Congratulations to Freya Blackman, 14, eighth grader at Christ Community Lutheran School (CCLS) in Kirkwood, named the recipient of LESA’s 2023 Student Christian Leadership Award.
Freya was nominated for the award by Mr. Royce Hartmann, Middle School Principal. “Freya is the embodiment of a student Christian leader. She has a strong faith, a huge heart for Jesus, and is compassionate, kind-hearted, and driven. Freya is so friendly to everyone. She regularly serves others at her church and has been on a mission trip to Honduras. Freya is the type of person everyone would want their child to hang around. She leads by example and shares her faith.”
Freya shared that “Being a Christian leader means being an example to the rest of the world of how Jesus loves all of us. In today’s culture, we are so quick to point out mistakes and focus on hatred and anger that it is easy to forget how Jesus would want us to act. Being a Christian leader means that you strive to show mercy, kindness, empathy, and spreading the love of God to all.”
Freya’s mission work is her greatest passion. She has been involved in missions since the age of five. “My grandmother and I started writing Christmas cards to the Micah boys. The Micah Project is a non-profit Christian mission in Honduras. They take boys off the streets and give them a loving Christian home and educate them to help make an impact in their community by being amazing Christian leaders. It has been a little over nine years since God planted my love of missions in me and since then, I have become Micah’s mission ambassador, and I was able to travel to Honduras and see His work firsthand. During that trip, I learned so much about God and how he can work through the most broken people.”
Freya’s favorite school subject is history. “If people are educated in history, it can help prevent conflict. I also love to learn about people who have done amazing things to make the world a better place and inspire me and children in the future. I like to say that the Bible is a Christian’s history book. It teaches how to live, and it gives us the history of the world in one book.” said Freya.
“I will forever be grateful that part of God’s plan for me is to be a part of the CCLS community. I have developed unbreakable friendships and connections that I thought were never possible. CCLS is like no other. It is a family in Christ, there to support and uplift everyone. The love and support that I have been shown is overwhelming and I am incredibly grateful. I can’t imagine wanting to go anywhere else.”
Freya is the daughter of Reed and Annekin Blackman. They are members of Central Presbyterian Church. Freya plans to attend Lutheran High School South in the fall, and will receive a $500 scholarship underwritten by the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) as part of her award.
dowments to Benefit Lutheran Education
(November 1, 2021) St. Louis, MO – The St. Louis-based Lutheran Elementary School Association (LESA) is pleased to announce the newly established Marilyn K. Brickler Endowment Fund established in honor of Brickler’s board service and her lifetime commitment to advancing Lutheran education. Brickler’s strong commitment to Christian education and belief that help should be provided to families who cannot afford tuition motivates Marilyn to serve on numerous committees and boards. Past board service includes Green Park Lutheran, the Lutheran High School Association, the Lutheran Camp Association in Arcadia, Lutheran Family & Children’s Services and LESA.
(September 1, 2021) St. Louis, Mo – The St. Louis-based Lutheran Elementary School Association (LESA) is pleased to announce the newly established Duane and Marjorie Hingst Education Endowment Fund established in memory of Duane Hingst and in honor of his wife, Marjorie Sandfort Hingst. Duane was recently called to his heavenly home this summer and is survived by his wife, Marjorie and his three children. His children decided that in honor of his lifetime service to Lutheran education and what would have been his 90th birthday on October 9, 2021, establishing this named endowment would be a perfect vehicle to continue his legacy and honor their parents.
