We always talk about our staff empowering our students. France Lourne’s story flips the narrative: at its core, it’s a story of our students empowering our staff.

Our 2nd Grade Teacher was out sick for the day and our 2nd Grade students were unhappy with their substitute because they felt she wasn’t giving them the opportunities they needed to learn. Unprompted, they banded together and met with our principal to request a different substitute.

Enter France Lourne, our Kindergarten 2 Class Assistant.

After being asked to step into the vacant substitute teacher role, she displayed incredible potential as an up-and-coming leader in our organization. In the upcoming school year, she is taking on more responsibility as our First Grade teacher, and we’re already dreaming about the ways she’s going to be a leader among our staff in the future. Because a group of 2nd Grade students took action and empowered her, France Lourne is flourishing as a teacher and leader as she finds her place in God’s story.