“My mission is to ensure students are safe, known, and cared for with the kind of love that Christ has for them.”
- Paige Hennen, Upper School Humanities
I've lived in Roanoke with my family for 6 years, although I'm originally from West Virginia (Go Mountaineers!).
Even as a student in high school, I would always pass Faith Christian School when driving through town, and I could tell there was something special there. This belief was confirmed even more so when I went to VA Girls State during my senior year of high school and met some of your students. As I was applying for jobs within the area, I ran across an opening for a Humanities Position here and decided that it would be worthwhile to see what FCS was all about, even though I knew nothing about Classical Christian Education at the time. After interviewing with the administration and completing my mock lesson with a small group of upper school students, I knew this was the place God wanted me to be. The kind, intentional way that everyone engaged with me really cemented in my mind that this would be an incredible opportunity to grow as a teacher and as a Christian.
What post-secondary schools did you attend? Degrees held?
Liberty University (BS - Social Sciences)
Have you taught or been involved in schools somewhere else prior to FCS? If so, where, and how long?
This is my first year of teaching, but I completed my student teaching internship at Cave Spring High School with 9th and 10th-grade students.
In my spare time, I love to read and spend time in nature, whether that be hammocking or hiking. Enjoying God's beautiful creation with the people I love is always an incredible experience. I also spend a lot of time volunteering at my church, New Hope Christian Church, as I serve on the Worship Team and the Youth Group.
What or who inspired you to work in education?
Teachers that made content come alive and explained it in a way that was relevant and personal to me as a student.
What do you find most compelling or distinct about Christian classical education?
I love the commitment to seeing students exceed the world's expectations for them. Both academically and spiritually, I believe Classical Christian education equips its students to not only survive in the world but to thrive in it with all praise directed towards Christ.
What do you love about the idea of teaching at Faith Christian School or what do you anticipate appreciating most about Faith Christian School?
I love the idea of the community supporting each other to raise up the next generation to love the Lord with a life well lived. The kindness and encouragement I have already received just in my short time here has been incredible, and I am excited to see where God brings me with the new connections I will forge at Faith Christian School.
What's a favorite book you've read?
That's a tough question, but I think my favorite book I've read is The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. I read this in college as part of my own personal devotions and it drew me closer to understanding the practical theology of God like nothing else. It's one of those books where you have to sit back and fully soak in everything that you just read.
How many books do you have stacked on your bedside table or in your "To Read" pile?
At present, I have about 4, but I keep a much longer virtual log. Three of them are: A History of the Wife by Marilyn Yalom, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash a Revolution in Your Life in Christ by Peter Scazzero, and I Didn't Do the Thing Today: Letting Go of Productivity Guilt by Madeleine Dore.
If you have a "life verse" or a verse that is ministering to you right now, what might it be?
Psalm 34:8: "Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!"
If you have a personal life's mission statement, what is it?
To ensure students are safe, known, and cared for with the kind of love that Christ has for them.
