Lifelong learning is all well and good, but we don't get a second chance at a formal, scholastic education. When something is that important, it's nice to have choices.

Founded in 1996 and located at 26 Hillcrest Ave., Leola, Veritas Academy is one of about 190 private schools serving more than 14,000 students in Lancaster County. Veritas Academy is a faith-based, nondenominational private school.

Veritas Academy is a member of the Association of Classical Christian Schools. A Classical Christian education emphasizes biblical teachings and relies heavily on a teaching model that includes rhetoric, logic and grammar. In Latin, veritas means truth.

"Veritas Academy does one thing: We provide a Classical Christian education that encourages young men and women to put trust in Jesus," said Ty Fischer, who's been Veritas Academy's head of school for 28 years. "It doesn't work for all students, but we try to make it work for as many students as we can. We try to do one thing really, really well."

"We want to provide a very broad education, and God is folded into everything we do," continued Fischer. "What I tell parents is that we're in a marathon, not a sprint. God's calling us to trust Him. We really invest a lot in those younger years. We want to polish (students) so they're ready to take the next step. We want them to follow Jesus with their whole hearts."

Veritas Academy's 2024-25 school year will begin Tuesday, Sept. 3, and enrollment numbers about 400 students in preschool through 12th grade. Members of the student body represent 14 countries and 70 churches.

"The majority of our students are coming from families where our educational vision resonates," said Fischer. "We draw from families who are mainly conservative, Christian, Bible-loving people who value the outcomes we produce. They want their children to be well prepared. We're getting outcomes that are meaningful, different and distinct. We want to make extremely competent young men and women."

Veritas Academy employs 40 individuals, about 28 of whom work as teachers and aides. The average size of a Veritas Academy class is about 17 students, and about 90% of the school's students go on to some form of higher education.

Veritas Academy offers scholarships and financial aid to offset the cost of tuition, programs that serve about half of the school's families.

"It's grown from multiple grades in a classroom," said Fischer. "The way that (the school) looks today is different, but there are some things I don't want to evolve. The things we are doing in the classroom today are fundamentally the same."

For additional information about Veritas Academy, go to http://www.veritasacademy.com.