Amanda Taylor Faircloth: Serving Where She was Nurtured and Needed
Amanda Taylor Faircloth, vice chairperson of the Dillon
School District Four Board of Trustees, hails from Dillon County, South
Carolina — best known to passersby for the quirky, roadside attraction South of
the Border. But for Faircloth, Dillon is more than a landmark on the I-95
corridor. It’s home and the foundation of her life’s work in education, banking
and service.
Faircloth’s reflections on public education are grounded in
both personal experience and broader community need. While Dillon County has
drawn national attention for its educational funding disparities, Faircloth
views her upbringing there with pride and gratitude.
“Dillon school district prepared me well,” she said. “We’ve
always had teachers who genuinely care — not just about our grades, but about
who we become.”
She was raised in the Tall Pines community near Hamer and
now lives in Dillon proper. It’s a place where deep roots and close
relationships form the backbone of everyday life.
“Dillon is a small town where everyone knows everyone, or at
least someone in your family,” said Faircloth. “It’s a community that comes
together in times of need.”
One of those needs brought Faircloth to the school board in
2019. Her mother, Ethel Taylor, had served on the board for 25 years. When
Ethel passed away, the community knew exactly who should continue her legacy.
“I was hesitant at first,” Faircloth recalled. “But after
praying and talking with my family, I realized what an honor it was, not just
to serve, but to carry on her legacy and advocate for the children of Dillon
County.”
Since joining the board, she’s led with a focus on student
needs and equity, guided by her core belief that leadership means doing what’s
best for all children.
“Always be respectful of others’ opinions,” she advises
those seeking public office. “But be steadfast in your beliefs and focused on
what matters most — the betterment of every child.”
Faircloth’s path of community service isn’t confined to
education. Her banking career began by chance when someone at a bank asked if
she knew anyone looking for a job. Two weeks later, she was behind the counter
as a teller. Over 27 years, she’s moved through roles from personal banker to
business and commercial support specialist and now serves as a financial
services representative at First Citizens Bank.
“Early in life, I thought I’d become a teacher,” she said.
“But the Lord had other plans.”
What’s kept her in banking isn’t the numbers. It’s the
people.
“I’ve built relationships with customers who’ve become
friends and family,” she said. “I’ve watched their children grow up and now I’m
their banker too. That’s special.”
Helping customers find financial peace, whether solving a
problem, recovering from fraud or just offering a listening ear, is deeply
fulfilling for her.
Her Christian faith, she said, shapes how she serves both
customers and students.
“My faith helps me be patient and kind and treat others with
empathy,” Faircloth said. “Whether I’m working with a student, a parent or a
customer, I always ask, ‘If this were my child or my parent, how would I want
them to be treated?’”
This perspective grounds her, especially when she encounters
a difficult customer or a tough board decision.
“Sometimes I question if I’m where I need to be,” she
admitted. “But then someone will say, ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you,’
and I remember this is where I’m meant to be.”
And where she’s meant to be is also with her husband, Bobby
— a retired South Carolina Highway Patrol trooper — and their three adult
daughters: Taylor (Allen) of Lexington, Ceason (Jonah) of Ohio and Carrie and her fiancé, Avery, of Florence.
“Visiting with our kids and seeing them happy and successful,
that’s what gives me joy and peace,” she said.
She and Bobby are also traveling the state, checking off
stops on their journey to become “Ultimate Outsiders” — a designation for those
who visit all South Carolina state parks.
“It’s a great way to be active and appreciate the beauty of
our state,” she said.
But no matter where their travels take them, the Faircloths
always make it back to Dillon – to their roots.