Legacy Charter School

At the turn of the 20th century, West Greenville was a thriving commercial district. However, as commercial activity shifted away from cotton, mills along the Reedy River struggled financially, and many residents left the city. West Greenville became increasingly abandoned or blighted, with derelict manufacturing buildings, textile facilities, and vacant and abandoned service stations. It is home to the Sterling Community; a community that, historically, has seen only a 50 percent graduation rate, with only 7 percent of students going on to attend college. It is here that William W. Brown founded the Legacy Charter School, a public K-12 charter school open to all students in Greenville County, with the notion that “all students deserve the chance to receive a world class education, one where they are taught how to lead a healthy life”. The school has close to 1400 students, of which 94 percent are minorities, and 100 percent participate in the National School Lunch Program. An innovator in education, Legacy is the only public school in South Carolina that provides daily physical education for every student.

After several years in operation, it became clear that the school would need to expand and enhance to continue its mission, and further its community impact. The Innovate Fund was proud to provide over $13 million in financing to facilitate the construction of the school’s first formal library, provide additional classroom space, add a gymnasium, and renovate the kitchen. These enhancements brought nearly 250 new jobs to the area, as well as provided incredible resources to the community at large, as all community residents have access to the new library, where resources are available geared at helping individuals find gainful employment.

By implementing health and wellness policies, mentoring programs, and an early college program, Legacy Charter School has focused on its community of children, and is preparing them for bright futures. By offering work-related resources and support to benefit the community at large, Legacy Charter School has the capability to serve as the catalyst for true transformation.

“Changing the trajectory for underserved kids won’t be simple or fast, and it will take a coordinated community effort like the funding from The Innovate Fund. The opportunity to build our school’s first library is tremendous. Not only for our students but the entire neighborhood.”

– William W. Brown, founder and chairman, Legacy Charter School