FREADom Nation 2025 Servant Leader Interns and Program Director

As students roll out their new backpacks and head back to class, one program stands out for forging meaningful relationships in education and faith. One + One, started under the legacy North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church, invites congregations to form direct partnerships with schools, each focused on investing in one student at a time. It’s a straightforward mission that is yielding profound results.

One of the most compelling expressions of this vision is FREADom Nation, a six-week literacy and enrichment pilot program hosted by Life Center UMC in DeSoto. Backed by First UMC Dallas and supported by One + One Dallas, the project served more than 40 rising kindergarten through fifth-grade scholars. Each day mixed reading with movement, art, science, music and cultural celebration.

Scholars explored 27 picture books centered on themes such as “Making a Difference in My Family,” “My Community” and “The World.” Their learning was sparked further by guest readers like Dallas Opera president Quincy Roberts, who offered a stirring operatic rendition of Go Down Moses, and actor Allyn Carrell, whose storytelling brought characters to life with warmth and theatrical flair.

Guests like civil engineer and author Courtney Kelly added dimension when she shared her book Celeste Saves the City and its infrastructure themes, inspiring young learners to see how cities function. The Perot Museum made a visit to the scholars with displays of animal skeletons and talks on sun safety, adding a hands-on science twist. In this literacy-focused program, curiosity was encouraged through hopscotch games, kindness tattoo stations and handwritten notes to beloved storybook characters that spoke directly to the children’s hearts.

The program’s impact reached far beyond academics. A student who had quietly observed at the start of the summer found the courage to join the choir, singing with confidence by the time of the closing celebration. Volunteers and staff put in long hours planning, leading and encouraging, driven by a shared commitment to children and community.

While FREADom Nation was conceived as a summer pilot, its lasting legacy is clear. Families are already expressing interest in extending gatherings during the school year. Scholars call themselves “Ambassadors,” and the bonds formed among youth, mentors, educators and families continue to grow.

As the school year begins, One + One offers a renewed vision for congregations across the Horizon Texas Conference. Be present, be relational, and let transformation unfold. When a church steps into the life of a child, everything changes.