When COVID-19 fears temporarily closed some schools and pushed many area students to virtual learning this fall, the local faith community stepped up to create virtual learning centers to provide access to the internet and a safe learning environment for families who might otherwise struggle.
But without proper funding, this series of centers may not be an option for children when school resumes in a week.
First Baptist Church opened its virtual learning center in October as one of four church-based centers. The church, through its nonprofit First Baptist Cares, served 12 students in kindergarten through sixth grade who are zoned for Brown Academy, which is located near the church.
The Rev. William Terry Ladd, pastor at First Baptist, said in October the center helped provide resources for students who might otherwise struggle with the virtual classroom model.
“In affluent communities, parents have teachers to do this in their homes and they have the technology. And of course in underserved communities we don’t have that,” Ladd said at the time.