Dr. Ben Merkle, President of New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, ID, spoke with Veritas juniors and seniors last year about the value of a college education...or, perhaps more accurately, the (often) lack of real value in today's typical college education.

His talk will give parents and students a new perspective on college, helping you rethink your reasons for investing in higher education and pulling back the curtain on what truly makes for a worthwhile college investment (according to employers).

This season of Cultivate is sponsored by Hershey Financial Advisers, a wealth management firm located at North Pointe Blvd in Lancaster, leading people to make better financial decisions, and empowering them to fulfill a vision beyond themselves.

It's one of the most essential, basic skills imparted in education - that is, the skill of reading. And when that skill is unlocked in a child, their world opens up, and their education expands with greater joy and success.

Kindergarten is where that happens for most kids, and while it is such a basic and crucial part of education, different methods for teaching kids to read have been championed over the years, often with mixed results.

The one method that has been tried and true for centuries – and, as you will learn in this podcast is scientifically proven to be effective for learning our language – is phonics.

In this episode, you'll hear from one of our kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Laurie Conrad, who has not only taught kindergarten for decades, but also earned her master's in education degree in reading and holds a PA Reading Specialist certificate.

If you have young children in preschool, kindergarten, or early elementary school, Mrs. Conrad's stories from the classroom and experience of how phonics works so well in growing kids' ability and confidence in reading will be enlightening and inspiring!

This season of Cultivate has been sponsored by Hershey Financial Advisers, a wealth management firm located on North Pointe Blvd. in Lancaster, PA, leading people to make better financial decision and empowering them to fulfill a vision beyond themselves.

In our last episode on Logic, you may remember our guests defining Logic as "the art and science of reasoning well." In this episode, we're continuing that trend and talking about, well, art and science!

At Veritas, one of our science teachers has a unique background and set of skills that, at first glance, may seem like it doesn't all match up. Amanda Crooks teaches biology, anatomy and physiology, and earth science...and also served as an art teacher for many years.

Science and art - two disciplines that aren't too often discussed together - merge beautifully in Amanda's classrooms. In this episode, Mr. Fischer talks with her about how her perspective on both of these fields helps her students see God's glory and enjoy learning in a whole new way.

Hear about:

• The shared elements of beauty, observation, and creativity in both fields art and science.
• Unique classroom activities that naturally bridge artistic flair and scientific discovery together.
• The joys of integrating faith with art and science education, encouraging curiosity and critical thinking among students while grounding them in Biblical truth.
• The importance of preparing students for the world beyond school by instilling virtue and fostering a holistic appreciation of God's creation through.

This season of Cultivate is sponsored by Hershey Financial Advisers, a wealth management firm located on North Pointe Blvd in Lancaster, leading people to make better financial decisions, and empowering them to fulfill a vision beyond themselves.