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Ashley Lang | York Preparatory Academy
20:51|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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Corey Bedenbaugh | South Carolina Department of Education
20:31|On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Corey Bedenbaugh, the 2026 South Carolina Teacher of the Year, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. Corey reflects on his years teaching eighth-grade social studies and why South Carolina history lands so powerfully with students when they can connect it to the places they already know. He shares the philosophy behind his teacher of the year theme, that the little things create the biggest impact, and offers advice for new teachers heading into their first classroom this fall. He also opens up about the second-grade teacher who convinced a small-town kid from Saluda County that any dream was possible, and how that memory redirected his life away from the career he first thought he wanted.The conversation then turns to what comes next. Corey talks about his new role at the South Carolina Department of Education, leading the effort to strengthen civics education statewide, and the mindset shift that helped him say yes to leaving the classroom he loved. He explains why so many students see civics as something distant and disconnected from their daily lives, what the Palmetto Civics Project aims to change about that, and why he believes the future civic leaders of the state are already sitting in classrooms today. Keven and Chris add their own take on why local community involvement matters just as much as anything happening in Washington. It is a warm, encouraging conversation about calling, character, and the lasting influence of one great teacher.🔗 Learn more: https://sccharter.org/
Trevor Ivey & John R Payne | Liberty Foundation
21:13|On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Dr. Trevor Ivey, founding school leader of Liberty STEAM Charter: A School of Inquiry, Innovation, and Impact in Sumter, joined by Dr. John Payne of the South Carolina Public Charter School District. Trevor shares an exciting new chapter in his own journey, stepping back from his role as founding school leader to launch the Liberty STEAM Charter School Foundation and focus fully on what comes next. Along the way, he and Keven reflect on the first seven years of Liberty, from its roots as a community vision in 2019 to a thriving network of three campuses, and dig into the culture of accountability that has made the school a rare bright spot, where scholars, families, and staff all sign a commitment to excellence.Looking ahead, Trevor lays out a bold promise: to build an early college and technical high school that sends graduates straight toward the middle class and beyond without ever having to leave Sumter County. He talks about the new partnerships and career pathways taking shape, the arrival of veteran education leader Dr. Brenda Hafner to guide the school's day-to-day future, and what it means to keep a promise made to more than two thousand children years before their graduation day. With a growing wait list and a community rallying behind the mission, it is an inspiring look at how one Sumter school keeps making the impossible possible.🔗 Learn more: https://libertysteamcharter.org/
Debbie Vaughn | Lakes and Bridges Charter School
20:37|On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Debbie Vaughn, Development Director at Lakes & Bridges Charter School in Easley, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. Debbie shares what makes this school unlike almost any other in the state: every single student has a diagnosis of or characteristics of dyslexia. She explains how specialized, individualized instruction built on the Orton-Gillingham approach helps students who once struggled, and sometimes came in reading grades below level, build confidence, close gaps, and rediscover a love of learning. Along the way, Keven and Chris reflect on how early identification and the power of parental choice are changing the story for families across South Carolina.The conversation also celebrates just how far Lakes & Bridges has come, from becoming the first alternative education campus in the state to earn an "Excellent" on the South Carolina report card to Debbie's recent invitation to testify before a United States Senate committee on behalf of students with dyslexia. She offers heartfelt advice for parents who sense their child may be struggling, and shares a graduation story that captures exactly why this work matters. It is an encouraging, eye-opening look at how the right environment can unlock a child's full potential.🔗 Learn more: https://www.lakesandbridges.org/
America at 250 | The Spark That Carries Us Forward
20:29|On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen sits down with Superintendent Chris Neeley for a special Freedom Week conversation as America marks its 250th birthday. The two reflect on how easy it is to take our freedoms for granted, sharing what they took away from recent trips through American history, from the Henry Ford Museum to Boston's Freedom Trail. Woven through it all is one idea: the enduring connection between our nation's history and the power of education to shape what comes next.The conversation then turns to the children who will carry the torch forward. Chris explains his belief that every child is born with a "spark" that educators and families are called to protect and grow. He calls kids our greatest natural resource, pointing to how far the South Carolina Public Charter School District has come, now serving more than 30,000 students with strong gains among students of poverty and students with disabilities. It is an optimistic, patriotic look at why encouraging every child's spark may be one of the greatest ways we can prepare for America's next 250 years.🔗 Learn more: https://sccharter.org/
Curtis Baker | LEAD Academy
21:01|On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Curtis Baker, Principal at LEAD Academy, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley.Now in his seventh year leading the Greenville charter school, Baker shares how LEAD Academy has spent fifteen years building something rare: a K-8 community where character carries the same weight as academics. The whole approach grows from a four-part mission that students live out every day: be nice, work hard, serve well, and have fun. Baker explains how those words shape everything from the classroom to the culture families feel the moment they walk through the door, and why the school treats its nine years with each student as nine years to develop a leader.The conversation digs into the specifics that set LEAD apart, including daily "crew time" built on the idea that students are crew, not passengers, a required community service commitment that has produced thousands of completed service hours, and a deliberate move to pull back on screens and put great teachers back at the center of learning. Baker also talks about the school's career-driven partnerships with names like BMW and ReWa, the profile of independently responsible, critically thinking graduates LEAD aims to send into high school and beyond, and what local high schools are noticing about LEAD students once they arrive. It is a candid look at how one Upstate school is preparing young people not just to test well, but to lead.🔗 Learn more: https://myleadacademy.com/
Lane Morris | Summerville Preparatory Academy and Discovery School
20:36|Some schools teach children what to think. The best ones teach them how to grow. In this episode of Kids First, host Keven Cohen and Superintendent Chris Neeley welcome Lane Morris, state director for Summerville Preparatory Academy and the soon-to-open Discovery School at Myrtle Beach, for a conversation about what education looks like when a school refuses to settle for the factory model. With an innovative approach that puts five teachers in open learning spaces, moves students fluidly based on their individual needs, and limits screen time to just 30 to 40 minutes a day, Summerville Prep is building something that feels genuinely different from the moment you walk in the door.The conversation also gets into the heart of what makes these schools tick, from a virtues-based curriculum focused on character development to the addition of a licensed mental health therapist serving students each week. Lane shares how middle schoolers are already earning high school credit, how a brand new science lab is bringing hands-on learning to life in Myrtle Beach, and why the team is already dreaming about what a future Columbia campus could look like. It is a conversation full of energy, purpose, and a deep belief that every child deserves to be seen.🔗 Learn more: summervilleprep.org