On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Ashley Lang and Rebecca Kirk of York Preparatory Academy in Rock Hill, joined by Brad Henry of the South Carolina Public Charter School District. The two share what makes York Prep so distinctive, starting with a sprawling 43-acre campus that houses all of grades K through 12 in one place, home to roughly 1,700 students and ranked among the largest brick-and-mortar charter schools in the state. Lang and Kirk describe the close family and community culture that grows when siblings, cousins, and friends all come up through the same campus, and Kirk explains her role as pathways director, guiding students from kindergarten all the way to graduation, so that earning a diploma is only the beginning of the plan.
The conversation then turns to an exciting new chapter: the Ready to Work program, a first-of-its-kind partnership with York Technical College that brings instructors and equipment directly onto York Prep's campus. In just nine weeks, juniors and seniors can earn four industry certifications with no eligibility requirements to get started, opening doors to high-demand careers in fields like welding, HVAC, and construction. Lang and Kirk talk about why meeting students where they are matters, how York Prep pairs this with dual enrollment options that let students finish real college credit for free, and why a graduation rate near the top of the state means little if young people walk across the stage without a clear next step. It is an energizing look at a school determined to send students into the world truly ready for whatever comes next.
🔗 Learn more: https://www.yorkprepsc.org/
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