Our Grantees & Partners

Great Schools North Carolina Welcomes New Startup Grantee: Warren YES

Great Schools North Carolina is proud to award a Startup Grant to Warren Young Explorers School (Warren YES), a new public charter school opening in Warren County in Fall 2026. Launching with grades K–6 and expanding to K–12, Warren YES will offer a child-focused, place-based learning environment that inspires purposeful, creative, ethical, and compassionate leaders.

With a focus on place-based learning, outdoor and agricultural education, holistic health and wellness, and creative expression, Warren YES will prepare students to Think, Discuss, and Act as active citizens and lifelong learners. Through GSNC’s support, the school will receive two years of funding and coaching to ensure a strong opening and lasting success.

Great Schools NC Awards Founder’s Fellowship to Chéla Wallace

Great Schools North Carolina (GSNC) is pleased to announce a $50,000 investment through our Founder's Fellowship to support Chéla Wallace in designing her school model and preparing her charter application for the Solace Rose Innovation Academy. With more than 18 years of experience in STEM education, Chéla is bringing her expertise and personal ties to Guilford County, where she plans to launch a K–8 all-girls STEAM charter school that prioritizes academic excellence, leadership development, and social justice.

As GSNC’s inaugural Founder's Fellow, Chéla will receive early-stage funding and targeted support to advance her school design, build community partnerships, and prepare a strong charter application for submission in 2026. Her vision for Solace Rose reflects the values at the heart of GSNC’s mission: to bring scale and quality to the charter sector by investing in forward-thinking education leaders.

The Founder's Fellowship is one way GSNC fulfills that mission by identifying and equipping visionary leaders with the resources, mentorship, and technical support they need to launch innovative public charter schools that expand opportunity and meet the needs of historically underserved communities across North Carolina.