Staff Reports
Peacemakers of Rocky Mount is doing the simple things that actually help kids: teach them to read, give them a safe place after school, and remind them who made them. The new CBN profile of the ministry highlights Southside Academy and the Level‑Up summer program. It’s a reminder that faith‑based groups can solve real problems when government programs too often talk and shuffle paper.
Peacemakers of Rocky Mount: Southside Academy and Level‑Up
Executive Director Jesse Lewis runs Peacemakers and says the group believes every child is made in God’s image and deserves a chance. That shows up in two programs the CBN piece focused on: Southside Academy, a private Christian classical school, and Level‑Up, a six‑week summer enrichment program. Peacemakers reports Level‑Up served about 160 children this past summer and runs a free after‑school program for roughly 60 students. Those are real numbers for a community program, not just feel‑good press releases.
Reading Gains and the Need for Honest Metrics
The organization says its summer pre/post testing shows reading scores rising each summer. That matters. Kids lose ground over the summer, and if a program can reverse that, it deserves praise. Still, smart conservatives want both praise and proof. Funders and local schools should see the raw data or a third‑party review. If Peacemakers’ reading gains hold up, we should scale what works — not shout it down or wrap it in bureaucratic red tape.
Why Faith‑Centered Programs Work
Faith here isn’t decoration. Head of School Breona Walker and parents told CBN that students who barely spoke gained confidence and now lead in class. Kids quoted the motto, “I can do all things through Christ.” Character, discipline, and hope matter to learning. Left‑leaning education fads love to erase religion from the equation while pretending moral formation happens on a flow chart. It doesn’t. Stable homes, mentorship, and a moral compass make schools more effective, and groups like Peacemakers provide that in plain sight.
What Should Happen Next
Local leaders and donors should double down on what works. That means more funding tied to clear goals, independent outcome checks, and partnerships with district schools so good work isn’t duplicated. For conservatives who believe in local control and private initiative, Peacemakers is a model worth copying. If government wants to help, it should get out of the way and fund results — not slogans. Rocky Mount’s kids deserve both charity and accountability. Peacemakers is offering both, and that’s a rare, welcome combination.
