Each child is unique even when it comes to learning.

Some will thrive in large classroom environments, while others will find success in an alternative setting.

Long time educator Emily Williams is well aware of the differences in how children learn and develop and in August opened Micah’s Mission, a school where children learn how to incorporate life skills along with education.

The school has now become one of Crawford Street United Methodist Church’s mission projects.

“CSUMC Michah’s Mission is a school where we are learning full circle. We are not only learning academics, but we are also learning daily living skills and social skills and how to take those across different settings such as going into the community and giving back,” Williams said.

“I like the way we get to work and have gym everyday and how the teacher says ‘good morning’ and has a smile on her face,” 13-year-old Micah’s Mission student Corban Walker said.

The school, Williams said, is geared for children in kindergarten through 12th grade and includes students with and without special needs.

Originally the school was housed in Williams’ home, before becoming a mission project supported by CSUMC and in October it moved to the upper level of the church’s Memorial Hall.

In addition to being faith based and offering multicultural educational opportunities, the school is also designed for those parents who have enjoyed a homeschooled atmosphere for their children, but may now want a certified teacher to educate.

“We are here to help give that guidance. This is just a place where if parents need help with a subject, their children can come here,” Williams said, adding, “I have some students that come everyday because their parents are on an everyday work schedule, but I also have some that only come three days a week. They do work at home and then they come in and if they need help with what they worked on at home then I help reteach it,” Williams said.

CSUMC Micah’s Mission offers students two graduation tracts, Williams said.

“We have the certificate route with the option of students feeding into the Jacob’s Ladder Learning Center as well as students becoming college and career ready.”

Currently the school has 11 students and each day begins with the students fixing breakfast, which serves as their home economics studies, Williams said.

A devotion time is held after breakfast and currently the students are delving into the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer.

Each student’s independent studies follow.

Williams said the school uses the Time4Learning curriculum, which is what the Mississippi Department of Education recommends.

“This is a homeschooled program where children can work at their own pace and it can also be used for those who need extra tutorial time to help bridge the gap in educational performance, if there is a gap,” she said.

For lunch the children bring sack lunches and a time for physical activity and socialization is held in the afternoon.

For 11-year-old Wil Wooten this is important.

“I like seeing Chris (Wooten’s friend at school) because he makes me happy,” Wooten said.

Williams said the name of the school was derived from Micah 6:8 in the Bible.

“I had been praying for many years of where God wanted me and this verse just kind of came up. The verse says ‘Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God’ and it just kind of hit me that was the type of mission I was looking for,” she said.

For more information about Micah’s Mission, call 601-636-5612 or visit crawfordstreetumc.org/ministries/micahs-mission.