Each year, the students of Peace Lutheran School, Shelby Township participate in a Knowledge Fair. Over the past six-plus years of this tradition, the focus has been on social studies, science, and reading. Last June, the faculty decided on an economic theme for this year’s fair. After learning more about the Hearts for Jesus mission for the year, it was realized that the Knowledge Fair and Hearts for Jesus’ A BAN (A Ban Against Neglect, a Wheat Ridge Ministries initiative) could go hand-in-hand quite easily.
Students were challenged to create a product out of mostly recycled items that could be sold at our Knowledge Fair. The products were created and the students learned firsthand the basic ideas of economics. To help keep costs down, families were asked for items they had around the house that could be recycled into new 
products. Old jeans, old T-shirts, milk jugs, water bottles, grocery bags, and even dryer lint were collected! The students were so motivated and excited to make their products! They were very proud to put them on sale for their families and friends to purchase. Products included items like a grocery bag jump rope, denim purses, T-shirt bags, pet toys, garden decorations, pencil holders, guitar picks, piggy banks, and pet clouds.
The night of the Knowledge Fair, Peace’s Mission Mall was open for business with items priced in Mission Dollars, equivalent to 25 cents up to a dollar. The Mall was bustling with business and, in about 45 minutes, most of our stores were sold out of goods so some students took orders for their products.
At closing time, $1,100 had been collected to support the Hearts for Jesus – A BAN mission. It was amazing to see how families and friends came to support not only our students, but greater yet the mission of helping our brothers and sisters in Christ in Ghana, half-way across the world! Glory to God.
