On Saturday, July 11, community leaders, families, and local officials gathered to celebrate the grand opening of American Leadership Academy (ALA) Blythewood with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. As South Carolina’s largest brand-new brick-and-mortar public charter school, the highly anticipated event was a massive success, drawing hundreds of families eager to tour the state-of-the-art K-12 campus located at 10301 Wilson Boulevard.
The landmark event featured several distinguished speakers and guests, led by Bill Guttery, CEO of Charter One. Joining him were Blythewood Mayor Sloan J. Griffin III, school directors Dr. Dennis Dotterer and Mr. Jarred Strait, as well as leadership from both Charter One and the school’s authorizer, the Charter Institute at Erskine.
During the event, families took exclusive, guided tours of the state-of-the-art campus, exploring the brand-new classrooms, cafeteria, and athletic spaces firsthand. It also served as a one-stop-shop for the upcoming school year; representatives were on hand to guide families through the final steps of enrollment, outline bus and transportation routes, and detail the school’s robust academic pathways. Parents and students enjoyed gearing up for day one by ordering official school uniforms and spirit apparel, while learning more about the competitive sports teams and student-led extracurricular activities launching this fall.
The opening of the brand-new campus directly aligns with a historic economic expansion in the region, highlighted by the nearby development of the massive Scout Motors electric vehicle manufacturing plant. As thousands of new families relocate to the fast-growing Blythewood area to fill these high-tech manufacturing positions, ALA Blythewood provides crucial, high-capacity public school options to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding community.
Built upon a foundation of leadership and patriotism, this unique curriculum is centered around the school’s core R.A.I.S.E. values (Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service, and Excellence), which are designed to cultivate strong character and leadership qualities in every student.
Enrollment is currently open to all students in grades K–12. Families are invited to begin the enrollment process and learn more about American Leadership Academy Blythewood at www.alaschools.org/sc/blythewood. Space is limited, and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
