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Wonder Academy, a ministry of Water Street Mission, provides
early childhood education for lower-income families in Lancaster
County through its Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs.
WONDER ACADEMY STUDENTS RECEIVE:
Individualized learning in small classroom settings
Instruction in numbers readiness, language, and more
A strong spiritual foundation
Intentional family partnerships that support long-term success
In the Fall of 2025, Wonder Academy welcomed 38 PreKindergarten students and 20 Kindergarteners.
DID YOU KNOW?
Over half of our Wonder Academy students are from families of resettled immigrants from countries like...
After 30 years of moving between locations and operating in shared spaces, Wonder Academy finally found a permanent home at the start of this school year in the former St. Joseph’ s School building.
With the help of incredible community partners, the historic 1800s building has been transformed into a bright, welcoming environment where children can learn and thrive.
One father with two children enrolled in the program had always kept his distance, and staff rarely saw him smile. But when he dropped off his children at the new building for the first time, he walked in beaming — amazed by the space and deeply grateful for the opportunity it created for his family.
Each school year, Wonder Academy chooses a fun, relatable theme to help students grow and engage with what they ’ re learning. This year ’ s theme, “Jesus is Our
Superhero, ” focused on character development and encouraged traits like honesty, kindness, and helpfulness.
Throughout the year, students learned about heroes from the Bible, comic books, and even everyday community heroes like police officers and firefighters.
Along the way, staff saw students encouraging one another, practicing kindness in the classroom, and taking pride in making “ superhero choices” both at school and at home.
OS O
At Water Street Mission, we believe those who experience
restoration can go on to restore others. That belief extends to our
Wonder Academy students, because we know no one is too
young to be part of God’ s mission of restoration.
By supporting Wonder Academy, you ’ re doing more than
providing children from low-income families access to a high-
quality Christian education — you ’ re investing in future restorers.
Recently, a former Wonder Academy student returned for a visit
during Teacher Appreciation Week. Now in 7th grade, she shared how grateful she still is for her time at Wonder Academy and the lasting impact her teachers had on her life. Even years
later, it’ s clear how much the school shaped her.
Your contribution through Pennsylvania’ s EITC program allows children to learn, grow, build relationships, and experience the love of Christ in a safe and nurturing environment, laying foundations that can shape their lives for years to come.
As our students are learning this year, heroes come in many forms … thank YOU for being one of them.
During the 2025-2026 school year, over 25 EITC partners helped make Wonder Academy possible for students and families across Lancaster County. We are deeply grateful for your partnership.
