Gwen Marinaro, executive director with Manheim Township Bible2School, is pleased with the fall enrollment in the Bible study program that currently serves Bucher, Neff, Nitrauer, Reidenbaugh, and Schaeffer elementary schools. "As of now, we have 171 students," said a smiling Marinaro in mid-October. "I think this is the most we have had this early on, and it's exciting."

Bible2School is a released time program offering free elective Bible instruction to Manheim Township School District public school attendees in second, third, and fourth grades. Participants may walk or are bused to a church or other location near the school. During the 55-minute weekly program, trained volunteers teach lessons from the Bible and discuss how principles from those lessons can apply to the students' own lives.

According to Marinaro, the program is offered to children in all three grades at Bucher, Neff, Nitrauer, and Schaeffer. Currently, the Reidenbaugh program is offered to second- and third-grade students, but Marinaro hopes to add fourth grade next year. This year's classes began on Sept. 19, and they will end during the third week of April 2023. Because the program uses an open enrollment system, students may enroll at any time.

Marinaro explained that the Bible2School program divides the curriculum according to grade level. "Second grade focuses on the Old Testament, and then third grade (studies the) New Testament, and fourth grade (learns) discipleship," she said. Each session includes several essential parts. "Once we get to the church, we sit down, and we open up with prayer," said Marinaro, who noted that children will bring their own lunches or a brown bag lunch packed by the school. The students eat their lunches while a teacher engages them in the main lesson before the students break into small groups. "(During) small group time, they dig deeper into the lesson, and sometimes there's a craft," said Marinaro, who noted that small group teachers generally end the session with prayer before the entire group closes with a worship song.

Marinaro noted that Bible2School released time programs often begin at a particular school at the request of parents. She was involved in starting the program at Neff Elementary. She added that pastor Tucker York of Westminster Presbyterian Church was involved with some of the other Manheim Township schools and with bringing a board to the area. "Manheim Township Bible2School, as of April, is its own entity," she said, noting that the program is a member of Bible2School, which began several years ago in Manheim. "We have access to their training and all their materials," she said.

Manheim Township Bible2School is in need of volunteers who are trained to serve two hours one day a week during the school year. Area residents who would like to help may call 717-615-3186 or email marinarogwen@gmail.com. Students who wish to take part in the Bible2School program in Manheim Township may enroll at https://manheimtownship-pa.bible2school.com.