WINONA LAKE - This semester, 26 mentors from The National Institute, Grace College's Youth Ministry program through CE National, have been meeting weekly with Warsaw-area elementary and middle school students through The Salvation Army's Excel Program.
This pilot program has been such a success, and teachers are commenting about how well the Excel students are doing in their school work. Eric Wagoner, director of youth ministry & Christian outreach for the Warsaw Salvation Army, is encouraged and plans to continue this partnership.
Wagoner was a banker in Warsaw, but he eventually felt called to full-time youth ministry. He began taking TNI classes to finish his college degree and started working for the Salvation Army in town. Wagoner approached Director of The National Institute Timothy Kurtaneck about beginning a tutoring program to help the young students, knowing that each TNI youth ministry class has a hands-on component. Kurtaneck worked with Wagoner to include the tutoring program in the Contemporary Issues spring semester course.
