Help Bud Webb’s Legacy Live On at Innovative School
Clemson’s Extension agents, its agricultural teaching, and research staff and faculty have improved lives in this state for decades. But one of the largest recent legacies comes from Dr. Byron “Bud” Webb.
In his final days, Bud left behind a gift that will continue to change lives: a donation to start a school for students whose struggles he knew well. Now, we’re working to always remember Bud’s tremendous achievements by continuing his legacy at Lakes & Bridges Charter School located in Easley.
Bud Webb was a professor and chair of the Agricultural Engineering Department (1976-84) and Dean of the Cooperative Extension Service (1985-95). He served in the SC House of Representatives from 1996-2002 for District 3 (Pickens County).
Bud’s B.S. and M.S. were from Clemson, and he earned a Ph.D. from NC State. He would often tell people that though he had a doctorate, he had never learned to read. That’s because Bud most likely had undiagnosed dyslexia. Through his continued belief that “nothing’s too hard; find the solution!” Bud was able to succeed despite his dyslexia, making him sympathetic to others who were struggling.
In Bud’s final months of life in 2017, he heard about a group of retired teachers in the Clemson area working to start a tuition-free public charter school dedicated to teaching children with dyslexia. Without being asked, Bud generously wrote a $100,000 check to the founders, enabling the school to grow from idea to reality. Less than two years later, Lakes & Bridges Charter School opened in Easley, S.C., fully staffed and dedicated to the evidence-based, multisensory, and individualized instruction that its students need to learn how to read, write, and succeed.
Now in its third year of operation, the school is raising funds for its final round of construction to build its two 8th grade classrooms. The rooms will be named The Bud Webb Finish Strong Eighth Grade Capstone rooms in honor of Bud’s initial gift, as well as his determination to overcome challenges and work hard for your goals.
Would you please join us in honoring Bud Webb, his family, his ideals, and the future engineers, representatives, and citizens of the world who will graduate from Lakes & Bridges by making a contribution to Bud’s namesake classrooms? Donations made by February 2021 will be matched by an anonymous donor up to $100,000. So give now for your gift to count for twice as much!
To make a donation to The Bud Webb Finish Strong Eighth Grade Capstone room, visit www.lakesandbridges.org/donate—or speak with Board of Directors member Debbie Vaughn, at 843-343-7458 or dvaughn@labcharterschool.org.
Thank you for helping Clemson Extension continue to honor one of our greats by expanding a school that will create other new innovators and leaders like Bud.
