Alpha Omega Publications Commits Over $1.2 Million in Curriculum
to Aid Homeschooling Families Displaced by Katrina
Exodus Mandate Assisting Alpha Omega with Distribution of Curriculum
To: National Desk, Education Reporter, Feature Reporter
Contact: E. Ray Moore, Jr., 803-714-1744; Bruce N. Shortt 832-483-8882;
AOP Contact for Homeschool and Other Organizations: Nancy Halle,
Director of Customer Care, 800.682.7391, ext. 7929, nhalle@aop.com
COLUMBIA, SC, Sept. 20 /Christian Wire Service/ -- In the wake
of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf
Coast, Alpha Omega Publications (www.aop.com) has announced that
it is committing over $1.2 million of its Switched-On Schoolhouse
curriculum and 10 scholarships to the Alpha and Omega Academy
to the relief of Katrina's victims.
As Beth Te Grotenhuis, CEO of Alpha Omega Publishers, explains:
"We know that many homeschooling families had their curricula
destroyed by the storm. With all of the worries those families
must have, we want to make sure that replacing their curricula
isn't one of them. We also hope that families displaced by the
storm who have been considering homeschooling will take advantage
of our offer of free Switched-On Schoolhouse to get started. Alpha
Omega has long been committed to serving the homeschool community,
and we are grateful that we have the ability to extend the hand
of Christian brotherhood to families in need."
Exodus Mandate, a ministry committed to expanding Christian education,
is assisting Alpha Omega in the distribution of homeschool curriculum
to hurricane victims. E. Ray Moore Jr., founder of Exodus Mandate
(www.exodusmandate.org), notes that "This is by far the single
largest relief effort so far directed specifically at homeschool
families, and I know that it will have a major impact. This is
in every sense a very impressive effort by Alpha Omega."
The distribution of Alpha Omega's curricula and scholarships will
be handled through existing homeschool organizations and church
ministries. According to Bruce N. Shortt, Homeschooling Family-To-Family
Coordinator for Exodus Mandate (www.homeschoolingfamilytofamily.org),
"Our current distribution efforts are centered around the
National Black Home Education Resource Association, Homeschool
Legal Defense Association, the Southern Baptist Association of
Christian Schools, Project Noah, Family Reformation Ministries,
the Southern Baptist Church Home Education Association, and the
South Texas Baptist Association. We hope other organizations that
have identified families in need of homeschool curriculum will
also contact AOP."
In addition to helping homeschooling families individually, Switched-On
Schoolhouse will enable churches to create learning centers to
help storm victims and other children within their communities.
As Lonnie Morgan, AOP's Vice President of Sales, points out "Because
Switched-On Schoolhouse doesn't require a faculty and allows students
to progress at their own pace, it easy for churches to use Switched-On
Schoolhouse to set up Christian learning centers in their existing
Sunday school facilities to help educate displaced and other children.
We hope that churches will take advantage of this opportunity."
Families who are victims of Hurricane Katrina and churches that
are interested in receiving AOP's curriculum should contact one
of the following organizations: National Black Home Educators
Resource Association (Eric or Joyce Burges 225-933-2306 www.nbhera.org),
Home School Legal Defense Association (Patty Taylor 540-338-5600
www.hslda.org), Southern Baptist Church Home Education Association
(Elizabeth Watkins 972-213-5460 www.sbchea.org), Southern Baptist
Association of Christian Schools (Ed Gamble 407-808-9100 www.sbacs.org),
Project Noah (Lisa Guidry 281-225-4561 www.projectnoah.org), Family
Reformation Ministries (James McDonald www.booksonthepath.com),
and the South Texas Baptist Association (Lynn Snider 281-415-1960
www.stba.org). Families wishing to participate should contact
Homeschool Foundation (Patty Taylor 540-338-8899) or Noah Project
(Lisa Guidry 281-225-4561).
Switched-On Schoolhouse is a comprehensive, interactive, multi-media
computer and internet based curriculum for grades 3-12. Alpha
Omega Academy is a fully accredited online academy that combines
Switched-On Schoolhouse with many services, including record keeping
and phone, e-mail, and instant messaging-based tutorial assistance
from Alpha Omega Academy's teaching faculty.
Exodus Mandate, a Columbia, South Carolina-based ministry, sponsors
Homeschooling Family-To-Family (www.homeschoolingfamilytofamily.org),
which seeks to grow homeschooling by enlisting experienced Christian
homeschoolers as "homeschool evangelists."
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