The Urquharts chose to send their daughter Claire (12th) to Linfield last year because the school’s values align closely with theirs, specifically in the commitment to academic excellence, focus on Christ, emphasis on servant leadership, and intentionality of a relational community. Claire entered high school with a solid K-8 foundation, but after moving from San Diego to Temecula, she struggled to find where she fit in. Adjusting to a new environment was challenging, yet Linfield quickly became the place where she found both her home and herself. The Urquharts describe how students and faculty welcomed her with open arms, creating a nurturing environment where she can truly be herself. In a short time, they saw evidence of the way she has been growing in character, not only through daily life on campus, but also through activities beyond the classroom; Claire volunteers in pediatric oncology, sharing her faith and values with her peers and with the children she mentors. The Urquhart family is so grateful for the bedrock Linfield has provided for their daughter and for the way it is not only building purpose and a future for her, but also lifting and positively impacting the lives of people around her.
In their own words, here’s how they describe their Linfield experience:
There are many experiences that reflect the impact Linfield has had on our daughter, Claire. Linfield’s core values continue to take root in her life and leave a lasting imprint. Specifically, Claire now devotes a tremendous amount of time to serving others and lifting them up; she wants to give rather than receive.
One particular moment stands out and still gives us goosebumps. Last year Claire was new to Linfield, and her high school journey had been tumultuous after leaving her core group of friends in San Diego when we moved to the area a year and a half ago. But in August, she joined the girls’ flag football team and was immediately welcomed into a new family. The coaches and teammates were warm and encouraging, yet Claire remained unsure and insecure about how she would fit into the larger community.
Not long into the school year, Claire got sick (as students do) and missed several days of school. When she returned, her classmates immediately approached her and asked where she had been, how she was feeling, if she needed help catching up in her classes, and most importantly, they told her they had missed her. That day Claire came home and told us it was the first time she had truly “felt seen” by her peers since leaving her childhood friends 18 months earlier. Her words nearly buckled us. As parents, we had emphasized grit and a tough upper lip to persevere, but what she needed most was compassion, love, and belonging. Linfield provided that.
Through her classmates’ Christian kindness, their welcoming spirit, and the simple act of embracing her as someone important, we experienced Christ in the community. It was Christ’s love made visible in the way her peers cared for her. It truly opened our eyes to how faculty and leadership nurture students and even how the other parents support one another. This is truly a special place!
We are deeply grateful for the stewards of life Linfield is cultivating - people who do the right thing, who are willing to be vulnerable, present, and human, and who see what others need and give freely without expecting anything in return, simply because it is the Christ-like thing to do. We see this spirit now in Claire’s growing circle of friends, and we see it reflected in the broader Linfield community. We are truly blessed to have discovered Linfield and to participate in this community.