The three Adventist schools—Indianapolis Junior Academy, Indianapolis South Side and Capital City—will share the initial funds to support outreach and improve Adventist Christian Education in Marion County.
Debbie Michel
December 5, 2024The grant, which includes three phases, is aimed at improving literacy, numeracy and other educational programs.
In the first phase, $50,000 was approved and will be allocated for training and implementing literacy programs. If all phases are approved, the grant could provide up to $2.8 million in total funding. As of this writing, phases two and three awards are still being determined by the Lilly Foundation.
The three Adventist schools—Indianapolis Junior Academy, Indianapolis South Side and Capital City—will share the initial funds to support outreach and improve Adventist Christian Education in Marion County.
Potential uses for the funding include:
Literacy Programs: Training and implementing a Science of Reading-based phonemic awareness and phonics program to improve reading skills.
Numeracy and Literacy Interventions: Developing data-driven strategies to address academic needs, with specialized personnel conducting assessments.
Enrichment Programs: Hiring staff to teach music, art, and physical education, enriching students’ experiences and improving teacher retention.
Support for Special Needs and ELL Students: Employing a specialist to assist English Language Learners (ELL) and students with special needs, particularly those from immigrant families.
Facility Upgrades: Expanding instructional space, including renovations and the potential addition of a modular classroom to accommodate increased enrollment.
Peter Cousins, Indiana Conference superintendent of schools, emphasized the importance of supporting the immigrant community. “I’m especially excited about the impact an ELL resource person will have on our growing immigrant population, many of whom come from non-English-speaking households,” Cousins said.
Deirdre Garnett, Lake Region Conference superintendent of schools, echoed the enthusiasm. “We’re living in a time when many of our constituent families do not speak English as their primary language,” Garnett said. “These funds will enable us to implement programs that help English Language Learners achieve academic success.”
Cousins said he’s particularly pleased with this cross-conference endeavor because of “the opportunity to share resources and collaborate to enhance both of our effectiveness in ministering to children.”
Debbie Michel is the Lake Union Communication director
