SUMMER 2011 - Liberty Christian School

cover storyWar storyTaking ActionWhere can LenetteLindsey’s students be?They are under theirdesks, hiding under ablanket, wearing theirStar of David necklaces,and capturing just aglimpse of what it waslike to hide from theNazis in World WarII. In this study, sixthgrade students readabout Ellen Rosen inthe Newberry novel,Number the Stars, anddeveloped empathy forthe characters and gained insight intohistory, experiencing World War II inthe classroom.“In this book, loving your neighboras yourself and being your brother’skeeper were biblical applications welearned as we read about a Christianfamily who helped their Jewish friendsescape the horrors of the Nazi rule,”said Lindsey.Students in her class compared Ellen’sJewish faith with their own Christianfaith and invited Roberta Aitelli, aMessianic Jew, to visit their class andshare the Passover Feast with them.“Aitelli presented a traditionalPassover Seder to our class as it wouldhave been celebrated thousands ofyears ago and as it is today,” saidLindsey. “The first Passover offereddeliverance of the Israelites from thebondage of Egypt just as Jesus, the Lambof God, delivers us out of the bondage ofsin.”She said students concluded this powerfulstudy of the novel by writing their firstMiddle School research paper on a personinvolved in the Holocaust, such as Corrieten Boom or Oskar Schindler.Moms in Mission began thispast year as a part of Liberty’sPartners Through Faith (PTF)volunteer program. Organizedby parent volunteers toprovide another venue to buildcommunity within Liberty whileserving others in need, Moms inMission provided opportunitiesfor families to serve togetherwith each other and theirchildren to make a difference.During the year, families servedat Our Daily Bread soup kitchenand helped organize a ChristianCommunity Action donationdrop–off location at the Libertycampus. Volunteers were blessedto join together and serve. Staytuned for more opportunities tocome next year!Students on a missionIn addition to learning about and praying for other countries around theglobe, students raised $13,000 for missions during Liberty’s first mission weekin April. A second grader, Kaylyn McNatt, raised more than $100 on her ownthrough having a neighborhood cookie and “Orange-Aid” stand, and sellingher artwork, silly bands, and hair accessories. Her mother, Kristi, said, “Theday she heard about raising money for Missions Week was the day she beganher fundraising efforts. Right away, she told us that she wanted to raise $100– that was her goal. This experience made such an impact on Kaylan that willlast her a lifetime.” Another incredible outcome of Missions Week was MissionsDay on April 21, where more than 300 Middle and Upper School students andstaff volunteered their time to serve ministries, churches, and local non-profitsorganizations. Youth pastor Chris Searcy said, “Each organization expressed atremendous amount of gratitude for the way our students served and ministered.”Searcy said that Liberty served in the community not to be heroes but to obey theLord Jesus Christ in serving and loving others. He noted, “I heard several of ourstudents and staff say that they can’t wait until next year.”Missions Day recap• Mane event: Sixth graders cleanedand worked in the garden at the SpiritHorse in Corinth, a free therapeutichorseback riding service for morethan 450 children and adults fromthe surrounding areas. Serving morechildren than any other center of itskind in the world, the Spirit Horse’smission is to assist children withspecial needs in reaching their fullpotential through interaction withhorses.• Mow help on the way: Seventhgraders worked at Liberty cleaningout brush outside, and many of thegirls created and painted handmadenecklaces that were given to childrenwho live at the Liberty-sponsored GodCares Orphanage in Uganda.• Sweeps week: Eighth gradersworked at Camp Copass in Dentoncleaning the kitchen and meetingrooms, and planting flowers outside.Founded in 1946, Camp Copass is aChristian retreat center and facilitiesprovider that includes accommodations,miniature golf, swimming, and a ropescourse.• Divide and conquer: Ninth and10 th graders divided into groups andserved in multiple locations: theypainted at the Nelson Children’sCenter in Denton, a home that servesmore than 100 severely emotionallydisturbed children; they cleaned andorganized at Twice as Nice in Denton,a resale shop that sells gently usedclothing and household items, withproceeds benefitting Woman to WomanPregnancy Resource Center; andthey led worship and served lunch atBeautiful Feet Ministries, a missionthat provides food, medical services,clothing, and the message of the gospelto those living in inner-city Fort Worth.• Junior achievers: The team of 11 thgraders divided into two groups, withone group serving the homeless andorganizing a warehouse at DentonBible’s Vision Ministries.• Senior care: 12 th graders mowedthe lawn and organized thewarehouse at Hearts for Homes,a Christian-based ministry thatprovides no-cost home repairs tolow-income elderly homeownersin Denton County. Director SusanFrank said, “The crew Libertysent was phenomenal! Studentsworked extremely hard, had greatattitudes, and accomplished somuch. It would have taken usliterally months to accomplish whatthey did in just three hours! It wasnothing short of amazing!”• Bringing good cheer: Otherteams assisted, ministered, andsang at nursing care facilitiesin Denton, including the GoodSamaritan Village, the SterlingHouse, and Dogwood Estates.Political ambitionsThe sixth grade team of teacherswas honored to recommendJacob Link and Caleb Allison tothe People to People LeadershipForum. These two studentstraveled to Washington, D.C. inApril where they heard prominentspeakers, toured places thatare closed to the generalpublic, and participated inworkshops that promotedleadership and lifeskills. “We are very proudto have taught these youngmen, and we look forwardto watching them growand lead as God hasgifted them,” saidSue Gallo, sixthgrade teacher.10 LIBERTY LIFE LIBERTY LIFE 11