LifeWise Academy is bringing religious and character education to students.
In 1952, the Supreme Court ruled that students can be released from school during the school day for religious instruction provided it is off campus, privately funded and that the students have parental permission. That ruling is the basis for LifeWise Academy's mission of providing Bible based character education during the school day. Our own Derek Stemen is LifeWise Academy's new Director of Advancement and he told us that a group in Van Wert began providing religious programming to students in 2012. Within three years, 95% of the elementary students were attending. The program quickly grew to the middle and high school students. In 2018 the Van Wert group decided to expand the program to the rest of the country and LifeWise Academy was formed. LifeWise partners with churches and other organizations to find locations nearby schools which allows students to easily walk to and from their religious classes. The benefits to students are character development, improved mental health, better academic performance and family and community involvement. Derek says LifeWise Academy's goal is to take its program to every school system in the country.
Also at Monday's meeting, we presented a check for $436.73 to Samaritan House from the proceeds of last quarter's Rottery drawings. We also welcomed Shelby Koenig to the Lima Rotary Club. She is an enrollment counselor at Bluffton College. Please say hi to Shelby and make her welcome.
