Kids First Podcast
25 episodes listed below
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Host Chris Neeley is the Superintendent of the South Carolina Public Charter School District and the father of three amazing kids. He has seen time and time again the pain that a lack of access and choice in education can cause...but he has also seen the beauty and joy that educational autonomy can create. We talk to educators, school leaders, policymakers, and charter school acolytes about their stories. We always start with “why” here…because it’s not just about a job, occupation, or field; it's about why we do what we do.
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · June 2026
A South Carolina charter school interview show that turns policy, workforce preparation, and school leadership into concrete local examples.
Kids First Podcast - A Charter School Podcast with Chris Neeley is an education policy interview show rooted in South Carolina. It spends most of its time with officials, school leaders, educators, policymakers, and charter school advocates, then keeps the focus on how charter…
You want school-choice talk with Statehouse receipts and less bumper-sticker fog.
Press play if you want
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A warm, practical charter-school discussion centered on special education and parent access.
Melissa Rabin comes across as a steady advocate for equal educational opportunity, and the framing fits the conversation well. Chris Neely introduces her work on a new school system designed to bridge general and special education, and the discussion connects PACE to families…
A North Charleston school-choice story built on second chances, family stakes, and clear-eyed conviction.
Katrina Simmons anchors the episode with a plain but sturdy arc: a North Charleston native who stepped away from school as a teenager to raise her first child, later became a mother of four, and then returned to education because she saw it as the clearest route to a better…
An education-choice interview centered on aviation training, student impact, and a practical path forward.
Doug Adamatis comes across as an educator with a broad background, while Chris Neely keeps the focus on access, choice, and what school autonomy can mean for families.
A father's school search becomes a clear case for parent advocacy and charter-school hope.
Harold Koffler's account makes a plainspoken case for parent advocacy, school choice, and the patience persistence can take. He describes moving around South Carolina with Lisa for their daughter Hope, who has dyslexia, and paying over $40,000 for private school in Greenville…
A practical conversation about teacher support, charter school staffing, and keeping kids first.
Dr. Tommy Hodges keeps the conversation grounded in practice, not theory. The focus stays on how new educators can be supported better, with residency style experience, co-teaching, and more thoughtful use of available funding giving the episode its shape.
A clear, parent-first case for charter schools and educational choice.
The episode frames Betsy DeVos as a steady advocate for educational freedom, charter schools, and parent choice. Chris Neely keeps the conversation grounded and personal, moving from school access and the COVID-era push to reopen schools to career pathways, internships,…
A plainspoken conversation about money, purpose, and giving students room to imagine more.
Eric Weir's interview on Kids First Podcast centers on a familiar but sturdy set of ideas: education matters, opportunity is uneven, and personal drive still counts.
Student leadership and school choice shape a positive portrait of Fox Creek.
Fox Creek High School comes across as a place where student leadership is part of the fabric, with the Wren Crew at the center and Jessica Olson, Colton Walker, and Braylon Mitchum carrying much of the momentum.
Chris Neeley interviews Doug Adomatis, an aviation teacher at Greenville Tech Charter High School, about his personal journey into education.
Chris Neely centers Fox Creek High School and the Wren Crew, short for Renaissance Crew, a student-led effort built around positive school culture and making students feel valued, seen, and supported after the Jostens Renaissance Conference in Dallas.
Chris Neeley sits down with Greg Thompson, president and CEO of Thompson Construction Group and founder of the Thompson Family of Companies, whose commitment to Sumter helped set the Liberty STEAM Charter Initiative in motion.
Chris Neely sits down with entrepreneur and author Eric Weir for a conversation about why financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and clear thinking matter for young people.
Chris Neeley sits down with Shannon Erickson for a conversation about education leadership, school choice, and what it takes to keep kids first.
Chris Neely sits down with Trey Walker, the chief of staff to South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.
Chris Neely opens with Katrina Simmons's story.
Alan Wilson joins the Kids First Podcast for a conversation about school choice and charter schools in South Carolina.
Chris Neely speaks with Dr.
Harold Koffler shares his family's journey advocating for his daughter Hope, who has dyslexia, including moving across South Carolina, financial sacrifices, and finding hope at Pace Academy, a charter school that personalizes learning for children with learning differences.
Corey DeAngelis traces his education-policy path from a University of Arkansas PhD to studies on the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, crime, paternity disputes, and mental health.
Host Chris Neeley interviews Jonathan Butcher of the Heritage Foundation about charter schools, education policy, and school choice.
Chris Neely sits down with Betsy DeVos for a conversation about educational freedom and the school choices families want.
Chris Neely introduces Melissa Rabin as a strong advocate for equal educational opportunity.