COLUMBIA, SC – On Wednesday, April 23, the Charter Institute at Erskine Board officially approved the application for Rise Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (RISE), a new public charter school in Sumter dedicated to developing entrepreneurial leaders of tomorrow. The school will serve students in grades 6-12 and aims to foster innovation, leadership, and community engagement.
At RISE, middle school students will explore entrepreneurship, leadership fundamentals, creativity, and community service through hands-on activities and projects. In high school, students will progress to advanced entrepreneurship concepts such as business planning, financial management, technology integration, and social entrepreneurship.
Guided by the RISE values – Resilience, Innovation, Service/Servant Leadership, Ethics/Execution – students will be equipped with not only essential skills, but also the mindset to succeed in a rapidly evolving world.
“RISE is more than a school—it’s a launchpad for the next generation of changemakers in South Carolina,” said Dr. Shawn Ragin, Head of RISE’s Planning Committee. “Our vision is to empower students with the entrepreneurial mindset, moral compass, and leadership skills they need to thrive in any environment. We are grateful to the Charter Institute at Erskine for believing in our mission and supporting innovative education in Sumter.”
RISE plans to open for the 2026-2027 school year with 350 students in grades 6-12. To learn more or fill out an interest survey, visit: https://riseleadershipinstitute.weebly.com/.
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The Charter Institute at Erskine is the fastest-growing school district in South Carolina. Serving 26 schools and 26,000 students across the state, the Charter Institute at Erskine is committed to innovative, creative, high-quality methods of education. For more information about the Institute, please visit www.erskinecharters.org.
