At Rocktown High School, some students incorporate faith into their daily routines, finding ways to practice and express their beliefs in different ways.
Junior Hind Mousa practices the Islamic faith and shared a little background on her religion.
“The central tenet of Islam is that there is only One God worthy of worship and that we as human beings should never associate anything with this God, whom we call Allah,” Mousa said.
For Mousa, faith is part of her daily life, even in a school environment.
“Doing so has strengthened my character by allowing me to grow more confident and sure in my identity, which can be really hard given that I’m living in a non-Muslim majority country,” Mousa said.
Another student, Savannah Wehrmann, said that her Christian faith has been a central part of her life since childhood.
“I’ve grown up Christian. When my family moved to Harrisonburg, my faith started to grow even more,” Wehrmann said. “We found Crosslink Community Church, where we’ve been going for a few years now.”
Wehrmann said that faith continues to play an active role in her life at school.
“I think it’s important to express my faith at school. Christianity is all about evangelism—our youth group’s motto is ‘making disciples that make disciples,’” Wehrmann said. “Sharing God’s Word and God’s love with others is something I take seriously.”
Both students said they wish people wouldn’t misunderstand their faiths. They hope others would take the time to learn about what they believe rather than rely on stereotypes or assumptions.
Wehrmann spoke about the importance of understanding and open conversation.
“I wish more people would ask me about my faith instead of assuming things based on social media or stereotypes,” Wehrmann said. “I’d love the chance to show people the love God has for them and explain why I believe what I do. I want others to know they don’t have to carry things alone, God cares for them, and I do too.”
Mousa also explained one of the most common misconceptions about Islam.
“It has been painted that way largely by Western media as an attack on all Muslims following 9/11,” Mousa said. “What people fail to understand about events like 9/11 is that they are primarily political and have nothing to do with religion. The people that carried out that act may call themselves Muslim, but what they did is not an actual reflection of the religion of Islam itself.”
Both students said they hope that by encouraging open discussion and respect, faith can be seen as a shared part of student life rather than something that separates people.
