Since 2002, The Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative, Inc. (LUMIN) and its eight participating schools have provided faith-based instruction to thousands of students in grades K4 through 8th in Milwaukee’s low-income communities, many of whom cope with emotional trauma and mental health issues.
Through collaborations initiated by LUMIN vice president Caroline Horn with several local universities, including Concordia University Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, LUMIN schools have helped many students remove educational barriers.
Graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in social work and counseling programs offer free one-on-one and group counseling sessions to LUMIN students. These sessions help lead to higher grades, increased emotional well-being, and fewer behavioral problems in the classroom.
“As a result of these collaborations, our community’s next generation of social workers and counselors hone their skills in a real-world setting while providing services to children who would likely not have access to these services elsewhere,” said Rebecca Ehlers, LUMIN vice president of marketing and communications.
