Alpha Omega Publications Commits Over $1.2 Million in Curriculum to Aid Homeschooling Families Displaced by Katrina and to Help Low Income Families
Exodus Mandate Assisting Alpha Omega with Distribution of Curriculum

To: National Desk, Education Reporter, Feature Reporter

Contact: E. Ray Moore, Jr., 803-714-1744; Bruce N. Shortt 832-483-8882; AOP Contact for Homeschool and Other Organizations: Nancy Halle, Director of Customer Care, 800.682.7391, ext. 7929, nhalle@aop.com

COLUMBIA, SC, Sept. 20 /Christian Wire Service/ -- In the wake of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast, Alpha Omega Publications (www.aop.com) has announced that it is committing over $1.2 million of its Switched-On Schoolhouse curriculum and 10 scholarships to the Alpha and Omega Academy to the relief of Katrina's victims and low income families.

As Beth Te Grotenhuis, CEO of Alpha Omega Publishers, explains: "We know that many homeschooling families had their curricula destroyed by the storm. With all of the worries those families must have, we want to make sure that replacing their curricula isn't one of them. We also hope that families displaced by the storm who have been considering homeschooling will take advantage of our offer of free Switched-On Schoolhouse to get started. Alpha Omega has long been committed to serving the homeschool community, and we are grateful that we have the ability to extend the hand of Christian brotherhood to families in need."

Exodus Mandate, a ministry committed to expanding Christian education, is assisting Alpha Omega in the distribution of homeschool curriculum to hurricane victims and low income families. E. Ray Moore Jr., founder of Exodus Mandate (www.exodusmandate.org), notes that "This is by far the single largest relief effort so far directed specifically at homeschool families, and I know that it will have a major impact. I am also particularly pleased that some of the Switched-On Schoolhouse curriculum is being earmarked for low income homeschool families. This is in every sense a very impressive effort by Alpha Omega."

The distribution of Alpha Omega's curricula and scholarships will be handled through existing homeschool organizations and church ministries. According to Bruce N. Shortt, Homeschooling Family-To-Family Coordinator for Exodus Mandate (www.homeschoolingfamilytofamily.org), "Our current distribution efforts are centered around the National Black Home Education Resource Association, Homeschool Legal Defense Association, the Southern Baptist Association of Christian Schools, Project Noah, Family Reformation Ministries, the Southern Baptist Church Home Education Association, and the South Texas Baptist Association. We hope other organizations that have identified families in need of homeschool curriculum will also contact AOP."

In addition to helping homeschooling families individually, Switched-On Schoolhouse will enable churches to create learning centers to help storm victims and other children within their communities. As Lonnie Morgan, AOP's Vice President of Sales, points out "Because Switched-On Schoolhouse doesn't require a faculty and allows students to progress at their own pace, it easy for churches to use Switched-On Schoolhouse to set up Christian learning centers in their existing Sunday school facilities to help educate displaced and other children. We hope that churches will take advantage of this opportunity."

Families who are victims of Hurricane Katrina and churches that are interested in receiving AOP's curriculum should contact one of the following organizations: National Black Home Educators Resource Association (Eric or Joyce Burges 225-933-2306 www.nbhera.org), Home School Legal Defense Association (Patty Taylor 540-338-5600 www.hslda.org), Southern Baptist Church Home Education Association (Elizabeth Watkins 972-213-5460 www.sbchea.org), Southern Baptist Association of Christian Schools (Ed Gamble 407-808-9100 www.sbacs.org), Project Noah (Lisa Guidry 281-225-4561 www.projectnoah.org), Family Reformation Ministries (James McDonald www.booksonthepath.com), and the South Texas Baptist Association (Lynn Snider 281-415-1960 www.stba.org). Low income families wishing to participate should contact Homeschool Foundation (Patty Taylor 540-338-5600) or Noah Project (Lisa Guidry 281-225-4561).

Switched-On Schoolhouse is a comprehensive, interactive, multi-media computer and internet based curriculum for grades 3-12. Alpha Omega Academy is a fully accredited online academy that combines Switched-On Schoolhouse with many services, including record keeping and phone, e-mail, and instant messaging-based tutorial assistance from Alpha Omega Academy's teaching faculty.

Exodus Mandate, a Columbia, South Carolina-based ministry, sponsors Homeschooling Family-To-Family (www.homeschoolingfamilytofamily.org), which seeks to grow homeschooling by enlisting experienced Christian homeschoolers as "homeschool evangelists."