GAFFNEY, SC – Cherokee Charter Academy (CCA) was honored with the prestigious "Best School" award during the Gaffney Ledger’s 2025 Golden Peach Awards. The event was held on February 6th at the Cherokee County History and Arts Museum. Each year, one school in the county is selected for this recognition, alongside other standout community organizations, businesses, churches, attorneys, and more.

Representing CCA at the event were Mr. Camp, physical education teacher; Mrs. Grant, third-grade teacher; Mrs. Gordon, sixth-grade teacher; Dr. Walker, principal; and Brad Teague, school leader. These educators, along with Dr. Walker, were also recognized as top vote-getters in their respective disciplines.

“I’m incredibly proud of our entire team and thankful for their leadership,” said Brad Teague, School Leader. “Every day, we work tirelessly to provide the best education possible for our students. This award reflects their commitment, and I hope they take great pride in this well-deserved recognition.”

This past academic year, just three years after its founding, CCA outperformed all other public schools in Cherokee County in overall proficiency ratings, which include both English/Language Arts (ELA) and math scores.

“We are incredibly proud of the innovation and excellence Cherokee Charter Academy is contributing to the county,” said CCA Board Chair AK Parker. “Being voted the best school by our community is a true reflection of the dedication of our teachers, the hard work of our students, and the strength of our leadership. We are excited that CCA is now recognized as the top-performing school in the county, both in performance and reputation.”

CCA also received the 2023 Innovative Academic Excellence Award and the Middle School was honored as a Gold School of Distinction for outstanding performance and growth in core subjects, and the Elementary School was named a Bronze School of Distinction.

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