A trophy may be made of metal, plastic, and gold paint \u2014 but its meaning goes far beyond its materials. It represents hard work, perseverance, and the belief that big dreams are within reach. It\u2019s a reminder that you are capable, that your effort matters, and that you should be proud of what you’ve accomplished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the last 40 years Shepherd has helped neighbors of all ages find hope and transformation by empowering them through quality education. When Shepherd Community Academy<\/strong> opened in 2002 with just 12 kindergarteners, <\/strong>it was driven by this very belief: that every child can do hard things and achieve their dreams with the right support. Through small class sizes, one-on-one instruction, and holistic care for the whole family, the Academy provides quality education at a fraction of the cost of private school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our students don\u2019t just grow academically; they grow as leaders and community members:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I have seen myself grow by improving my grades, learning new things, and developing my ability to care for others.” \u2013 Jazmin Today, more than 20 years later, the heart of the Academy remains unchanged. We now serve 150 students in grades K4 through 5th<\/strong>, and became fully accredited by the Indiana Department of Education in 2017<\/strong>, thanks to the support of dedicated partners and community leaders. In 2022, we expanded further by adding a STEM and computer lab<\/strong>, giving students hands-on experience with modern technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trophy you see here travels from classroom to classroom \u2014 a reward for students who excel in their standardized tests. It serves as a daily symbol of their achievement and a celebration of their hard work, taking pride in every accomplishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking ahead, our goal is to double the number of classes and students<\/strong> served over the next five years. We are committed to mentoring, educating, and empowering more neighborhood children \u2014 building a future of hope to break the cycle of poverty for the next 40 years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A trophy may be made of metal, plastic, and gold paint \u2014 but its meaning goes far beyond its materials. It represents hard work, perseverance, and the belief that big dreams are within reach. It\u2019s a reminder that you are capable, that your effort matters, and that you should be proud of what you’ve accomplished. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":985,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-about-shepherd","category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upliftindy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upliftindy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upliftindy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upliftindy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upliftindy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=984"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/upliftindy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/984\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upliftindy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upliftindy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upliftindy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upliftindy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/em> “Shepherd has helped me learn that I have more than just friends; I have a family.” \u2013 Marcelino
<\/em> “They helped me grow in my learning, be a better person, and follow God. I’m really thankful for them.” \u2013 Julissa<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n