Carolina Kids Co-Op wasn't some grand plan. It started because one parent couldn't find what she needed and got tired of looking. In 2020, Jess Alfreds was homeschooling her daughter in Connecticut while working remotely. When the family decided to relocate to Myrtle Beach for a slower pace and better weather, she assumed she'd find plenty of options for her daughter to learn with other kids in a hands-on, academic setting without religious instruction. She was wrong.
What she found were social meetups where kids hung out occasionally, or faith-based programs that didn't align with her family. Nothing that combined serious academics with outdoor learning and real community. Nothing secular that met more than once a week. Nothing that felt like what she was looking for. So in April 2022, she posted in a local Facebook group asking if anyone else wanted something different. The response was immediate. A dozen families showed up. Then more. Then enough that she had to start hiring teachers and figuring out how to actually run a program instead of just winging it with a small group. They met on the beach at first, then moved to a public park as they grew. What happened next surprised everyone. Kids who had struggled in traditional settings were suddenly engaged. Parents who had been exhausted trying to do it all alone had support. Teachers who left conventional classrooms to work in small groups outdoors said they'd never go back. Within two years, the Myrtle Beach location was serving over 150 students. Families from other areas started reaching out asking how to do the same thing where they lived. Parents and former teachers who saw the model and thought "my community needs this" began opening their own locations.
Today there are 17 communities across the Southeast using this approach, serving close to 1,000 students total. Each one is independently run by someone who looked around their area and decided to build what was missing. That's the pattern. Someone realizes traditional school isn't working for their kid. They search for alternatives and come up empty. They hear about this model, decide to bring it to their community, and find out they're not alone. Other families show up who've been searching for the exact same thing. It keeps happening because the need is real. There are families everywhere looking for learning environments that actually fit their kids instead of forcing their kids to fit a system that wasn't designed for them.
If you're one of those families, you're in the right place. And if you're thinking about bringing this to your area because it doesn't exist there yet, that's exactly how every single one of our locations started.
Jess & fam
our story
Morgan | ckc greenville parent
"We started CKC mid year & have been so happy with how things have been going. My kids have been doing great since starting & we’ve signed up again for the upcoming year. Both of my boys have a wonderful group of friends, instructors who care about them & have the most amazing personalities (& let’s be real, patience, haha). I’m thankful to have found a space for my kids to grow & learn in ways suitable for them, as with having kids on the spectrum, that can be difficult."
"This is my son's seventh year of homeschooling, and I had been desperately looking for a co-op that not only was affordable, but also aligned with our beliefs and values. I stumbled onto a post last summer about CKC and went to a quick meetup at Unity Park. After talking with the soon-to-be head of Greenville CKC, I was so relieved that I had found a co-op that I felt comfortable sending my child to. My son was not too thrilled about doing this, since it was completely new to him and he didn't know what to expect, but by the end of the first week, he was so excited about going. During breaks, he would bug me about when he was going back, when he'd get to see his friends again, etc. I was SO happy for him! He had spent his first six years of homeschooling sitting at a table doing book work every day, and now he was out with other homeschooled kids, and making friends that he keeps in contact with every day. I am so glad that CKC opened up here in Greenville, and love seeing it expand into other areas in the Upstate!"
Jennifer | Ckc Greenville parent
Latasha | Ckc clemson parent
