WHO WE ARE

About Us

Early Learning Partnership

The Early Learning Partnership of York County (ELP) was established in 1998 as a United Way initiative called Success By 6. South Carolina ranked 48th in overall child well-being and like many children in our state, York County’s children entered school unprepared to learn. Our children lacked an environment necessary to promote healthy development and basic foundational skills for learning and the potential for a successful academic career. To address these needs, literacy programs such as Wee Read, Born to Read, Reach Out and Read, and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library were established. Four Family Resource Centers were created in 2002 to serve children within each of the four York County school districts (Clover, Fort Mill, Rock Hill, and York).

Beginning in the fall of 2003, a Free Medical Clinic for uninsured children began opening in these centers and operating on a daily rotating schedule. The United Way and Success By 6 decided that the programs now administered by ELP would be better managed by an independent corporation with its own board and decision-making authority. To that end, ELP was spun off with its own nonprofit status in 2005. In July 2015, ELP transferred the fiscal and managerial duties of the Free Medical Clinic to Affinity Health Center through a two-year collaborative effort. That same year, ELP worked through the strategic planning process to better define our identity, branding, and focus in York County.

In 2019, the Board of Directors agreed to update our strategic plan to redefine our priorities in order to reflect our community involvement and collaborations while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. The ELP staff is supported by a Board of Directors representing the geographic areas of all four school districts in York County.

Join us as we work together to help the youngest in our community Read. Bond. Grow.

Our History

The Early Learning Partnership of York County (ELP) was established in 1998 as a United Way initiative called Success By 6. South Carolina ranked 48th in overall child well-being and like many children in our state, York County’s children entered school unprepared to learn. Our children lacked an environment necessary to promote healthy development and basic foundational skills for learning and the potential for a successful academic career. Literacy programs such as Born to Read, Reach Out and Read and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library were established. Four Family Resource Centers were created in 2002 to serve children within each of the four York County school districts (Clover, Fort Mill, Rock Hill, and York). Beginning in the fall of 2003, a Free Medical Clinic for uninsured children began opening in these centers and operating on a daily rotating schedule. The United Way and Success By 6 decided that the programs now administered by ELP would be better managed by an independent corporation with its own board and decision making authority. To that end, ELP was spun off with its own nonprofit status in 2005.

ELP has a staff of one full-time Executive Director, one part-time Program Coordinator, one Winthrop student intern, and a Board of Directors with approximately 20 members which represent the geographic areas of all four school districts in York County. In July 2015, ELP transferred the fiscal and managerial duties of the Free Medical Clinic over to Affinity Health Center through a two-year collaborative effort. In 2015, ELP worked through the strategic planning process to better define our identity, branding, and work in York County.

Join us as we work together to help our youngest citizens Read. Bond. Grow.

Our Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Lisa Brown, President, Strategy and Performance, City of Rock Hill, Rock Hill

Lisa-Anne Williams, Vice President, Account Exec/Trainer, Aperture Education, Rock Hill

Adam Ackerman, Treasurer, Financial Advisor, BNA Wealth, Fort Mill

NaTasha McNeil, Secretary, Owner, Classik Media Group, Rock Hill

Elizabeth Owen, Past President, Attorney, Morton & Gettys, York

Board Members

Niki Bush, Accounting Student, Rock Hill

Sherri Ciurlik, School Board Member, Clover

Alice Williams Davis, Williams & Fudge, Foundation & Community Support, Rock Hill

Kay DeWalt, Title 1 – Early Childhood Teacher, Riverview Elementary, Fort Mill

Sylvia Echols, Community Volunteer, Rock Hill

Tom Faulkenberry, Vice President, Retired Dean, Grad Studies, Converse College, York

Wes Hayes, Attorney, Wes Hayes Law Firm, Rock Hill

Janet Hefney, Realtor, TJM Realty, York

Debra Hess, Supply & Inventory Planning, Springs Creative Products Group, Rock Hill

Will King, Founder, King Wealth Partners, Rock Hill

Laura Mahony, Retired Social Worker, Rock Hill

Dawn Mendoza, Owner, Movement, Mindfulness and Me, Fort Mill

Susan Miskelly, Community Relations, Comporium, Rock Hill

Laura Moore, Vice President, Omega Communications, Clover

Susanne Okey, Retired, College of Education, Winthrop University, Rock Hill

Mary Watson, Retired Educator, Macfeat Laboratory School, Winthrop University, Rock Hill

* Board Members reside/work in York County, South Carolina, and are representative of one of each of the four school districts within York County.

Ex Officio Board Members

Laney Buckley, Director of Community Services, Catawba Indian Nation

Will Close, Consultant, The Springs Close Foundation

David Lisk, Executive Director, York County First Steps

Tiffany Alexander, Center for Career & Civic Engagement, Winthrop University

Rotating Board Members

Rotating Superintendent (2 year term):
Dr. Kelly Coxe, York School District 1

Rotating Resource Center Coordinators:
Jane Culp, LEAP Family Literacy Program, Fort Mill School District 4
Nina Feemster, Bright Beginnings Family Literacy Program, Clover School District 2
Cindy Hunt, ParentSmart Family Literacy Program, Rock Hill School District 3
Jessica Elliott, Parenting Partnerships Family Literacy Program, York School District 1

Staff

Teresa Creech, Executive Director

Rachel Hubbard, Program Coordinator