, Laboratory Services, X-Ray Services, Behavioral Counseling, and in 2010 introduced Oral Health and a Pharmacy .  In addition, ReGenesis offers a variety of programs to serve the family, such as Birth Matters, Breast Health, Diabetes Education, Migrant Health, Outreach Services and Health Screenings, as well as their Back to School Health Fair – where this past August they served 2300 children in Spartanburg (thanks to over 400 volunteers) and over 1200 children (150 volunteers) in Gaffney.  ReGenesis is a strong believer of the power of partnerships – partnering with Spartanburg Regional, the Gibbs Cancer Center, First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, Restoration Church of Gaffney as well as local school districts.