It has become one of the largest Protestant school systems in the world. Our sacrificial giving of the tithe and other offerings, which has long ranked us as one of the most generous denominations, has carried over to the schools. Even congregations with just a handful of students consider Bible-based education important enough to operate a school. In fact, two-thirds of the 1,113 Adventist elementary schools in North America have just one or two teachers. From St. John's, Newfoundland, to Nome, Alaska, from Key West, Florida, to Calexico, California, Adventist schools are educating young people for a life of faith and service.
Parochial schools contribute significantly to academic excellence in the United States and Canada.
And they nurture the continuation of values and religion which have been part of the North American tradition for nearly four centuries. But Seventh-day Adventist homes, churches, and school benefit our American nations in yet another powerful way. In a fragmented world, we serve society by raising our children in a healthy, cooperative community. Where home, church and school work together to provide a consistent voice, children can grow into balanced, mature adults able to love God and care about others. Their religion is not just words and talk.