Every student, every day
Legacy Theater Honored at the State Level for Community Engagement At Legacy, discipleship doesn’t stop at the classroom door —it extends into every part of student life, including the arts. This year, Legacy Theater was honored with the Spotlight Education 2025 Community Engagement Award for its ongoing partnership with the local nonprofit Stories Foundation, an organization fighting human trafficking by educating communities and empowering survivors. Through the partnership, theater students assembled care packages for women and children stepping out of trafficking, contributed to demolition and remodeling work at Storyteller Cafe in Blaine—where 100% of profits support survivors—and tithed 10% of proceeds from last year’s shows, totaling $4,081. For students, these projects were a way to put their faith into practice. “We were all working together for one cause,” says freshman Isaac Buchman ’29. Fellow student Mason Damm ’28 reflects, “High school students are the target when it comes to human trafficking, so it’s very important that we are gaining knowledge and wisdom on this local issue.” Opportunities like these move students beyond simply learning about faith—they become biblical practitioners, living out their training and values in ways that reveal Christ through how they serve and engage with the world.
From Essays to Impact Legacy’s biblically immersed curriculum is designed to shape students’ heads, hearts, and habits —not just their academic skills. A recent elementary project brought that vision to life in a powerful way. “Can you imagine not having clean water or food?” Ingrid Larson ’33 began her 4 th grade persuasive essay with that simple but compelling question. But the project wasn’t just about writing. As elementary principal Joel Nydam explains, “We knew that the project would resonate with students. The cool part was looking at how we could use assignments to maximize touching kids’ hearts—helping their minds change through an experience rather than just completing a project.” Students were first asked to imagine spending $500 on themselves—an exercise that revealed how easy it is to focus inward. They dug through online shopping catalogs and focused on staying on budget. Then they were challenged to consider how they might give that same amount to others through Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Catalog gifts such as providing clean water, feeding a baby, or sending baby chicks to a family in need. The biggest surprise came when Joel Nydam and Jake Mulvihill arrived at the fourth grade classes with two real $500 checks, one for each 4 th grade class. A student’s essay was drawn at random, and their suggested gifts for Samaritan’s Purse became a reality. Reflecting on the outcome, Joel Nydam said, “Students realized that while spending on themselves was fun, the greatest impact came from giving to others. Putting themselves in another’s shoes helped them see how God has blessed them—and how they can give back.”
As Christians, Jesus wants us to treat others like we would want to be treated. I feel like this experience helped me think more about others than myself. In the Bible Jesus talks about not being selfish but to give to others .
BROOKE HANSON ’33
8 | LIONS SHARE 2024-2025
LIONS SHARE 2024-2025 | 9
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