Greg Tolbert Email & Phone Number

Working parents choose us to take care of their kids after school and during the summer. We employ a workforce of college age adults who we inspire to be future teachers in our local schools. These Teachers Up Apprentices carry out a comprehensive youth development program for our Kids Club Members every day until 6 PM and full day in the summer. Parents Working, Teachers Growing, Kids Learning - safe, fed, and excelling. As a young CPA with Ernst & Young and Coopers & Lybrand I became involved with the Boys & Girls Club in my hometown. A fortunate series of events led me to join the Board of Directors and soon after to career-change to support the youth of my community, particularly my twin sons Coleman and Andrew. 28+ years later I am just as passionate for the work. Our team has developed a remarkable organization serving over 1600 youth each day after school in 18 unique communities across two Upstate South Carolina counties. Our team, including our Board of Directors, staff and the youth we serve are as diverse as our region and all are outcome-focused for kids. Innovation has been the constant for our organization. Founded by business people concerned for the future workforce, we were likely the first Boys & Girls Club affiliate to found with a No Bricks strategy to locate our Clubs in existing, in-kind facilities. Schools opened to us in 1989 and we grew from there. We have operated in partnership with over 25 schools and nine school districts. In 2021 we separated from Boys and Girls Clubs of America to form Kids Upstate operating Kids Clubs, and our Teachers Up Apprenticeship,. We have strong funding from the US/SC Departments of Education 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant. Our staffing program is a US Department of Labor registered apprenticeship, Teachers Up, designed to help young adults prepare for careers in education and service as good parents. Our Parents Up program nurtures parent connectivity with their kids and our Clubs. While generally charging no weekly fees our Parents Up donors are our largest source of local sustaining funds. They also pick up their kids by 6 pm saving many thousands in busing costs. Covid-19 led to more innovation in the creation of our Kids Up youth development curriculum for home use and for expanding the effectiveness and simplicity of afterschool programs everywhere. Led by our Board of Directors, sharing our know-how with others is an equal commitment of our four-part strategic plan.

• 

  Clemson University

  Accounting