Groups Launch Challenge to Promote Season of Compassion
Faith Academics, a national company supporting online learning through character-based education, and Beyond This, an Indiana non-profit focused on mentoring and life coaching, have joined forces to create the 54 Day Challenge, a social initiative to unite and transform communities around the country through a season of compassion.
The 54 Day Challenge will run from Thanksgiving Day to MLK Day. Participants will receive a daily email or text message during campaign to inspire and promote civic unity through acts of kindness, non-violence, and common decency. A live Celebration of Compassion event is planned for MLK Day in Indianapolis and will be streamed across the country.
According to Todd Melloh, President of Beyond This, the concept behind the 54 Day Challenge arose after a shooting ended the football game between Ben Davis High School and Carmel High School in the 4th quarter earlier this year at the Ben Davis stadium. Melloh’s son Luke is an assistant football coach and teacher at Ben Davis High School. “This senseless act didn’t just disrupt a game,” said Melloh. “It rattled the community and added more tension to a city already struggling with recurring violence and social strife. Not to mention, it shook my world as my son was on the field during the shooting. At that moment, I knew we had to do something to help unite us. One idea immediately came to mind. We needed a movement of compassion.”
Melloh then approached Chuck Wolfe, CEO of Faith Academics. with his idea and together they created the 54 Day Challenge. “We wanted a defined period where individuals could be intentional in their acts of compassion,” said Wolfe. “There are exactly 54 days from Thanksgiving to MLK Day. We thought it would be appropriate to start on a day that celebrates gratitude and end on a day that honors a man who continues to challenge us to dream bigger and be better as a nation. In addition, 2022 also represents the 54th year anniversary of the death of MLK.” While both Beyond This and Faith Academics focus on education, the campaign is open to any person or organization around the country that wants to make a positive impact in their community. Individuals and groups can register for the challenge at www.54days.us.
The 54 Day Challenge will also serve as the first social initiative of FaithPrep Academy of Indiana, a new online private school open to students in grades K-12 throughout the state. According to Wolfe, this type of community project rests at the heart of the FaithPrep model. “Our focus is preparing students to become life leaders who will put the interests of others in front of self to impact their communities for good. This created an opportunity to lead by example as we launch our schools around the country.”
For more information about the 54 Day Challenge, please visit www.54days.us.
About Faith Academics, LLC
Faith Academics is an education management organization that supports online learning through its unique FaithPrep model that helps students pursue their life calling and impact the world as servant learners. More information can be found at www.faithprep.com.
About Beyond This
Beyond This is an Indiana-based non-profit organization that provides mentoring and life coaching for students and adults through a unique assessment tool and curriculum. More information can be found at www.beyondthis.net.
(SOURCE: Faith Academics)
