Friendship On The Field

Field Day is a beloved tradition at Redeemer School — students look forward to the day’s colorful outfits, team cheers, crazy games, popsicles, and pie-in-the-face all year long. But for those who are watching closely, something even more important is going on as students enjoy this morning:

All across the field in the shadows of all the fun and chaos was evidence of how much loving God and loving others is emphasized … I watched countless middle schoolers guide and comfort the younger kids. Every age of boy and girl encouraging each other, even if they’d never met until this week. Older kids giving up their places or turns in a game so a younger one could try again. Even middle school boys stopping their own fun to sit with small ones who were sad they got out of a game early. I am so thankful for this amazing school family and its loving intentional environment. Today took it to another level in my mind.

Redeemer School parent Leanne Groach

At the beginning of the school year, our middle school students were challenged to pursue Holy Friendships — the kind of relationships that challenge us to be who God created us to be and encourage us along that path. Throughout the year, students have been encouraged and supported to flourish by living in agreement with their identity in Christ, and as we look back on the school year, the impact of our middle school students’ leadership is evident.

It’s a gift to witness our older students mentor and guide their younger friends in a multitude of ways — sharing friendly greetings during drop-off and safety patrol, building friendship throughout the year as Reading Buddies, helping to coach intramural elementary sports, serving as playground clean-up crew at the end of the day, and simply noticing their young friends at school. You can see the confidence boost on our younger students’ faces when an older friend knows them by name!

By the end of the school year, our students have not only become friends, they have become an intentional community of image-bearers. Check out the gallery below of photos from Field Day!

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

jeremiah 29:11