Volunteers help renovate Sandpoint Junior Academy

Sandpoint Junior Academy received a major facelift this June, thanks to a team of volunteers from across the country and the generosity of the local community.

From June 6 through 18, 25 volunteers with Maranatha Volunteers International rolled up their sleeves at the school, joined by many more volunteers from the Sandpoint Seventh-day Adventist Church and the local community, to make numerous improvements at the school.

Maranatha is a nonprofit organization that works in conjunction with the Seventh-day Adventist Church to provide strong, dignified structures for worship and education. Founded in 1969, the organization has mobilized nearly 70,000 volunteers over its history, building and renovating churches, schools and other urgently needed structures around the world, including North America.

Over the two-week project, volunteers gutted and completely remodeled the girls' bathroom, replaced windows, removed and repaired a wall, painted throughout the school, and completed a long list of smaller repairs that had been waiting for attention. The result is a refreshed, welcoming campus ready for students this fall, academy officials said. 

"It was great to have everyone working together — volunteers from across the country alongside church members and Sandpoint neighbors," said Jon Yarlott, project director for Maranatha Volunteers International. "Projects like this are about more than buildings. They're about people coming together to invest in kids."

Local businesses stepped up in a big way as well, Sandpoint Junior Academy officials said. The school extends special thanks to Prock's Paint Bucket for being an outstanding neighbor, providing deeply discounted paint and supplies that made the extensive painting project possible. Thank you to everyone who participated.

Sandpoint Junior Academy is a fully accredited, Christ-centered Christian school serving students in grades 1–8. The school's mission is to train children to be leaders in the classroom, at home and in the community. In addition to strong academics, students enjoy professional art and music instruction and a popular ski program that takes advantage of everything North Idaho has to offer. The school welcomes students from all denominational backgrounds.

Call 208-263-3584 or visit sjasda.org to learn more.