2024 Hall of Fame Inductees

Kahran Bethencourt is a member of the Wade Hampton High Class of 1998. She is the co-founder of CreativeSoul Photography and a world-renowned child photographer dedicated to empowering children of color through her distinctive and inspiring images. She has achieved widespread acclaim, co-authoring New York Times Best Seller coffee table books Glory and Crowned and winning the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for the children's book The Me I Choose to Be.

Her AfroArt series, celebrating the beauty and versatility of afro hair, has received global recognition and praise from celebrities like Will Smith and Taraji P. Henson. Named a Canon Explorer of Light and an NAACP Image Award winner, Mrs. Bethencourt also collaborated with Disney to reimagine Disney Princesses in her signature Afrocentric style, further establishing her as an innovative force in the creative world.

Johnny Mack Brown is a member of the Greenville Sr. High Academy Class of 1955. He began his law enforcement career in Greenville, SC, as a Probation and Parole Officer before becoming an investigator for South Carolina's Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. Elected Sheriff of Greenville County in 1976, he led efforts to modernize and professionalize the Sheriff's Office, achieving national accreditation in 1988. He has been a key advocate for community-oriented law enforcement, establishing the Center for Advanced Training with minimal public expense.

Sheriff Brown’s influence extended nationally when he served as President of the National Sheriffs' Association in 1993, representing sheriffs at federal assemblies and testifying before Congress. After retiring as Sheriff in 2001, he was appointed U.S. Marshal for South Carolina until 2010. In 2018, he was named Interim Sheriff, retiring again in 2020 at age 82.

Daniel Miyares is a 1988 graduate of Hillcrest High. He is a critically acclaimed and award-winning picture book author and illustrator. Some of his books include Float, Night Out, Hope At Sea, and Bring Me A Rock!. Mr. Miyares has been called “…a master of visual storytelling” by Jody Hewston of Kinderlit, and “…enchanting, versatile” by The New York Times. His work has been featured on the Today Show. He illustrated the Newbery Honor Medal-winning book The Many Assassinations of Smir, the Seller of Dreams. He was selected to illustrate the poem “Dream Variations” by Harlem Renaissance poet, Langston Hughes.

Mr. Miyares believes that our stories have the power to connect us all. His story currently takes place in Lenexa, KS with his wife, their two wonderful children, and a dog named Violet.

Dr. Bethany Smith, a Pelzer, South Carolina native, graduated from Southside High School in 2002 as an International Baccalaureate student before earning her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from South Carolina State University and Delaware State University, respectively. She holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Clark Atlanta University. For ten years, Dr. Smith worked at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as a Postdoctoral Fellow, Project Scientist, and Assistant Professor, focusing on prostate cancer research and treatment development in hematology, oncology, and experimental therapeutics.

Recently returning to South Carolina, she plans to continue her work in oncology and genetics. Dr. Smith is a proud mom to her three-year-old daughter, Janiyah.

Dr. Virginia Uldrick graduated from Greenville Sr. High Academy in 1946. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Furman University, a Master of Arts in Music Education and Administration from Columbia University, and honorary doctorates from both Furman University and Columbia College. Dr. Uldrick taught choral music, theatre, and stage productions at every level of elementary and secondary education and was the Supervisor of Music and Director of Fine Arts for Greenville County Schools.

Dr. Uldrick was the founding Director of the Fine Arts Center and was appointed as the founding President of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. She was the artistic and choral director for the Singing Christmas Tree for 20 years. Among several awards and honors, she received the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award and the Order of the Palmetto.

Dr. Katherine H. Howard is an accomplished educator and administrator with more than 30 years of experience in South Carolina's school systems. She held key roles, including Associate Superintendent for Student Performance for Greenville County Schools. While in the role, she served on the international board for the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Dr. Howard has received numerous accolades, such as District Administrator of the Year (2008) by the SC Association of School Administrators and Principal of the Year (1998) by the SC Librarian’s Association. She was named a Reader’s Digest American Hero in Education (1993).

Also a leader in the community, Dr. Howard chaired the College of Education Advancement Board at Clemson University and actively contributes to organizations like the SC Lions Foundation. She continues to impact education and community development through consulting and volunteerism.