“The task of a modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts.” – C.S. Lewis could not have said it better. The American educational landscape has become a desert, failing to nurture the minds and hearts of the young learner. The National Report card reports a long-term trend in declining scores across five selected percentiles in math and reading. The National Assessment for Educational Progress also reports, “In 2023, fourteen percent of students reported reading for fun almost every day. This percentage was three percentage points lower than 2020 and 13 percentage points lower than 2012.” There is a significant decline in academic achievement and also in the love of learning. Neither outcome is desired. .