Episode 4: Education, Faith and Community: Conversation with Lifewise Academy

The Standard Podcast sits down with Carolina Beach mom and Lifewise Academy steering committee chair Alissa Sivils to talk about bringing Bible-based character education back into New Hanover County’s public schools during the regular school day. She explains how Lifewise operates legally off-campus with parent opt-in and private funding, why the program is exploding across more than 30 states, and what a locally driven pilot could look like in Wilmington. Reuel and Alissa tackle the hard questions—logistics, “indoctrination” smears, after-school vs in-school, and what it means for parents to reclaim their God-given role in their children’s education and spiritual formation.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:08

Welcome to the Wilmington Standard. I'm Rule Sample. The question of Christian faith in public schools. Should it be taught? Should it be allowed for? Should there be allowances made for that kind of education? That's what we're going to be talking about today. And joining us to get into that and other areas is Alyssa Sibyl. Alyssa is a uh Carolina Beach gal. Now you are. Yes. Yeah, now we are. And you are the uh local point of contact for an organization called LifeWise. Yes. And you are in the process of talking with the New Hanover County Board of Education to put LifeWise programs into the elementary schools here in New Hanover County.

SPEAKER_02 1:01

Right. Well, not necessarily just the elementary school, but any of the schools who are, you know, wanting the communities are wanting that program.

SPEAKER_03 1:09

Okay. So tell me a little bit about LifeWise.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

Okay. Um LifeWise is an organization that, what you just said, brings uh character and um Bible education into public school systems. Um it is um completely legal um for the past 70 years and has maintained its legality. Um it uh requires us to have three standards though that um you must have in place, and that is that it's off school premises, um, that it's apparent um uh often and that it is um completely paid for by nonprofit community involvement, um, that it's that it's privately funded, um, and that the school and the district has no, you know, um play in that at all. Um so it's really kind of taking separating the program from the district's responsibility.

SPEAKER_03 2:07

We're gonna get into those a little bit, but you said 70 years old. You are in, I think if I remember from your site, 31 states and 1,100 schools. Is that what we're doing?

SPEAKER_02 2:17

Well, the legality is 70 years. Okay. Um the program itself started in two um uh 2018. Okay, okay. Um, but yes, as far as the amount of states we're in, um it's grown pretty rapidly. Um so over um over 30 states that we're in, um, over 100,000 children that are now currently receiving the program throughout the United States.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 2:41

Um in North Carolina, we are 800 students and counting as far as the students you know in the program uh currently in North Carolina.

SPEAKER_03 2:49

Now you are from uh you are living in Carolina Beach. The program started in Columbus, Ohio.

SPEAKER_02 2:56

In Ohio.

SPEAKER_03 2:57

Yes. Yeah. Okay, but but it is a local grassroots movement. We were talking about that before the the recording started, is that uh even though it is a national foundation, this is a local grassroots movement.

SPEAKER_02 3:11

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 3:11

Okay. And you are the head of it here?

SPEAKER_02 3:13

I am the chairperson for the steering committee.

SPEAKER_03 3:16

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 3:16

Um, and and that's just uh this is the fun part about the program is that yes, it is very much grassroots. Um you have the beauty of um an organization, lifewise, that has given us a solid foundation for the legalities and the logistics of being able to implement a program like this into a community. Um, and so what happens once the steering committee begins, we start building the support. We start building um uh the um uh I guess the foundation for the desire for the parents in the community to want the program in their community. And once we've established that, that's when we then go to um the superintendent and to the board on trying to get it implemented.

SPEAKER_03 4:03

Now you have you have started that process with the the superintendent. You're on step six of what ten steps? Uh is the is the response from the community positive? Uh are parents really asking for something like this?

SPEAKER_02 4:19

Well, we have um we have about 700 signatures now um that we have been trying to gain. Um, you know, and that that kind of thing is um is kind of widespread throughout the Wilmington area or the New Hanover County area. Um, and there's multiple schools that have um uh well where the signatures are placed, they also put the school that they would like to see it in. So there's multiple schools that have come up in this um and those signatures. Um but really what it comes down to is the the organization of um of the community members that want to be involved. And that's where we've seen the most encouragement because we're just seeing the the amount of um churches, denominational, non-denominational, you you you know, you name it, they're all actually coming together. Um they're they're having, you know, creating lunch dates, they're discussing it, they're talking about it amongst themselves and really trying to figure out how they can help build this um within our community. And we have churches already wanting to help host the site. We have um we have pastors who are trying to help us with the uh transportation piece of things. Um we have volunteers already signed up, um uh retired teachers or substitutes who are really wanting to step into the role of teaching in the classroom or assisting the volunteers that um have signed up to occasionally come in and help out. Um so there is um just a lineup for the support.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:02

And and so that's just a cool thing to see through all of this. And I'm just a mom coming into something that I really didn't know what it was gonna look like, right? So I I'm just I'm just I didn't think I would be sitting here with you today, even discussing this program in this way. Um I kind of sat in my little bubble thinking, oh, what a neat program. Let's put it in, you know, let's let's add this in.

SPEAKER_03 6:21

It sounds like you missed a meeting and they made you in church.

SPEAKER_02 6:23

Yeah, yeah, exactly. That's exactly how I feel. I'm not the type to stand in front of a school board or any of those things, right? So this is all new to me. And um, but you know, as there is this positive um growth in and this encouraging space that we're in right now, there's also the other aspect of this. And it's the naysayers, it's the ones who have fear behind what they're seeing happening.

SPEAKER_00 6:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:50

Um, and uh, so there is some fear behind this, even within the Christians that we are speaking to as well. Um and so we're just, you know, and I think what I'm feeling called to do is just bring a sense of calm to the chaos by bringing truth. And um, and I just feel like, you know, that the fear is attached to just these lies that are spreading around. And the reality is that there's nothing really scary about something that is opt-in, that is community, community founded, really. I mean, for the most part, lifewise comes in and and and has that support underneath us for all the legalities and logistics, but as far as what the what the actual program looks like, every school is gonna be different.

SPEAKER_00 7:37

Interesting.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Because the community is building it. Every school has a different um a little bit different of a culture. The the principals might, you know, manage things a little bit different of a way, um, their schedules may be a little different. So each school is gonna look entirely different from the next.

SPEAKER_03 7:53

So that's that's interesting because you're not, even though you have to go through the school district to get this program in place, you are still community-driven. So Ogden Elementary School's program might look far different than uh College Acres community program. Because it is community driven. The other thing that you said is that this is also parent-driven. Is that there there has to be, you know, we say there's a form, but I'm sure there's a lot of forms that the parent has to sign off on for their children to participate.

SPEAKER_02 8:29

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 8:30

Okay, so that's important.

SPEAKER_02 8:31

Yes, exactly. And and I mean I think that's key, is that this is about parent choice within the school day of you know, their child's curriculum and what they're learning and and and how they're growing. And I think that parents should have a voice in that, um, especially in our public schools. Yes. And this is an opt-in option.

SPEAKER_03 8:49

Yes. Well, as my friend Nikki Baskin would often say, is that uh teachers are the expert of their fields, but parents are the expert of their children. And we really should have parents involved in what their kids are learning in schools. Yes. So all right, let's talk a little bit about the logistics, because I think that's where you're probably getting a lot of pushback, too, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 9:11

And I'll talk as much as I can about that.

SPEAKER_03 9:12

I understand, I understand. Uh so the the program is designed to take the kids out of school, uh, again with parental involvement and and all that stuff, for an hour a week. Not an hour a day or an hour a week.

SPEAKER_02 9:31

An hour a week.

SPEAKER_03 9:32

An hour a week during an elective time period.

SPEAKER_02 9:35

Um and that that has been a hot topic as well.

SPEAKER_03 9:40

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:40

So um it again, we're looking at the individual schools, their schedules, and what's best for those that school.

SPEAKER_00 9:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:49

Um, so and then you know, also the program. So so when you're looking at that, it could be maybe during um club time. You know, like the sometimes some of the schools have times, you know, like a set hour during the day that's for clubs.

SPEAKER_03 10:03

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 10:03

Um, that that's a possibility.

SPEAKER_03 10:05

I have been out of school far too long. We didn't have club time when I went to elementary school.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

Um so and then there's also you know, this the specials times, which has been controversial. Um, and that can be looked at differently by each principal. Um, and so again, that's something that we'd have to just have that conversation. We want this to be a cordial thing. We don't want this to be conflictive, obviously. This is a partnership. So um the other option, too, that we've had um other life-wise communities use is um lunch and recess time. Okay. And because our life classes usually are very active. Yeah. Um, and so it really gives the kids time to move, to, to speak, to, you know, just get that energy out, um, express themselves. Um, and so cutting into a lunch and recess sometimes um when we life-wise has often provided the lunches for the kids.

SPEAKER_00 10:57

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 10:58

Um, and that gives that time frame. And and sometimes it's 45 minutes, sometimes it's 40, sometimes it's an hour. It just kind of all depends on that that um contract with the school or that agreement.

SPEAKER_03 11:09

And again, it's a c it's uh uh I'm gonna keep going back to this is that it is a contract with the school district, but it is always in relationship with a particular and individual school.

SPEAKER_02 11:19

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 11:20

So so the the the question though then is that this is it is off-campus. It has to be off campus.

SPEAKER_02 11:26

It has to be off campus at this point.

SPEAKER_03 11:27

And so you have the program and then transportation to and from. Can you do all that in an hour?

SPEAKER_02 11:34

They do.

SPEAKER_03 11:35

Do they really?

SPEAKER_02 11:35

They do, and it's been proven. We have over 100,000 students, like I said, across the United States using the program. So and and what we do is logistically we find a location that's within two minutes of the school. Two minutes. Two minutes.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 11:49

So that's the goal.

SPEAKER_00 11:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:50

Um, and some locations, and these are just scenarios that that LifeWise has had in, you know, in their current um uh classes that they have or programs, um, is you know, even one one school had had a um had the ability to build a little um uh one room kind of schoolhouse that that that they were able to build to the guidelines and standards needed, and they could just walk across the street.

SPEAKER_00 12:19

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 12:20

So that was an option for one, and they had a donor that that was willing to pay for and create that for them.

SPEAKER_00 12:26

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 12:27

Um we've had um uh where we have locations that are maybe a couple blocks away and the kids are able to walk. Um and then also, you know, obviously we if we don't have locations that are close enough, then um we try to stay within two to two to four minutes of the of the school. Okay. And and um then we have to find transportation. We have to that and that again, that is that is life, our grassroots committee who is building that and finding that transportation, funding that transportation. It has it's the community, it's not the system.

SPEAKER_03 13:02

So you are not using school buses, you're not using any of the public transportation or the the public funded transportation that the schools have to provide. Okay. Oh, my my father is Sir, uh just call me. Okay. It's a habit.

SPEAKER_00 13:15

It's a habit, sorry.

SPEAKER_03 13:16

Uh so uh a lot of uh folks have asked uh as I've talked with folks about this is uh what about after school programs? Is that an option?

SPEAKER_02 13:26

And yeah, that is that is a huge question that we've had asked so many times. And my answer to that is that, well, sure, it could be an after school program. Anything can be right.

SPEAKER_00 13:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:36

So um what what we say is that many kids don't have the opportunity for an after school program.

SPEAKER_00 13:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:46

They're put on a bus, they're sent home. Um, and many times they already have music, you know, band and and and and sports and you know, all karate, whatever, right? They have all these different things that they're doing after school that you know um they're kept busy with, and they're they're just already in place. Um, but you know, we look mostly at the students who just don't have the opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 14:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:12

And that's that's the biggest thing. Um giving that time during the day for those who don't have the opportunity to even do an after school program, you know, this allows for it. But I think also as a mom, and I'm just speaking as a mom right now with my own opinion, is that I love that, yeah, I take my child to church every Sunday. And actually, he's there for two to three services because we're volunteering the whole time. But um, and he but he loves it, you know, that's his community. But if my child in the middle of the week was able to join with other kids his age and have just 40 minutes of, you know, that moment of getting with God.

SPEAKER_00 14:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:53

And um working through some of those character, you know, and and behavior and and um resilience type lessons um of what the world throws at you um with his classmates.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:06

That's pretty amazing. Yeah. I mean, I think that's pretty cool. So, because those classmates he's gonna be growing up with are gonna be the same classmates he's gonna be probably facing some of these challenges with.

SPEAKER_03 15:15

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 15:16

So I think it's amazing.

SPEAKER_03 15:17

And it's put it's putting that Christian worldview into their education.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

Their education.

SPEAKER_03 15:23

Yes. But as we said, it's that every school is different. Is that you might have schools where an after-school program works.

SPEAKER_02 15:31

And and look, here's the thing is where it will it could even start.

SPEAKER_01 15:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:35

And and I I just want to be very clear that life-wise isn't coming in, and this is the the fears of indoctrination and the push of some organization coming in that's Christian, and all of this stuff that you're hearing, um, is that life-wise isn't coming in barreling through the doors with a program and making everybody, you know, like trying to force it into schools. That's not that's not the case. Um, this may start if it's approved in New Hanover County in one school.

SPEAKER_00 15:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:00

In one grade level, even, um, one 40-minute slot in a day.

SPEAKER_00 16:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 16:06

And as it, as it progresses, as the students start coming, as we start moving the program, then see working with the school. Okay, do we want to add another class?

SPEAKER_03 16:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 16:18

And and then do we want to add another? You know, I mean, how can we fit ever all the different, you know, with the schedules the way they are? How do we fit every grade into be able being able to participate? Well, we have separate days that we come to pick up different grade levels.

SPEAKER_01 16:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:34

We figure it out. But that could be what one school looks like. Another school might have a schedule where they all, you know, have the opportunity, maybe um, it's more in line, the grade levels are more in line with being able to leave at a certain time.

SPEAKER_03 16:49

Yeah, in educational parlance, that's called a pilot program. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 16:54

And we're what we're always doing, pilot programs.

SPEAKER_03 16:58

And you know, I think, and and I and I put this in my update a couple days ago, is that the the folks who are who are accusing you of indoctrinating our students are the same folks who think it's okay for boys to go into girls' lady uh uh uh locker rooms and who have been indoctrinating our students for the last 50 years over truths that aren't really true. And so I think none of that holds water. Uh but one of their questions is an important one. If New Hanover County lets you in, right, do they have to do the same for everybody else?

SPEAKER_02 17:34

Well, um possibly.

SPEAKER_03 17:36

Possibly, but they also but they have to match the high standards that you are putting on your program.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

And that is the point of having the high standards.

SPEAKER_03 17:45

Yes. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:46

And and honestly, you know, and this is this is what I say to some people is, you know, um uh uh yes, any group could come in and try to do the same thing, you know, and ask for the same thing. But yes, they have to, um, in my opinion, I mean, not just my opinion, but in a legal sense, they have to meet certain criteria in order to make it happen. And that took a lot of time, effort, and years for life-wise to develop and establish, um, especially to get to a place where they had it established well enough to put a plug-and-place system in effect. So, so that in itself um is pretty amazing that they've done all of that to allow these grassroots communities to bring this kind of a thing, you know, to their community. So um that's beautiful. Um but um and I I just want to say this delicately is that if we work in in a mindset of fear, um then we won't move.

SPEAKER_03 18:52

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 18:53

And as a Christian, I believe that yes, any anybody could come in and do the same thing. But I'm not gonna stand in fear and stay stagnant and not move the way that I feel that the Lord wants us to move.

SPEAKER_03 19:08

Yes. Well, as a Christian, I will also state that that uh if you are faithful to the promises that God has made, that your organization will take down walls where other organizations will run up against them. So I I firmly believe that. Next question: why Wilmington? Why right now? Uh are are are are you we are we okay in our educational system or is this a response to what you're seeing? Why Wilmington right now?

SPEAKER_02 19:36

Well, you know, um I'm gonna speak as a mom.

SPEAKER_03 19:40

Please do, please do.

SPEAKER_02 19:41

I'm gonna speak as a mom first. Um is I I of course want the best for my son.

SPEAKER_03 19:49

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

And when we first moved to um Carolina Beach, I was a skeptic. Um in a lot of ways concerning my son, going, where do I where do we insert ourselves? Where where do we fit?

SPEAKER_03 20:04

Now when you first came to Carolina Beach, how old was your son?

SPEAKER_02 20:07

He was three and a half, three and a half, okay. Three. Okay. Um and so he was just, you know, he was just starting getting in preschool, um, not yet kindergarten. And so, you know, there was a lot of thought put into um where he was gonna go to school, you know, the community we're gonna surround him with. And um we found Life Point Church, and that's where it all started. Um, really, it it brought a family and a community to um us that we were really just we were looking for. And I we felt like the Lord just like planted us right where we needed to be. Um and the community surrounding him now, you know, yeah, there's there's all locks of people around us, and you know what, we love them all. And but and that's what I teach my son. But the community that grows my son is very important.

SPEAKER_03 20:58

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 20:59

And the people that we found in Carolina Beach and our the community that we're in, is they're my village, right? I think that it's important to have that village, that Christian-based for me and for my family, that Christian-based family, the village to help, you know, make him a good man one day. And um so with that being said, I opened up. I opened up because I felt like, oh Lord, you're bringing me people I can trust. You're bringing bringing me people who are are helping, not hindering. Um, you're you're bringing people who are teaching my son and not um teaching him the things that that you want him to learn and know. And and you're bringing us those people, so I'm gonna open up and I'm gonna trust. And I put him in Carolina Beach Elementary.

SPEAKER_01 21:45

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 21:46

And that is where um my heart just grew because I think that Carolina Beach Elementary is the sweetest school. And they um and as My son, you know, putting him in a Christian school, I know the other things that he would be getting, but I feel like we're feeling as a family and as a community, and um, the people that we've surrounded him with are filling that bucket for him. That going to Carolina Beach Elementary is filling a different kind of bucket for him because he's establishing good friendships and they they are um they just love the kids. They they genuinely love the kids, and um it's been a wonderful experience for him, and he's growing in in that school. So, going back to that question, I love this program because I feel like it's only going to bring something to the students and not just the students, but the outcomes that the kids, the growth the kids will have within the program. Um the the outcomes of learning and and and establishing some of these character traits that um that they need and and doing that together as you know as as peers is something really cool. And it can be carried over into their classrooms.

SPEAKER_03 23:06

Anchors Away, which is another really great organization, I don't know if you've ever heard of them, uh, has did a study several years ago that 80 to 90 percent of all Christian kids when they go to the university fall away from the faith because they are not prepared by their parents and by their churches to handle the challenges that secular life uh uh gives them. Right. And so what it sounds like is that the uh life-wise, and you use uh product called the Gospel Project for everything that teach is trying to head that off. Yeah, uh your curriculum focuses on uh three areas head, heart, and hands. Three H's. For a good Presbyterian, for a Presbyterian that like me, that's really, really good. You've got three H's to remember. Head, heart, and hands. Tell me about that.

SPEAKER_02 24:06

Okay. So um, well, as a Christian, I think that we can take a head, heart, and hands, and we can we can kind of understand what that means. But um I think that if we if we hit them just with the with the education, we hit them just with the education, but don't give them the the the why, the the um the experience, the the the activity in the classrooms, I think is very important because it's not just about reading the scripture and um and trying to understand what the scripture means. It's about why. It's about what. It's about um really trying to understand how we how we um use that in our own life. And um so that is I think that's an easy kind of quick answer to explaining that is that you know not just knowing the information, it it's it's um knowing how to use it in our own life. And then a step away from that is how do we maybe not how do I how do I want to put this? Um, I want to use the word disciple, but how do we go and shed and be that light that we've learned and that we know and be that light for others? And to me, that's discipling, but not everybody might like or be encouraged by that word. I am, but it's really just being a light to others, and and that's just being able to walk in what they've learned.

SPEAKER_00 25:35

Nice.

SPEAKER_02 25:36

So, um, and I think that uh with any organization um that is carrying Christian values, I uh my hope is that with every lifewise um group that we're teaching the kids how to be a bridge for the community.

SPEAKER_03 25:49

What are your costs gonna be? What do you what are people what what uh for for your for your organization or for your uh churches that are getting involved? Uh there's gotta be some fundraising for all of this.

SPEAKER_02 26:03

Yes, and we right now, because we haven't had approval yet, um the committee is um just working with the community and trying to build out um who is willing to help donate and fund, um, who's willing to um maybe donate um in ways other than actually financially, but in their their volunteering, their volunteers or in if they have materials um like you know, maybe somebody has a van out there somewhere who wants to start us off and we can get a good paint job on it, right? I mean, there's things like that. So um we're we're right now just kind of compiling that list and getting those people talking, yeah, bringing them together. Because we think, you know, obviously we can go and we can collect all these people who can help us out, right? But if they're not, if those volunteers, those people who are wanting to come in and help out, if we're not introducing them, we're not bringing them together, then we're kind of, you know, on the other side of a river without a bridge. So that's kind of where we're at with it right now. We're trying to bring those people together and see what we can come up with here at the beginning of all of this to get us started. And I think that's it kind of any grassroots program. It's like, you know, you have guidance from this foundational life-wise, but it's really up to us.

SPEAKER_03 27:25

Is the goal to make the make sure that no child has to pay for this?

SPEAKER_02 27:29

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 27:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 27:30

Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 27:32

So uh the the the the children and their parents, the parents can give to their program.

SPEAKER_02 27:36

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 27:37

But it is not a requirement for their kids to attend this.

SPEAKER_02 27:41

No. Okay. No. And you know what will happen here, and this is this is kind of will be the next step for us. Um, uh, and I'm gonna say when this gets approved. Um the next step for us then will be as a committee, we need to hire a county director. Um, and then we're gonna have to also look at hiring a um a lead teacher. Um and we have a like I said, we already have a list of very qualified, even within the county, um, of teachers that um that are are already signed up who have taught or are maybe substituting um in the system currently. So it's it's beautiful. It's beautiful to see the the support there.

SPEAKER_03 28:27

What is the next step? You've already gone in front of the school board that has been I call them the school board. They don't like it when I call them the school board. It's the board of education. Board of Education. Uh but uh the school board. Uh you've gone in front of them, you've already talked to um uh the superintendent for a little bit. Uh and are they reviewing your program? What's the next step?

SPEAKER_02 28:46

Yes, so right now they're in the review of the program. Um they they're in the review of the program with the potential of writing an MOU for what's an MOU? It's a memorand what is it?

SPEAKER_03 29:00

I'm not gonna let you throw acronyms around on this program.

SPEAKER_02 29:04

Memorandum of understanding. There you go, okay. Yes. So um, anyways, so if um and and this is something, and let me just kind of um explain the first step here is that the the board um voted unanimously to research the program. Nice. So that's the current space we're in now.

SPEAKER_00 29:25

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 29:26

Um and during this time there's been a lot of hoopla out there, a lot of things going around, a lot of things stirring, and um, and that's why I'm here talking to you today. Um so yeah, with that being said, they're still in that process. And um, as we when we last spoke to Dr. Barnes, um, we're waiting for them to complete that process and then to um take another another vote and have another conversation between him and the board um on the next step.

SPEAKER_03 29:55

So right now, just the the school board hasn't committed to anything other than just researching it. Researching, seeing if if if this will work, uh talking, probably talking to their principals, talking to folks that are involved, just to get all the information.

SPEAKER_00 30:11

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 30:11

Uh it it uh sometimes it just it it's uh scary to me how people get upset just by asking questions. Because that's what's all that's what's going on, is that they're just asking questions.

SPEAKER_02 30:23

It's just asking questions. It's just asking questions. And and of course, you know, those questions want to be taken and skewed um into all different directions. And so um, yeah, um, when really all of this is just a very simple understanding of a program that is optional.

SPEAKER_03 30:42

When do you hope to start?

SPEAKER_02 30:45

So my hope to start, and this is kind of a team thing, um, it's something that we've also um talked to um as far as projecting, you know, from the board, um, from the superintendent, um, is possibly fall.

SPEAKER_00 30:59

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 31:00

So if it's approved, so we're just kind of waiting on that approval to see if that happens, and then if so, we're really hoping for fall.

SPEAKER_03 31:09

Okay, and uh and again, just a hopefully just a pilot program in maybe even just one school with maybe even one grade, but it all depends on what that community wants.

SPEAKER_02 31:19

Right.

SPEAKER_03 31:19

That's interesting.

SPEAKER_02 31:20

Right, it really is gonna come down to the community and and the school and the agreement we have.

SPEAKER_03 31:24

So, how can people get a hold of you to either donate or to give you feedback, or if parents have questions or concerns, is there a website they can go to? Is there s is there a way for them to get in touch with you?

SPEAKER_02 31:40

Absolutely. Um, you can go to lifewise.org and you can um get on there and you can get all I mean, they have a ton of information on their website in general.

SPEAKER_03 31:50

There's even a curriculum that they can download.

SPEAKER_02 31:52

Yes, they're the curriculum. You can request to um view their curriculum. I think they give you maybe 48 hours to review it. Um there's some legalities behind it um and and copyright information and things like that that they have to only give about you know a 40-hour period 48-hour period of time for um the viewing. But um you can do that upon request.

SPEAKER_03 32:14

Yep. And they can also get in touch with you through there or sure.

SPEAKER_02 32:18

So um we have an email address and oh my goodness. Um I might have to look and see what that email address is.

SPEAKER_03 32:25

We'll put it in the we'll put it in the uh in the uh in the email. Uh there's uh if you go to LifeWise and just uh go on to their info section, they'll be able to get in touch with you that they'll be able to get in touch.

SPEAKER_02 32:37

And um, and then uh yes, I can give you the email address that we've established. Of course I forgot. New Hanover County, lifewise at gmail.com, I believe.

SPEAKER_03 32:46

Something like that. Something like that.

SPEAKER_02 32:48

So we'll we'll get that worked out.

SPEAKER_03 32:49

So Alyssa Silva Sivils from LifeWise, uh just asking questions about getting the truth of the gospel into our into uh in front of our kids. Um and you know, it's about time.

SPEAKER_02 33:05

It is about time.

SPEAKER_03 33:06

So uh best of luck.

SPEAKER_02 33:10

Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate your time. Thank you for coming on. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 33:14

Uh I hope this wasn't too scary.

SPEAKER_02 33:16

Oh no. Okay. It was good. Good. They made it very comfortable.

SPEAKER_03 33:20

So and just so you know, is that uh yeah, you know, we talked about some of these topics beforehand, but I purposely asked Alyssa not to tell me what you were going to talk about. So I uh I found out along with the rest of you. So it's been a good conversation. So thank you for coming on.

SPEAKER_02 33:37

You're welcome. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 33:38

Uh and again, if you have any questions, make sure that you get a hold of Alyssa and uh the good folks at LifeWise. They'll be able to answer any questions. So uh thank you very much for the Wilmington Standard Iron Rule sample. Thanks for listening.