Living Biblically Impacts Our Caring Community

Our caring community grows and nurtures students as mentors from their elementary school years; as they learn to live biblically, they learn to pay it forward.

It begins with prayer partners in the lower school, where PK4 students are assigned fourth grade prayer partners, kindergarteners matched with second graders and first with third. Lower school Bible teacher Ashley Corbin says, “We purposefully have a few years in age difference as this is also used as a Christian mentor program in which students forge genuine friendships.”

Mrs. Corbin explains, “As you move to a new grade, you are assigned a new prayer partner. As a result, you may have multiple students on campus who you know and pray for. This helps bring the classes closer, and it grows our community.”

As prayer partners, “students learn how powerful prayer is and how comforting it is to know someone is praying for you,” Mrs. Corbin continues. This program “takes the focus off of self,” teaching students to think about others and grow in compassion. “When our prayer partner shares a prayer request, we bring it to God. What a great way to show our love for one another and practice living biblically.” Mrs. Corbin summarizes, “Praying draws us closer to God, which is what we want for all of our students!” 

The caring community and impact of biblical teaching extend beyond the walls of SBS. Alumna Hailie Durrett ‘09 remembers her prayer partner fondly and still stays in touch. She says, “The prayer partner program at SBS is one of my favorite traditions. Meeting Jodi Hatton Causey ‘06 when I was a first grader had a lasting impact on me.” She continues, “Into adulthood, Jodi has remained a trusted friend and mentor. I've loved celebrating major life milestones together, and I am forever grateful for her and the role she plays in my life and family.” 

Jodi, too, remembers the experience fondly, saying, “As a fourth grader, I remember loving that I was able to mentor a first grader and share in such a special experience of praying together. It gave me a sense of biblical responsibility at a young age and helped foster the idea of having and being a mentor. This is what it means to live biblically.” She adds, “Hailie and I still have a very special bond that started all those years ago. The Lord knew what He was doing when He put us together!”

Current SBS senior Lainey Sims reflects on her experience saying, “I’ve seen prayer partners grow into long-lasting, life-giving friendships. I am still close with my prayer partner I was assigned to in fourth grade, and it’s been such a fruitful experience to watch her grow up and get to know her throughout the years!” She ends her thoughts by conveying genuine appreciation for the SBS difference. “I am so grateful to have spent all these years at SBS learning to live biblically, building a strong foundation of faith that I know will keep me grounded in truth even as I leave next year.”

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