Ike Klavenga, long-time supporter of Unity Christian School and Christian education, left a legacy in the form of a gift that will continue to give to many area families.  At the age of 97, Ike passed away in November of 2005 blessing Unity Christian School with a sizeable donation.

Ike was one of eight children, all raised in the area.  He was widowed twice but never had children, except those who were at Unity.  "He wasn't a penny pincher," Henry, Ike's brother said.  "He always had a job... worked hard, had no complaints, and never liked a lot of fanfare.  I think he made wise decisions at opportune times."

Coming to the Lord late in life, Ike was in this 80's when he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  Anyone who knew Ike would testify to his gentle character and generous heart.  On more than one occasion Ike had blessed Unity Christian with monetary gifts.

A gardener at heart, Ike's gift will be "seed money" for many new families to invest themselves in Christian education.  "This is another example of someone who had a vision of Christian education and kept the school in mind as he planned how to put .. earthly blessings to work long after he passed in eternity," said Foundation President, Dee Willoughby.

Unity Christian School has decided to offer these funds to new families in the fall of 2007, with a continued blessing to these folks for the next two years as well.  Due to Ike's generosity, scholarships are available to those who:

• Have the Bible open in their home
• Are active in their church
• And are now looking for education to be taught with a Christian perspective

The tuition schedule for the next 4 years is as follows:

Who is Eligible:

1. Any new family attending Unity in the fall that wants Christ-centered education.
2. There is no determination of need. All new families will have to go through the same application process currently employed by Unity.  The Bible must be open in the home, the family must be active in their church, and looking for Christ-centered education.

Current Tuition Schedule for Comparison Purposes:

Term of Effort
This program will be available to all new families beginning the fall of 2007 and will run for the next three school years, at which time they will pay the prevailing rate the school charges.  This allows them the time to discern the value, re-orient their lifestyle to afford Christ-centered education, save for the future costs of the education, and become immersed in what Unity is for students and families.

Who the Funds are Paid To
The new families pay at the rate of the new schedule.  The funds from Ike Klavenga's account in the Foundation are then paid to Unity, at the time tuition is due, to make up the difference from the regular tuition schedule.  Therefore, Unity receives the full tuition rate for new families due to Ike's generosity and investment in Unity's future.

How can I learn more and start the process of being a part of this blessings from Ike Klavenga?
Contact Unity Christian School's Admission Office at our elementary facility - 1000 11th Avenue, Fulton,  between 9 and 3 (Mon. thru Fri.) at (815) 589-4196.