Chamber Impacts Upstate Schools!

When thinking of a Chamber of Commerce, people generally think of an organization bringing businesses to a particular area... Well, Chambers are much more than that. In fact, the Greenville Chamber is currently involved with 40 Upstate schools, impacting the lives of students and teachers every day through the Chamber's Carolina First Center for Excellence (CFCE) program.

The CFCE was formed in 2001 with the vision of providing every K-12 student in the Upstate with a "Quality" education. In 2002, CFCE introduced our Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) strategies, the same strategies which are presented to several Fortune 500 companies such as Lockheed, Fluor, GE, and Caterpillar, among many others.

Through CQI strategies, CFCE students learn about the importance of integrity, high performance and strong ethical behavior—all Quality traits necessary in the 21st Century workplace. Upstate students have become more responsible for their learning, better critical thinkers and improved problem solvers. Our students are equipped with skills that prepare them for the next quiz, test, grade and on beyond school into life and the working world. As the workforce begins to shift its emphasis from labor to knowledge, it is vital to the success of our students that our education adapts accordingly.

For an example of the work our CFCE teachers are doing, see video below. Photos are available to the right.

Click here to view a complete listing of all the schools participating in the Chamber's CFCE program. For more information, contact Chamber CFCE Manager Tami Miller by e-mail or by phone, 864-239-3743.