Today we’d like to introduce you to Legacy Foundation
Hi Legacy , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
During the 2020 pandemic schools closed all over the country. Teachers and students were sent home with laptops for the remainder of the year. While this learning method worked for some there were parents and students left at a loss for what to do to help their children. That is when Jeremy and Jackie reached out their friend and neighbor, Holly who was a teacher and homeschool educator and asked if she would be willing to have their daughter come over for help with her online lessons.
The Legacy program was born around a kitchen table with three kids schooling together with a teacher who was missing her students and her classroom. This small group of three quickly grew to 5, then 7… then as restrictions began slowly lifting they rented a room to continue teaching in a manner that worked for the children. Instead of education being a one size fits all model, Holly catered lessons to individual students and they learned together in a supportive and collaborative environment.
Holly decided to open Legacy High School the following year to provide academic support to young students entering adulthood. To set aside time in a student’s school day to learn life skills like banking, basic mechanics, interview and resume writing, her passion for preparing students not just for a test but for life became her mission.
The following year Jeremy and Jackie joined forces with Holly to expand the Legacy program. Local families were looking for a place where their students wouldn’t fall through the cracks and Legacy was the answer. Legacy has continued to expand each year and today the Legacy programs include a nonprofit foundation, Legacy Foundation, a K-12 school, Legacy Education, and an educational farm, Legacy Farms of Central Florida.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. There isn’t a “how to” model for our type of program.
The Legacy programs meet the needs of learners from diverse backgrounds all with varying academic needs and being able to provide assistance for students in need of scholarships while not accepting government funding so that parents and teachers can work together to make educational decisions for their students instead of politicians isn’t for the faint of heart. Our staff and some of our parents work together with community sponsors to help meet the needs of our students. We have been lucky to have received tremendous support from local charities and Lowes Home Improvement of Mt. Dora.
Our educational farm has been the most amazing addition to the Legacy program, providing a place for students to get out of the classroom and learn in nature. The farm allows students to have hands on experiences and provides real world applications to the things they are learning in the classroom. Taking 40-60 students each week to 10 acre that is without power and was initially without running water has had its challenges. Each week we load into our 15 passenger van and drive 25 minutes into a rural area to savor a glimpse of what it was like in old Florida, it’s like going back in time, but right in the middle of modern day development. With the challenges this population boom has caused it has also allowed our students the opportunity to study the affects of infrastructure on native plants and animals. They study the water patterns and animal movement. They are learning environmental stewardship and how to take care of the nature we do have left her in Central Florida.
Our goal is to continue to preserve this program and this experience for our students now and in the future.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
While Legacy is most well known for our K-12 program, it is our 10 acre farm, Legacy Farms of Central Florida, that sets us apart. Just a quick trip from our school campus Legacy Farms provides wilderness classes 4 days per week for not only Legacy students but other community groups. We offer field trips, camps, and corporate events as well.
As population booms in the Central Florida area green spaces are getting less and less. People are spending less and less time outside by providing a place for not only children but also adults to experience this untouched piece of native Florida is our greatest pleasure. Simple acts of climbing trees, learning in nature, spreading knowledge and awareness of wilderness and wildlife with the community has become a mission of the Legacy program.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
The COVID-19 Crisis exposed the cracks in the education system. We are still seeing the affects of the pandemic on the development of our students socially and academically, The online learning option put a strain on teachers, students, and parents alike. Not all students are able to be self taught and the online learning option at that time caused serious issues for a number of the students we continue to serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.legacyfoundation.gives
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legacyfoundation.gives
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/legacyfoundationinc/
