By Bryant Reed | January 26, 2020 at 2:02 PM EST – Updated January 27 at 7:57 AM
PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Mt. Calvary University opened its doors in 2018, but they’re already striving to branch out in the Pender County education community.
Early January, the Pender County School Board approved the sharing of information on dropout students to Mt. Calvary. The university said they hope to start a leadership program in the coming days specifically geared towards dropout students.
“Learning deficiencies, bullying, we find out they come from low income families, and sometimes its self-esteem,” said Jimmy T. Tate, Mt. Calvary President. “They see this current system isn’t working for them and they’re only opportunity they have is to leave and go get a job and provide for their families.”
The leadership program would teach students life-skills they would not have if they chose not to go back to school. Money management, leadership development and self-awareness to name a few, all with the help of psychologists, faith based leaders and business entrepreneurs.
“We provide them not only classroom instruction of a leadership development but we would proved them of the practical development students need,” said Tate. “Realizing students learn differently. It may be those students left the district because of reasons beyond their control or for problems they didn’t realize they have and Mt. Calvary wants to get to that.”
PCS board chairman Don Hall said although the dropout numbers in Pender county aren’t very high, anything that can be done to hep students succeed in life is at the top of the boards priority list.
Research still needs to be done by Mt. Calvary to get the program started. Without a religous based higher exempt institution ran by the county in the county, Tate said he wants to take care of home first before they start to expand and reach other counties.
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