By Jill Fennema –

Leah Buys has been hired to teach first grade at Southwest Minnesota Christian Elementary School. Leah is a 2017 graduate of SWC. This will be her first teaching position.

Her parents are Wendel and Helene Buys of Luverne. Wendel used to teach English at SWC. He now works in Luverne at the Luverne Historical Center. Helene is a nurse at Sanford Home Health in Luverne. Leah has four siblings: Joel, Mary, Rachel, and Grace, all of whom attended SWC.

Leah graduated from Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, this past May. All of her sisters went to this same college. They heard about it from a family member who strongly recommended it. “I didn’t really want to go because all of my sisters went and I wanted to carve my own path,” Leah said. “But it became clear to me that God was calling me there. I went all four years and absolutely loved it. It’s a great school.”

She was on the 2016 SWC girls basketball team that participated at the state tournament. She continues to love sports and being active. She will also be teaching junior high volleyball this year.

Leah has always loved school and enjoyed her teachers. She is looking forward to building relationships with the students and having a front row seat to their growth academically and as people.

“I have had amazing teachers that have helped shape me and the way I view the world,” she said. “To have an impact on students the way that my past teachers have influenced me is incredibly exciting and very humbling.”

Leah is living here in Edgerton. When she is not busy in the classroom or coaching, she enjoys being outside, listening to podcasts, and hanging out with friends.