FRANKFORT — The Crossing’s 2026 banquet filled the Premier Crop Insurance building at the Clinton County Fairgrounds on the eve of Veterans Day, as current students, graduates and staff told supporters how the faith-based school changed the trajectory of their lives.
Themed “Deeply Rooted, Boldly Rising,” Tuesday evening’s event served as a major fundraiser for the Frankfort campus of The Crossing, an accredited, faith-based high school for students who need a different fit than a traditional school setting. The evening’s first-ever silent auction raised $2,390 for the school, and organizers closed the program with a live auction for a donated room painting by Leo, which went to John Noel for $275 to be used for the renovation of the Old Post Office/Police Station at Columbia and Washington Street.
The emcee, Shan Sheridan, kept the focus on the people the school serves — and on the staff he said make the difference.
Students credit teachers with turnaround
Two seniors, Anthony and Ariana, shared their journeys with the audience.
“Before The Crossing, I was a very troubled kid. I had really bad anger issues. I made the wrong choices with the wrong people,” Anthony said. “That ended me up in juvenile for two years… they recommended me to The Crossing, which is where I met some very special people who have very much changed my life for the better.”
Anthony, who is on track to graduate early in December, said he hopes to earn his real estate license in the next three to four years.
Ariana, a senior in her fourth year at the school who previously was homeschooled, plans to attend college to become a surgical technician.
“Before The Crossing, I really had no intent of even graduating or doing anything with my future,” Ariana said. “The Crossing really did change my life. It showed me that I am valued and I do have a purpose.”
From dropout risk to diploma
Graduate Kylie Dunn, now 21, told the crowd she entered The Crossing during a difficult season, struggling with her mental health and intending to drop out.
“At 16, I was ready to give up all my education,” Dunn said. “Today, at 21, I have my diploma, I’m married, and most importantly, I know my Savior.”
Dunn said a class called ‘God Talk’ — which she joined intending to debate the teacher — became her breakthrough, as the kindness and patience she encountered pointed her toward faith.
A teacher who once sat in their seats
Career pathway instructor Kori Sharp is a former Crossing student herself. After graduating, she said, she spiraled into addiction and homelessness — and when she hit rock bottom, the person she called was her former Crossing teacher/site director, Marissa Mills, whose phone number she still knew by heart after seven years.
“Seeds were planted in me during my time at The Crossing,” Sharp said. “We may not see the roots growing in our students right away, but we can trust that if we planted seeds, God is going to nurture those seeds in his timing.” Sharp has been fully clean since August 2020, married in 2021, and is now in college studying to become a therapist.
Keynote: staff stories set school apart
Keynote speaker Chase Lay, a former Crossing site director who now works in the alternative school at Lafayette Jefferson and pastors Souls Harbor Baptist Church, said The Crossing’s staff can share their own stories of overcoming — something he said public school settings rarely allow.
“Those staff members have their battles, they have their problems, but yet they point to Christ and point to each kid’s potential,” Lay said. “And that, my friends, is the miracle of The Crossing.”
Veterans honored, donors thanked
Falling on the eve of Veterans Day, the program opened with a recognition of veterans in the room and a pledge of allegiance led by student Gabriel Pearson. Silent auction donors recognized by Tasha Day included Simply K Salon, Angry Donkey, Bittersweet Nursery, Barrett Farms, Zachary Confections, Encompass Credit Union, Zonta, Hallelujah Way and others. The meal was provided by the Angry Donkey staff, with a special thank-you to Kelty and the kitchen staff.
A special standing ovation tribute was given to Eric Spencer who worked years ago with the Clinton County Corrections department and brought The Crossing School movement to Clinton County. Without Spencer’s vision and initiative, there “would be no Crossing School here” said Sheridan.
Giving with tax credits
Tracey Emerson, director of marketing for The Crossing’s statewide organization, closed the program with a giving presentation highlighting the Indiana State SGO program’s 50% state income tax credit and a new Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit available starting in tax year 2027 — a dollar-for-dollar federal credit of up to $1,700 for individual filers and $3,400 for joint filers.
“Your $800 gift can be a $5,000 blessing to our students,” Emerson said, describing a dual-credit strategy for joint filers. She encouraged donors to consult their tax professionals, noting individual situations vary.
The gathering was challenged by testimonies and stories from growth experiences to help The Crossing create deep roots for the students so they can boldly rise and serve the community.
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