Spotlight 4 Success

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A school doesn’t climb a letter grade by accident. We sit down with Richwood Middle’s Errika McBride to unpack how intentional coaching, aligned resources, and purposeful technology helped move the needle on state assessments—and why the work continues after the first big win. Errika’s philosophy is crisp: grow teachers to grow students. She describes what daily support looks like in classrooms, how to keep goals visible without creating burnout, and the simple systems that turn strategies into habits students can feel.

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What turns a struggling school into a rising one? We sat down with Richwood Middle School educator Roderick Hannibal at LACUE in New Orleans to unpack a practical blueprint: combine structured study, hands-on robotics, and clear career pathways so students see where their effort leads.

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Think a library is just shelves and a reference desk? Spend a few minutes with us and librarian Jenny Lao from Richland Library Northeast, and watch that picture shift. Recorded at the South Carolina Library Association gathering in Columbia, our conversation dives into how thoughtful programming and equity-focused leadership can turn a branch into a true community hub.

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Curious how a zoo brings the wild into your local library? We sat down with Andrea Robichaud, education specialist at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, at the South Carolina Library Association to share how summer reading themes transform into lively, hands-on programs for families. From last year’s exploration of color—how animals signal, hide, and communicate, and how keepers use color to organize care—to this year’s Unearthing a Story, we connect fossils and ancient creatures to the behaviors of modern animals kids can see today.

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Big change doesn’t happen by accident. We sit down with Charleston County Public Library’s chief deputy director to unpack a county-wide transformation powered by a $108.5 million referendum, deep community trust, and a clear operational backbone. From five new branches and system-wide renovations to a main library redesign now underway, you’ll hear how a large system keeps policies aligned across eighteen locations while still meeting neighborhood needs.

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A gym full of kids, a stack of fresh books, and a mascot who can turn a story into a celebration—this is how reading becomes a lifelong habit. We sit down with Margaret Jackson of Cocky’s Reading Express to explore how a joyful, high-energy model brings literacy to Title I schools across all 46 South Carolina counties, powered by the University of South Carolina’s iSchool.

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Imagine a picture book unfolding along a sunny park path, each page waiting around the next bend. That’s the magic behind story walk signs, and we sit down with Meghan Beehler from Lark Signs to explore how this simple idea turns movement into motivation for young readers and their families.

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The future of work isn’t waiting, and neither are we. From a bustling floor at the South Carolina Library Association Conference, we sit down with Collin Robinson, executive director at 21st Century Ed, to unpack a simple idea with big ambition: bring STEM to every learner early, often, and everywhere. You’ll hear how a community-first approach that links school districts, public libraries, local businesses, and universities can turn curiosity into skills that match real jobs shaped by automation and AI.

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Ever wondered how a simple open mic can change the feel of a library? We sit down with Brittany Smith from Richland Library Sand Hills—freshly launched into her graduate studies at the University of South Carolina—to explore how handing the microphone to neighbors turns a quiet room into a vibrant community stage. From poetry and storytelling to music and student showcases, Brittany walks us through the practical steps any library can take to host a safe, inclusive, and wildly engaging open mic.

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A busy conference hallway can spark the best ideas, and our conversation with Tiffany Williams proves it. As the Children’s Services Manager at the Heard St. Andrews Library in the Charleston area, Tiffany has built a practical approach to child wellbeing that fits right between storytime and stacks. She walks us through Wellness in the Stacks, a program suite that uses kids’ yoga, simple cooking classes, and even World Labyrinth Day to teach mindfulness, self-regulation, and calm.

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