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April 24, 2026

State Treasurer Curtis Loftis Recognizes Leslie Parks of St. James High School as Educator of the Month

Horry County Educator enjoys teaching financial concepts to students as well as her peers

leslie parks educator of the month

COLUMBIA, S.C. (April 24, 2026) – South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis has named Leslie Parks of St. James High School as the latest Educator of the Month for the South Carolina Financial Literacy Master Teacher Program, an initiative he created to increase the number of educators promoting financial education across the state.

"As we finish another school year, it's a pleasure to recognize Leslie Parks," Treasurer Loftis said. "Her passion for ensuring students are well-prepared for the financial challenges ahead is a perfect example of what this program is all about. I share her belief that financial literacy is a skill that needs to be practiced and requires regular thought and reflection by young people to adopt strong financial behaviors they'll need in the future."

The South Carolina Financial Literacy Master Teacher Program provides financial incentives to K-12 teachers who are experts in personal finance education and have a passion to share this knowledge with their peers. Since 2020, this ground-breaking program has provided specialized training and free personal finance curriculum resources that better enable them to promote financial literacy education in K-12 schools. It is sponsored by Future Scholar, South Carolina’s 529 College Savings Plan, and in partnership with SC Economics.

A Columbia native, Leslie Parks graduated from the University of South Carolina and earned her MAT degree from Coastal Carolina University. For nearly 20 years, Leslie has pursued her love of instruction and working with students as a social studies teacher in Murrells Inlet. A National Board-certified teacher, Parks is a former board member of the National Council for the Social Studies where she enjoyed working with teachers and leaders across the country. She currently serves as the Secretary of the South Carolina Council for the Social Studies and assists with the Council’s newsletter, Palmetto Focus. In her free time, she is active in the Grand Strand Junior League and volunteers for numerous causes across Horry County. Parks is married and has four children attending South Carolina public schools.

“It is vital that financial education is introduced to students early and often. I really enjoy embedding these concepts into all my social studies classes,” Parks explained. “I also love working with educators at the national, state and district levels on professional development workshops to enhance their understanding and hopefully ignite a similar passion for the benefit of their students. I have really appreciated being part of the SC Financial Literacy Master Teacher Program and thank Treasurer Loftis for his leadership in this area.”

About Future Scholar

Future Scholar, South Carolina’s 529 College Savings Plan, is administered through the State Treasurer’s Office. For more information, visit FutureScholar.com or follow @SCStateTreasurer on Facebook. Future Scholar is self-supported and does not receive taxpayer funding.

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Investing involves risk including the risk of loss of principal. Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. Contact your financial advisor or visit futurescholar.com for a Direct Plan Program Description, which contains this and other important information about the Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan. Read it carefully before investing. You should also consider, before investing, whether the investor's or designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other state benefits such as financial aid, scholarship funds and protection from creditors that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

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