Religion helps students define their lives

Students share how their faith helps them grow

Bella McPeake and Molly Griffin

March 19, 2024

(By Bella McPeake)

Sophomore Lola Dumler deepens beliefs by connecting with other Catholics

“I am Catholic and have been all my life. I believe in God, the Holy Trinity and that Jesus is forgiving through confession. Being Catholic plays a really important role in my life because it allows me to turn to God in times of doubt and I have a great community at my church. I love the community of my church because everybody knows each other and we can talk about mass and pray with each other which is important to me. Connecting with other Catholics has helped me deepen my faith because I can go to church any time that I want to pray and spend time with God.”

(By Bella McPeake)

Senior Corbin Garnand considers religion part of his identity

“I am a Christian, so I believe in God and that Jesus is the son of God. My beliefs mean a lot to me, they are a part of what makes me who I am today. My family has played a big part in my beliefs, and so have strangers who spread the love of Jesus. I celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus and Easter as the day Jesus was resurrected.”

(By Bella McPeake)

Senior Tenley Moss attends Bible study every morning before school to enrich her faith

“I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but most people refer to us as Mormon. A typical day of worship for me includes going to a bible study every morning before school. On Sundays, I have church at 10:30 am where I go to one hour of sacrament meeting, which is when we take bread and water, before going to an hour of class with my age group. One thing I like to do is write down the miracles that I see everyday and this helps me continue to strengthen my beliefs.”

(By Molly Griffin)

Junior Maggie Wieland connects with her Jewish community

“I am Jewish. I celebrate all of the Jewish holidays like Chanukah, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Purim and especially Passover. To me, my beliefs are what guide my decisions and what I base my morals on since they have been shaped by my family’s history of Judaism. If I’m going to synagogue it’ll either be for a youth group on a weeknight and that makes me feel super connected to my Jewish friends and peers across the Kansas City area. I enjoy my Jewish community because it makes me feel very at home when I walk into synagogue and am greeted by people I know don’t judge me for what I believe in.”

(By Molly Griffin)

Senior Saad Fraitekh believes Islam shapes his life and morals, worships five times a day

“I identify religiously as a Muslim. My religious beliefs center around the belief in one God, Allah, and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad in the Quran. My beliefs mean a lot to me as they provide guidance for my life and a moral framework to follow. I participate in religious holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, which mark the end of Ramadan and the annual Hajj pilgrimage. A typical day of worship includes the five daily prayers, which are spread throughout the day, along with reading and reflecting on the Quran.”

(By Molly Griffin)

Senior Anna Zwahlen doesn’t identify with any specific religion

“I identify as agnostic because that’s the best term for what I believe overall, though it’s a little more complicated than that. I believe in the validity of religions all over the world and I don’t believe that one can be called more correct than any other. I believe more in my connection to the world around me. I wasn’t raised in a religious household growing up, but I have been exposed to a multitude of religions along the way, especially while I was living abroad. Those experiences, along with my own personal research of different religions, have given me an idea of what I feel is my connection to the world.”

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About the Contributors

Bella McPeake, JAG social media editor

This is junior Bella McPeake second year on the Jag yearbook staff and she will be taking on the position of Social Media Editor. When outside of the classroom, you can find her cheering on the sidelines at football and basketball games. Outside of school, she can be found at church, bible studies with her friends, running outside, and spending time with her family. Bella enjoys gold-fish, watching Grey's Anatomy, and going to Florida.

Molly Griffin, Mill Valley News editor-in-chief

This is senior Molly Griffin’s third year on the JAG Yearbook staff. This year she will be taking the role of Mill Valley News editor-in-chief while continuing her role as a photographer for the JAG Yearbook. When she's not in C-101 you can find her playing softball for Mill Valley and her club team, working at Pink Charming Boutique, volunteering for Relay for Life or in special needs classrooms around the district. During her free time she loves being outside, reading and watching the sunset.

Emma Clement, JagWire editor-in-chief, Mill Valley News editor-in-chief

This is senior Emma Clement’s third year on the JagWire staff. This year she is JagWire and Mill Valley News editor-in-chief, in addition to being a writer and designer for the newspaper. When she is not working on journalism, Emma enjoys reading, drawing, painting, watching TV shows and spending time with friends and family. She is also involved at Mill Valley as NHS president, Spanish NHS vice president, Youth for Refugees president, Model UN president, NAHS vice president and is a member of NEHS, Scholar’s Bowl and Women’s Empowerment Club. Outside of school, Emma works at Pinnacle Gymnastics as a gymnastics coach and is on the editorial board for elementia, the Johnson County Library’s teen literary magazine.

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