By Zach New
The observation of a son started in 1991 in the living room (which also doubled as an office!) of our house in Jackson, Mississippi. There sat a determined, yet visionary, mother who organized binders and folders for her next consulting visit, only thinking of her dream to have an educational center. My mother, Dr. Nancy New, had a vision and the drive to make the dream a reality.
I watched the dream that began in our living room come to fruition on April 18, 2014. It was Good Friday and the second foundation was being poured for the new high school building. While watching this dream of my mother’s, which I also hold so dear, I was reminded of the Lord’s words to us in Matthew 7:24-27. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”
It was the rock of our faith in Him that brought us from that living room to my thoughts on Good Friday of this year. The rains, both figuratively and literally, have come again and again over the years, but having strength from the Lord has allowed the growth of New Learning Resources, which began as educational service providing supplemental education for students with learning differences. It has since extended these services to include schools in Jackson and Greenwood, Mississippi, a fully accredited, online high school, and a partnership with an American all-boys school in Costa Rica.
The future of New Learning Resources looks bright. The new addition to our Jackson campus will allow New Learning Resources to continue its mission of individualizing instruction to meet the needs of every child. The addition of Autism and Dyslexia specific services, extracurricular activities, arts-integrated curriculum, and athletics will enhance NLR’s ability to provide students with the essential services and support they need to succeed. As we grow in size and scope of services, I will dedicate all of my energy and passion to ensuring that my mother’s vision is continued well into the future.
