In this month’s Family Spotlight feature, we’re thrilled to introduce you to Brent and Kari Paul and their four children: Kayla, Joshua, Jenna, and Bryce. Brent, a native of Wichita, is a manager at Textron. Kari, a registered nurse, was born in California but moved to the Wichita area at the age of five. The couple met at Goddard High School and just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.
The Pauls enjoy spending time with extended family and playing all kinds of games, be they active outdoor games or board games indoors, and they love to travel. They’re also involved in guest ministries at their church.
Those who’ve been around Faith Academy for a while may remember Kayla, who ran the after-school program for our school during its very first year. Now 22, Kayla is recently married and living in Oregon with her husband, Tyler. She graduated from Oregon State University in December and is working as an administrative assistant for a small, family-owned real estate agency. Tyler, who she met through her cousin, is a mechanical engineer.
19-year-old Joshua might also be familiar to some of you, as he attended Faith Academy for his sophomore year. He returned to Goddard Eisenhower to finish high school, mostly because he missed playing basketball for the Tigers, but is grateful for the deep, lifelong friendships he formed during his time at Faith Academy. This summer, he’s serving as a counselor at Camp Tadmor, a Christian camp in Oregon for middle schoolers and high schoolers. He plans to attend Moody Bible Institute this fall.
In addition to her studies at Faith Academy, where she’s currently a sophomore, 16-year-old Jenna is working toward her Girl Scout Gold Award and playing volleyball with the Wichita Warriors. She’s also played piano for seven years and enjoys babysitting and helping in the nursery at church. In fact, Jenna wants to work with kids when she grows up. In her words, her eventual career will be “something involving children, and whatever it is, it won’t be at a desk.”
Bryce, the youngest at 13, is currently an eighth-grader at Eisenhower Middle School in Goddard. This summer, he’s playing golf through the Rolling Hills Golf Program. He also enjoys playing piano and swimming for the Neptunes at the YMCA, and he loves being involved in youth group activities at church.
The Pauls learned about Faith Academy through another family, and they are thrilled with the blessings God has showered on them through our school. “Jenna went from thirty-six kids in her public school math class down to three,” Kari says. “The teachers have given her a love for history and classic literature, and they’ve taught her to write well-thought-out papers.” Jenna loves the classes she’s had the opportunity to take, classes such as choir and art that she might not ordinarily choose. “The law class has taught her so much about the legal system that she would not otherwise know,” Kari says. “It has given her experience in public speaking and defending a cause.”
We’re so grateful to have the Paul family at our school! Give them a smile and a wave next time you see them, and stay tuned for more Faith Academy Family Spotlights!