By Minda Thurman
SBS Parent
Since infanthood, my children have had a difficult road to navigate. After praying my version of Hannah’s Prayer (1 Samuel 2:1-10) in 2014, my twins were welcomed into this world healthy, and blessed, and were dedicated back to the Lord. They’ve spent their entire lives as military children and have endured more deployments than they can count. After my divorce, I worked full-time for many years as a single mother, to provide for them.
I’ve always known they were created for purpose, on purpose, chosen and gifted by God, and did whatever was necessary to ensure they had a quality education. I homeschooled them when they were younger, but could not continue due to the financial strain of our new family dynamic. I knew they were being denied growth in the public-school sector as they continued to test above average on yearly standardized assessments, but were quickly becoming bored with all the busy work they were given in the classroom.
We truly grappled with the effects of this, especially during COVID-19, when the world shut down, classrooms closed, and I experienced a brain AVM/aneurysm rupture and a hemorrhagic stroke. While recovering from my traumatic brain injury and trying my best to parent solo in a pandemic, I knew something had to change.
I had a neighbor recommend Stonebridge School, and I immediately went online to check it out. I remember scheduling a tour and being extremely impressed, wanting to enroll my children right away. However, I became disheartened due to the heavy responsibility for the costs of tuition for multiple children on my own. I prayed about it and sought counsel from my pastor. We asked God to make a way in an area that only He could. When we received the information about the possibility of qualifying for financial aid, I knew that my prayers were being answered.
The impact of the aid we’ve received has been phenomenal. It has truly been a gift. By the grace of God, my children completed their first year at StoneBridge, and are so excited about the next one! Both of my children have received numerous awards during their time at SBS, and have grown exponentially in their education. They are thriving in resource classes, including foreign languages, that they would not otherwise have access to at their current grade level in public school.
This experience has motivated me to continue my own educational goals while giving back to a space that has welcomed my children with loving arms. StoneBridge School has partnered with my family to empower my children in Christ and equip them for life outside the doors of the school building, and I would encourage anyone considering it to partner with them as well. The blessing of this financial aid came as a form of stability for my children amid chaos. I pray that every donor knows that they are empowering them with opportunities that make all the difference in the world.
At Stonebridge School, my children are truly loved, prayed over daily, and encouraged to do their very best, not just settle for the world’s standards of getting by academically. Both children are being challenged effectively, have received high marks academically, and will continue to do so.
Our family is incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support through an education at Stonebridge School that ensures my children have an opportunity to succeed. Their dedication to academic excellence, Christian character, and preparing servant leaders for today and beyond, is unmatched.