What’s the one thing LYDIA Urban Academy students have in common?

The 37 high school students who attend LYDIA Urban Academy are a diverse bunch.

Some test below a sixth-grade reading level, others do well academically but need one-on-one instruction to stay on task. Some students come from broken homes, while others benefit from a solid family life.

We have former gang members, teenage moms, and kids whose parents don’t speak English. Not to mention those who are dealing with anxiety disorders, past drug use, and poverty. In the midst of all this diversity is one common thread: these students want to graduate from high school.

Dropping out would be so much easier. But they know that the key to long-term success is education. Our teachers are determined to help them achieve their goals and, slowly but surely, these students are succeeding.

In May, four students graduated from LUA campuses in Chicago and Rockford, and we expect four more to graduate in December.

One May grad, Bianca, has come a long way. Before enrolling at LUA-Rockford, Bianca was a D student who had already spent time in juvenile detention for fighting. Within a few days at LUA, something “clicked,” and she began to learn and succeed as never before.

Bianca is now attending classes at a local technical college.“I started a whole new life at the Urban Academy thanks to my teachers,” Bianca says. “They gave me the attention I needed to get my grades up and learn right from wrong. I’ve never done this well in school before, and I’m proud of myself. Everyone at LYDIA is like family to me.”

Bianca benefited not only from the academic instruction she received at LYDIA but also from our focus on character development, which takes place in and out of the classroom.

In fact, this summer, many LUA students attended a Christian camp in Missouri, where they enjoyed recreational activities with a spiritual focus. Here’s what one student had to say in a letter she wrote to donors who contributed toward the cost of camp:

“Going to camp was so much fun. My favorite activities were cheerleading and tubing. Something else that really spoke to me was having a Bible and just learning about Jesus Christ. I knew who he was but I never had a connection with him before. One night, the leaders asked if anyone in the crowd wanted Jesus to be their Savior. I did, so I stood up and at that moment I knew that Jesus had adopted me. I never would have had this chance to connect with Jesus Christ if it was not for you. Thank you so much for sending me to camp. It has had a great impact on my life.”

It’s exciting to make a difference in these students’ lives and to know that God is in the midst of our work. Donors play an essential, behind-the-scenes role, too, with financial gifts that help pay for our teacher salaries, supplies, camp scholarships, and much more.

The main reason that LYDIA Urban Academy relies so heavily on donor support is because very few of our families can afford to pay our modest tuition. Parents contribute what they can, and many students supplement that by participating in our work-study program. Even so, there’s a significant gap between what families can contribute and what it costs LUA to keep its doors open.

As the 2012-13 school year gets underway, we are hoping that you will invest in the lives of our students with a gift of $75, $100, $200, or even more. Such gifts can make a significant impact, strengthening our finances so that students can rely on us to be there for them in the months and years to come.

LUA students face long odds when it comes to graduating from high school. Many of them never learned to read very well, much less experience the joy of learning. Their parents are preoccupied with financial survival, not thoughts of higher education.

Until recently, their role models were gang members and sports celebrities, not electricians and medical assistants. But with our help, these teenagers are overcoming the obstacles and getting closer to achieving their goals. They just need the support and help that only a school like LYDIA Urban Academy can provide.

Thank you for considering a financial gift to LUA. Together, we can get our students across the finish line and set them on a course for a productive, successful life!

Sincerely,

Dave Anderson, PsyD

Executive Director