SC Public Charter School District Kids First Podcast

On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes two bright students from Horse Creek Academy in Aiken, ninth grader Mae and eleventh grader Jim, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. A few weeks after teacher Karen Nelson introduced the school's student-run podcast, Mae and Jim take the mic themselves to talk about Creek and Company, the show they help create from the ground up. With Halloween right around the corner, the conversation is equal parts fun and inspiring, as the two share what they love about Horse Creek, from soccer and percussion to the close-knit community where, as Mae puts it, everyone knows everyone. Jim even pulls back the curtain on the producing side, explaining how he learned to edit and run the show episode by episode.

The heart of the conversation is how much these students have grown. Mae and Jim open up about going from nervously reading a script word for word to carrying a real conversation, and about the confidence and communication skills they are building that reach far beyond the microphone, with classmates now stopping them in the hallway to say they heard the latest episode. They, Keven, and Chris reflect on the mentoring culture that makes Horse Creek special, where older students become teachers and role models for the younger ones, and why learning to find your voice is one of the most valuable life skills a school can offer. And yes, there is time for the important questions too, like Halloween costumes and the great candy corn debate. It is a joyful, feel-good glimpse at the next generation of young communicators finding their footing.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.hcacs.net/page/creekandco/

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On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen sits down with Superintendent Chris Neeley for a back-to-basics look at what public charter schools in South Carolina really are, timed to the start of budget season at the State House. Chris clears up the single biggest misconception right away: charter schools are free public schools, open to every student, that never charge a dime of tuition. He explains how the South Carolina Public Charter School District is unlike any other, with boundaries that stretch across the entire state and schools in nearly every zip code, now serving a record 31,000 students across 55 schools after more than doubling since 2020. Along the way, he and Keven get into how the district does more with far less, operating on a fraction of the administrative overhead of a traditional district while welcoming all kids, with no litmus test and no criteria beyond being a South Carolina resident.

The conversation then turns to accountability and the road ahead. Chris makes a candid case for holding every public school to the same standard, sharing why he has been willing to close schools that did not live up to their charter, and why real transparency is what families and taxpayers deserve. He also previews the priorities he will carry into his budget presentations, from a partnership with the Medal of Honor Society to build character and leadership in students to the district's Workforce Centers of Excellence and its deep commitment to military families. Throughout, he returns to a belief that anchors the whole show: that kids need more than a diploma; they need purpose, and that giving them their best shot is a responsibility all of us share. It is a clear, compelling primer on the district and the mission behind it.

🔗 Learn more: https://sccharter.org/

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On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Dr. Kelly Linkenhoker, principal of Oceanside Collegiate Academy in Mount Pleasant, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. Fresh off her move from Virginia, Linkenhoker shares her contagious enthusiasm for a school that is truly reimagining what high school can look like. At the heart of it is a flexible half-day, split-session model that frees students in the afternoons to chase what matters to them, whether that is an internship, a job, athletics, or specialized training, and still be home in time for family dinner. Even more striking is Oceanside's collegiate approach, where students can earn up to sixty college credits tuition-free while completing their high school diploma, giving them a powerful head start and sparing families a significant financial burden.

Linkenhoker explains how this small, family-centered, student-driven culture helps young people build the independence, time management, and confidence they will need long after graduation, all while being supported every step of the way. She and Chris explore the real-world pathways that set the school apart, from a nursing track to an aviation program where students can earn a pilot's license before they ever graduate, and celebrate Oceanside's recent "Excellent" rating on the state report card. The conversation also turns to the school's deep commitment to service and character, including a heartwarming moment this fall when Oceanside welcomed Superintendent Neeley's son as an honorary member of its football team, an experience of belonging that helped inspire the school's brand-new designation as a Unified Champion School. It is an energizing, heartfelt look at a school proving that putting kids first means seeing the whole child.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.oceansidecollegiateacademy.org/

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On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Karen Nelson, a teacher at Horse Creek Academy in Aiken, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. A fifteen-year educator who spent years teaching middle school English, Nelson shares what drew her into an unexpected new adventure after a simple conversation about media projects, armed with no camera or microphone experience but a gift for pulling a good story out of a kid. She and Chris dig into what makes a charter school like Horse Creek so distinctive, from the autonomy teachers have to know their students and build real relationships to a Pre-K through 12 campus where older students mentor the little ones, and everyone seems to know everyone, a connection Nelson lovingly compares to a giant spider web.

The heart of the conversation is the school's student-led podcast, one example of how Horse Creek helps young people discover skills they never knew they had. Nelson explains how the program grew from a small city partnership into a weekly show run by students across the grades, complete with sports segments, community spotlights, and a brand new feature that brings the school's youngest voices up to the microphone. Along the way, she, Keven, and Chris reflect on why building confidence and communication matters so much, especially for a generation still finding its footing, and how the school's career pathways, including a state-certified aesthetics and nail program, give students a real chance to find their own skill and their own direction. It is a joyful, inspiring look at innovation, great teaching, and what it means to put kids first. And listeners can look forward to meeting some of the student hosts themselves on an upcoming episode.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.hcacs.net/

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On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen sits down with Brad Henry, Vice President of External Affairs for the South Carolina Public Charter School District, for one of their regular looks at what is happening across the district. The two begin with a cause close to the show's heart, supporting South Carolina's military families. Brad explains what it means to be the state's only Purple Star district, with a designated person in every one of its schools trained to help military-connected students who often arrive mid-year after moving again and again. He points to the success of an existing charter school right by Joint Base Charleston and shares the growing momentum behind a long-held goal: bringing a charter option to families at Fort Jackson so students have somewhere to continue once they finish the elementary schools already on base.

From there, the conversation turns to innovation and the future of the workforce. Brad breaks down the district's Workforce Centers of Excellence, schools built around the real needs of their local communities, where students gain dual enrollment, internships, and apprenticeships that connect classroom learning to actual careers. Because no two regions of South Carolina are alike, no two centers look the same, from manufacturing in the Upstate to maritime work in the Lowcountry. He shares a standout example in Orangeburg, where students are earning real credentials and hands-on experience before they ever graduate, and makes the case for why preparing young people for college, career, or military service, and giving them reasons to build their futures at home, is exactly what putting kids first looks like. It is an energizing glimpse at how the district keeps expanding opportunity for families statewide.

🔗 Learn more: https://sccharter.org/

🔗 Learn more: https://sccharter.org/wcoe/

🔗 Learn more: https://sccharter.org/purplestar/

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On this episode of Kids First, part one of a two-part conversation, Keven Cohen welcomes Dr. Brenda Hafner, school leader of Liberty STEAM Charter: A School of Inquiry, Innovation, and Impact in Sumter, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. Hafner shares the full-circle story of returning to Sumter, a community she once served as assistant superintendent, to lead a school she has admired from afar for years. She and Chris celebrate just how much Liberty has accomplished since its founding, from hitting one hundred percent of its charter goals and earning top marks in academics, finance, and operations to recent Cognia recognition as a Distinguished School, all while carrying a waiting list of more than two thousand families eager to get in. Stepping into a school with such strong bones, Hafner makes clear she has no intention of resting on its success.

The conversation then turns to what comes next, including Liberty's steady growth one grade at a time toward a future high school built around in-demand career pathways, where students can graduate with an associate's degree, a workforce credential, or a clear path to college or military service. Hafner talks about the school's deep commitment to military families near Shaw Air Force Base, its Purple Star support, and the hands-on, innovation-driven learning that pairs students with real industry partners to solve real-world problems. Along the way, Keven previews a deeper look at the Liberty way, the culture of accountability and genuine parent partnership that sets the school apart. It is an energizing glimpse at a beloved Sumter school entering an exciting new chapter.

🔗 Learn more: https://libertysteamcharter.org/

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On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes back Dr. Brenda Hafner, school leader of Liberty STEAM Charter: A School of Inquiry, Innovation, and Impact in Sumter, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. In this second segment, the conversation digs into the culture of accountability that runs through everything Liberty does. Chris explains the balance at the heart of the charter model, the freedom each school earns to run its own way in exchange for a promise to not just meet state standards but exceed them, and why real transparency to families and taxpayers matters so much. Hafner then shares how that same spirit of accountability extends to parents, who sign on as true partners the moment their child is accepted, committing to get their student to school ready to learn and to give volunteer hours throughout the year.

What makes it work, Hafner explains, is that families genuinely embrace those expectations, from a brand new Dads on Duty group greeting students at carline to an active PTA, engaged board members, and community partners who show up in a big way. She and Chris reflect on how parental involvement became one of the quiet silver linings of the pandemic era, and why that commitment continues to fuel the growth of charter schools across the state. The two also return to Liberty's hands-on approach to workforce readiness, where partnerships with real industries help shape students who can graduate ready to earn strong wages and give back to the Sumter community they call home. It is an encouraging look at why, at Liberty, education truly is a partnership through and through.

🔗 Learn more: https://libertysteamcharter.org/

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On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes South Carolina State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. In a wide-ranging conversation, Weaver celebrates what she calls the South Carolina Surge, the state's best-ever results in reading and math, including its highest reading scores on record and a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels in math. She explains the strategy behind the gains, a simple but powerful pairing of high expectations with high support, and why investing in teachers through better materials, training in the science of reading, and math coaches is the real engine driving student growth. Along the way, she pushes back on the old habit of telling a deficit story about South Carolina, arguing that the state's children are every bit as capable as any in the country when they are given the right support.

Looking ahead to the new school year and the priorities shaping 2026 and 2027, Weaver and Neeley dig into career-aligned pathways that prepare students for college, career, and military service, the growth of workforce centers of excellence, and a coming refresh of the state's social studies and civics standards built around a coherent American story and strong character education. They also make the case for a permanent infrastructure bank to help rural districts and public charter schools meet their facilities needs, a challenge Neeley knows firsthand since charter schools receive no local funding for buildings. It is an optimistic, forward-looking look at where South Carolina education has been, how far it has come, and the work still ahead to put every child first.

🔗 Learn more: https://ed.sc.gov/

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On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Teshia McIver of the Palmetto Promise Institute, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. Teshia introduces Palmetto NavigatEd, the parent-focused resource her team built to help South Carolina families understand and use the state's Education Scholarship Trust Fund, or ESTF. She and Keven walk through how the program came to be, including the legal twists that once left families in limbo, and how the Palmetto Promise Institute stepped in with a rescue fund and a mission to make sure parents always have a place to turn for clear, accurate answers. Chris shares a point of pride too: that the South Carolina Public Charter School District was the very first district to sign on to the program, opening another door for the families it serves.

From there, the conversation gets practical and personal. Teshia explains who the ESTF is really designed to help, how funds can go toward real needs like transportation and tutoring, and why that support can be a game changer for families in rural areas or those choosing a charter school that does not provide transportation. Woven throughout is a message both guests return to again and again: there is no one-size-fits-all school, parents know their own children better than any system does, and choosing what is right for your child is never a betrayal of your community. It is an empowering, information-packed episode aimed at helping every family find the fit that lets their child thrive.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.palmettonavigated.org/

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On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes back CR Ruszkowski of the South Carolina Children's Fund, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. CR shares the wide-ranging journey that brought him here, from teaching middle school in Miami-Dade to working at a national think tank to serving as a charter authorizer and Secretary of Education in New Mexico, and explains how all of it convinced him of one core belief: a child's zip code should never determine the quality of their education. He and Keven talk about what the Children's Fund actually does, bringing philanthropy, expertise, and connections to schools that are proving what is possible for students, including many in the public charter sector that have long gone without the same resources other schools enjoy. By the end of the year, the Fund will have put roughly two million dollars into the field.

The conversation then opens up into a bigger vision for what CR calls the new "21st century education ecosystem," a world where families can weigh traditional, public charter, independent, homeschool, and other options side by side. He and Chris dig into the "grand bargain" at the heart of charter schools, the autonomy a school earns in exchange for real accountability, and why independent, local governance has become one of the quiet secrets to their success. They also turn to the communities that still have no options at all, the rural counties where a great school could change everything, and make the case that business, civic, and philanthropic leaders all have a role to play in getting there. It is a thoughtful, energizing look at how South Carolina can help every child thrive.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.southcarolinachildrensfund.org/

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