Spartanburg Academic Movement

SAM staff spent some time during our staff meeting delving into the history of Spartanburg's Southside neighborhood with Brad Steineke, of the Spartanburg County Public Libraries, author, community leader, and former statehouse Rep. Brenda Lee Pryce, and Dr. Jim Neighbors, of Wofford College, in advance of the launch of the book, North of Main. North of Main, the story of how the neighborhoods north of Main Street emerged as emancipated Black men and women spent their hard-won post-slavery wages to purchase lots and build homes. North of Main tells the stories of these families who worked in these early neighborhoods and is a sequel to the 2005 Hub City Press book, South of Main. A book launch will be held 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Chapman Cultural Center. The public is welcome to attend.

On this Boss's Day, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to our CEO, Dr. Russell Booker! Your unyielding dedication to the prosperity of every Spartanburg student and family is incomparable. Here's to celebrating you and your remarkable work! Have a spectacular day!

Thrive 2024: Bridging Paths to Resilience Conference was a banner day for Spartanburg as three leading authorities in early childhood development addressed how Spartanburg is on the cutting edge of place-based strategies for children and families. We are looking forward to continuing our work with Dr. Jack Shonkoff, Dr. Alice Forrester and Mathew Portell!

Still feeling the positive energy from the Thrive 2024: Bridging Paths to Resilience Conference with over 300 attendees including educators, medical professionals, community health leaders, social workers, nonprofit leaders, students, professors, and others who gathered in Spartanburg for a one-day event featuring three of the nation's foremost authorities sharing how key place-based community work is to successful early childhood development. SAM extends our deep appreciation to Dr. Jack Shonkoff, the founding director of Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child, Dr. Alice Forrester, the CEO of the Clifford Beers Clinic in Connecticut, Mathew Portel, a leading authority on trauma-informed training, and Bradley Craig from the SC Office of Resilience. Together, we're paving the way for the resilient futures of Spartanburg's children and families! 👏🍃🌼 #Thrive2024 #EarlyChildhoodDevelopment #BuildingResilience #EveryoneCanThriveHere

At Blue Meridian Partners, we’re proud to invest in visionary leaders tackling the root causes of poverty with innovative, scalable solutions. In our latest update, we highlight five investees who are transforming lives across the US by improving social and economic mobility outcomes. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eEB_8siK FreeWorld, Saga Education, Spartanburg Academic Movement, Upstream USA, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (Wendy's Wonderful Kids)

Joining hands today in Spartanburg as we stride towards resilience at Thrive 2024: Bridging Paths to Resilience Conference with over 300 passionate professionals from various fields. Spartanburg continues to show our remarkable ability to stand together, even when challenged by Hurricane Helene. Our determination to advance economic mobility for our children and families is strong. #everyonecanthrivehere #learnwithsam

Navigating through hardships? United Way of the Piedmont is here to help in Cherokee, Spartanburg & Union counties. Apply online to request assistance: https://bit.ly/47XCdIL Remember, in-person requests without a scheduled appointment cannot be processed due to the high demand. Your patience and understanding are highly appreciated as they handle this increase in requests effectively. Thank you for your cooperation. #StrongerTogether 💪🏽

Excited for Thrive 2024: Bridging Paths to Resilience Conference! We're fully booked but eagerly anticipating amazing insights from Dr. Jack Shonkoff, Dr. Alice Forrester, and Mathew Portel. Let's build resilience together! #learnwithsam #resilience #everyonecanthrivehere

Celebrating a golden milestone 🎉 Join us as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ida Thompson Child Development Center Spartanburg Regional -- a center that offers Spartanburg Regional associates a high-quality childcare and early education environment to meet their childcare needs and invest in their children from an early age. The center is named for SAM's own, Ida Thompson -- our early childcare liaison -- who has been with SAM since the very beginning. Congratulations to the Center for providing 50 years of quality care to our children. offers Spartanburg Regional associates a high-quality childcare and early education environment to meet their childcare needs and invest in their children from an early age.

Hurricane Helene Relief Resources In these challenging days, we hope you and your loved ones can access the support you need. Our community has shown such resilience, and we’re inspired by the way neighbors are coming together to rebuild. If you or someone you know needs assistance, check out these resources from the Spartanburg Joint Funders. Stay safe, Spartanburg! We’ll continue to share updates as new resources become available. https://bit.ly/4etVSlT #HurricaneHelene #HeleneRelief #UnitedWay #SpartanburgStrong #CommunitySupport