"Shout and be glad"

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"Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion.  For I am coming, and I will live among you, " declares the Lord.  - Zechariah 2:10

We have much reason to "shout and be glad!" This past year God established a new home in the heart of Shreveport: Praise Academy at Lakeside elementary school.

We had a vivacious group of eight students (in grades Pre-K, 1st, and 5th) who were with us from start to finish.  Our students accomplished more than we had imagined in their first year at Praise Academy, such as: surpassing grade level in math, learning to read music and sing praise songs, planting a school garden, building a coat rack—just to name a few.  We couldn't be more proud of their hard work and perseverance through a challenging, yet rewarding first year! 

Favorite activities from the year included:

  • Daily prayer and praise time, especially singing "Come Revive This Land" (watch the slideshow at the end of the post to hear them sing it)
  • Our first graders practicing their writing skills using shaving cream on the classroom table
  • Reading "living-books" (as described by Charlotte Mason)
  • Hosting family and neighbors for a Thanksgiving luncheon
  • Our fifth graders learning to play the xylophone from Ms. Libby
  • All students taking their first trip outside of Louisiana to a zoo (Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, TX)

We are grateful for the many blessings the Lord has showered upon us this year, especially for the faithful volunteers and donors who made it possible to keep the school running!  Please continue to pray for our school and students as we plan for the next year and aim to double our enrollment.

To hear more about the year from our teachers and volunteers, check out this news article on the People of Praise website.