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Outreach
Prep For Life on Pornography
January 16th
I began planning my PFL right after Christmas break. Initially, the plan was to watch the movie Unplanned, which is about abortion, and have some discussion. Although the movie was extremely powerful, it just didn’t feel like the right fit. I ultimately chose a documentary I had been considering for my research: The Heart of the Matter. The Heart of the Matter is a Christian documentary about pornography. It follows the stories of several porn addicts and their spouses. Most of them were introduced at very young ages and didn’t feel they had anyone to talk to, so they got stuck. Many brought their addictions into their marriages, so their spouses were affected by this addiction.
Unfortunately, some of those marriages ended in divorce because the addicted spouse could not get the help they needed and didn’t have the desire to change. However, many others survived, and they are still navigating life's ups and downs together. We also heard several stories from women who struggled with pornography and the additional shame that goes along with that. Girls are often fed the narrative that pornography is only a man’s struggle, so they feel like they have to fight it alone. One thing I loved was how they emphasized the journey's power and beauty. As one couple discussed how mistakes were a necessary part of the process, the man described how he needed to change his perspective. He said, “When I went from that mentality to my ultimate goal, which is to be clean and free from this problem, and to do that, every time it happens, I'm going to be perfect about going back and working on it again.” This is so powerful because addicts often strive for behavior change or perfection, but what we really need is a heart and focus shift. We need to know what our ultimate goal is and why we want to do it; it can’t just be about not wanting to do something. Then I prepared group discussion questions and split people into groups of 5-6, separating them by gender. This took longer than I had anticipated, but I was pleasantly surprised. Most groups spent a lot of time unpacking the question and their own experiences. I loved this, and I actually hope this becomes a regular part of Grace Prep. We need to set aside time for students to just open up and share what they have or are going through. They need to be reminded that they are not alone and that they have people to turn to, both peers and adults. The students also need to be poured into about specific things in their lives so that they feel more seen and heard. After that, we went into personal reflection time. While some people sped right through this, many others didn’t finish and took their papers home. I also had some verse cards for everyone who wanted them, echoing the themes of confession, forgiveness, and community. To finish off, we did an anonymous poll about who had struggled with pornography. Before they broke into groups, all the students had to answer a yes-or-no question on a notecard. The question was, “Have you ever or are you currently struggling with pornography?” After they answered, they folded them and put them in a basket.
Then, after we all came back, I had people draw randomly from the basket and stand in a big circle. They were instructed to draw a card: if it was yes, stand up; if it was no, sit down. It was so surprising to see how many had struggled or were currently struggling with pornography. With the age group and statistics, it makes complete sense how many people there were. However, it is still surprising to see those numbers visually. After counting the cards, there were 33 yes’s and 21 no’s, so about half of the school has this struggle. Lastly, I gave a short conclusion and asked my dad to pray for us all. So many people came up to me and told me how much they appreciated this time, both students and teachers.
I really enjoyed planning and doing my PFL. My goal for this time was for the students to have their hearts touched, even a little. If it was someone who was struggling, I hope that even if they didn’t confess that day, a seed was planted that will prayerfully bear fruit in the future. For those who don’t struggle, I hope that they have a greater understanding and grace for those who do because they are probably close friends with someone who is. So, instead of judging, they can be there to help, understand, and support their friend. One thing I wish I had done differently was spending more time on group discussion. I was afraid of adding too much time to my PFL and having a lot of dead space, but we had the opposite. Despite this, I still really enjoyed it and learned a lot. Most of all, though, I pray that the students and even the teachers took something away that could help them and others.
Prep For Life Photos
Discussion & Reflection Questions
Verse Cards
Chapel with Smith Paul
February 2nd, 2026
On December 22, 2025, I met with Dannah Gresh to discuss the upcoming girls’ Bible class and the first-year seminar Sex Ed unit. In our meeting, I spoke about how I wanted someone to come in and speak with the students about sexual abuse and violence, but I didn’t know anyone who could do it. So, Dannah and I prayed that we could find someone who was suited for this. A few days later, Dannah called me and said that an alumnus named Smith Paul was interested in speaking at the school. He had just released a book about childhood sexual abuse, or CSA, and felt the Lord was leading him to share in front of others. So, we got connected and began coordinating and planning. It just so happened that the day he was scheduled to come in, February 2nd, was also the day that we would be talking about sexual abuse and violence in health class, so I thought it would be perfect for him to come in for that class as well. In his chapel, he spoke about his life journey as someone who endured CSA. Smith Paul grew up in Haiti, and around 6 or 7 years old, he began having sex, and his uncle also began forcing him to participate in sexual activities between him and another girl. He always thought this was weird, but whenever he was questioned about it, his friends would question why he wasn’t happy about it and tell him that it was a good thing. Smith also didn’t feel he could tell his dad about his uncle because his dad would reprimand him and not believe him. So, for a decade, he pushed it down and kept silent. Around 16, these things started to come back up in his life, but he still didn’t know what to do with them. So he would cope and act out in negative ways as a result of his unhealed trauma. It wasn’t until he was honest with himself and got the help he needed that he could truly move on. Smith also shared several statistics about sexual abuse, specifically for men. He shared how many survivors, male and female, actually do not report their abuse, so countless stories and stats are unknown. This is even more prevalent among males who feel they have to hold it together and can’t share. We concluded with a Q&A session in which teachers and students could ask him questions.
I really enjoyed Smith Paul’s chapel, and I hope everyone else did too. I loved how he spoke about men specifically, because their stories about sexual abuse often go unheard because of the shame they feel. Yes, women are sexually abused more often, and that is just as terrible. But men have a different type of shame they experience when they are abused that they don’t really know how to deal with as often. One thing he said that stuck out to me was that suffering in silence is not a sign of strength; it is a sign of weakness. Many men feel that they need to suffer alone and just get through it without help. They see opening up and being honest as a weakness. However, this often causes them to act out in other ways, such as addictions, anger issues, and acting out sexually. Smith Paul encouraged all the guys to get the help they needed to be the best versions of themselves. I think all boys and men need to hear this message because while it is true that they should be strong and grounded, they are still human. Even Jesus wept and was vulnerable, so how much more do we need that? I am so grateful to Paul for taking the time to speak with us. I took away so much from this chapel, and I hope he did as well.
Chapel Photos
Sex Ed Curriculum Integration
I was assigned this bubble to help integrate a sex ed unit into the freshman health class. In October, I began meeting with Tyler and Amy to begin planning for the class. We needed to find a Health Curriculum to provide a foundation and share with the students. Things really picked up in December and January as we began finalizing dates and speakers. We decided the Sex Ed would be in January and February, with classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. To kick off the year and the class, Dannah gave an amazing chapel about sex, Jesus, and how they connect. Then, she came into class on Monday and Wednesday to go more in-depth with the students about God’s design for sex, pornography, masturbation, and any other questions they had. Our classes so far have been about God’s design for sex, pornography and masturbation, reproductive anatomy, hormones, puberty, sexual abuse, digital safety, sexting, and pregnancy and abortion with Jenny Summers. We still have dating, sexual purity, and shame to talk about in the upcoming classes. I have loved talking with the students and seeing them learn about themselves and God’s design. They have been so open to receiving and have asked amazing questions. I hope they have so much information to take with them and have had good conversations with their parents as well.
We have not had a sex unit in years at the school, and it is so important for teens to learn about their bodies and sex at this age. Not just so that they can know about themselves and their health, but also so that they know that Jesus is the one who created them and sex. It is especially important at this age, when hormones are raging, and they’re being fed so much information from the world, that they need to be well-equipped to go out into it. Additionally, it is important for them to have a space where they can ask questions without feeling ashamed; this can also open up conversations between them and their parents.
Curriculum Integration Photos
Rethinking Sexuality Small Group
November 4th-January 13th
From November 4th to January 13th, I hosted a small group with Talia Elias, Sariah McKenzie, and Lorna Riddle, following the Rethinking Sexuality small-group curriculum. It was a 7-week study based on Juli Slattery’s book, Rethinking Sexuality, with 7 videos and devotionals per lesson. I started advertising the small group in late October, and 3 other girls signed up. We met 6 times every Tuesday at 7 am in that 10-week period. There were several snow days and holiday breaks to navigate, but luckily, we were able to complete two lessons in our last meeting. The course covered 7 paradigm shifts: Sexual Discipleship, Every Sexual Issue is a Spiritual Issue, The Gospel is Written Within Our Sexuality, We Are All Sexually Broken, God Invites Us to Pursue Sexual Wholeness, Truth and Love Must Coexist, and Change Begins with You! Juli desires to foster healthy discussions around biblical sexuality and tear down the lies we have believed about it. Every Tuesday, we began with a devotional, then watched the accompanying video, and finished with a discussion and prayer. It was so much fun talking honestly and openly with the girls about what we learned, what we were still confused about, and what we believe. My favorite paradigm shift was "The Gospel is Written Within Our Sexuality." Before this project, I didn’t realize how much sex and the gospel connected in so many ways. Not just in marriage and with Christ in the church. But also in how sex is one sharing and giving up their body for another, how it connects two people so intimately, and even how abstaining from sex shows self-sacrifice, like how Jesus sacrificed for us. One thing the group spoke about a lot was our desire to have these conversations in church and small groups. These things are not talked about with teens, and the only message is “Don’t Have Sex!” However, we all agreed that this was unhelpful. We need regular and open conversations about sexuality so that we know the truth and that we are not alone. I had such a great time learning and growing with Sariah, Lorna, and Talia, and I hope they took away just as much as I did.
Flyer & Sign-Up Sheet
Small Group Guide
Small Group Videos
Girl’s Bonfire Night
November 7th
One of my outreach bubbles included a girls' night, and I also had the idea of hosting a bonfire night with students. The bonfire night couldn’t happen because of scheduling issues, so I decided to incorporate the bonfire into the girls’ night. My mom, the girls, and I discussed topics of sexual distortion and redemption, and also had a fun time with each other. I began planning in early October, but the week before my girls' night, on October 27, I began my final preparations. I determined that the night would center on the documentary The Heart of Man and the themes of shame, grace, redemption, and surrender. I sent out the information and posted the flyer so people could sign up. I decided on the food, budget, time, and general outline weeks prior with my mom and advisor, Amy Harris. A few days before the girls’ night, I created the reflection questions based on the documentary and final schedule. Five girls signed up for the sleepover: Lorna Riddle, Tearsa Martin, Talia Elias, Aneliese Folk, and Maya Hershberger. My sister, Sariah McKenzie, also participated.
I had the sleepover at my house at 6 pm on November 7. We began by eating and talking, and then we watched the documentary. The Heart of Man is a retelling of the prodigal son story interwoven with several testimonies from prominent figures in the Christian community. We heard testimonies from Jackie Hill Perry, William P. Young, Dan Allender, and others. They shared their journeys through childhood sexual abuse, adultery, pornography addiction, and a homosexual lifestyle. Every single story was unique and profound, beginning from a place of severe devastation or violation. They all had long journeys full of setbacks, but they all testified to the father’s love that continued pursuing them. Finally, they shared where they were today and how God has removed their shame and redeemed their stories. While the stories were told, scenes followed the story of the prodigal son, symbolizing the journey from temptation, sin, and separation to salvation and restoration. The father and son, symbolizing God and us, frequently played violins that the father made and gifted to the son. This represented the choice we all have to love and follow God, something we are all offered but must choose to say ‘yes’ to. The movie also showed how, even when we reject God, he still allows us to receive him again. Following the film, we spent time answering reflection questions individually, then discussed them together. Some of the questions included, ‘Why do you think it’s easier to hide our struggles instead of talking about them?' and ‘What helps you remember that your identity is in Christ, not in what you’ve done or what’s been done to you? The girls provided very encouraging insight and personal sentiments. Lastly, to close off the night, we all wrote down sins, shame, secrets, or pains that were burdening us. Then, in an act of surrender, we burned them in our fire pit outside. We ended in prayer and reflection, asking God to help us submit everything to him.
The content we reviewed and discussed was extremely challenging. It caused me to look at myself and my past and how that might be hindering my intimacy with God. However, it was also encouraging to hear the others share what they received from the documentary and how that looked for them in their lives. We had both serious reflection and great laughs during the night; it was so much fun. I hope the girls had fun as well and that they received and will apply the truths we covered during our time together.
Girls Night Bonfire Photos
Discussion Questions & Sign-up Sheet
RAINN Fundraiser
January 12th-February 12th
RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization and operator of the National Sexual Assault Hotline. They seek to change how we think about and respond to sexual violence by expanding prevention, ensuring justice, and providing healing to create safer communities. Their mission is to stop sexual violence by supporting survivors, holding perpetrators accountable, and creating safer communities. I wanted to do a fundraiser for them, not just to help support them but also to raise awareness within the student body. I proposed a raffle fundraiser with two gift baskets as prizes. With a lot of help from my mom and my advisor, we decided to make a cozy basket and a food basket. We began reaching out to people and collecting their donations in December. For the cozy basket, we selected Bath and Body Works products, a blanket, fuzzy socks, and other self-care items. For the food basket, we received gift cards and merchandise from several restaurants in town, a Crumbl 4-pack, a Starbucks tumbler, and other snacks. We began collecting donations and reaching out to businesses in December, and we ran the Fundraiser from January 12th to February 12th, right in time for Valentine's Day. I announced it to the school; my advisor, Amy, posted it on the school's Facebook page; and my mom sent emails and posted about it on social media. With the help of family and friends, we reached our goal and raised $304. Our two winners were Amy Harris and Kandy Jackson. I am so grateful to my mom for helping me so much with this fundraiser. I couldn’t have gotten it done without her. I also want to thank everyone who donated and supported my project and RAINN.
RAINN Poster & Fundraising Page
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