Barbara Upton

Mrs. Upton grew up in México and came to Michigan for the first time in 1996. She graduated from Holland High School, and later went back to México for college, where she graduated in 2002 and earned a degree in Early Childhood Education. She has been working with children for 18 years now, and she truly believes she has the best job in the world!

The Love Mandate: “Love the Lord your God…. love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37-38). In Kindergarten, we are constantly working on how to be a friend to everyone. For many students, Kindergarten is their first time in school so I strive to teach them how to share, take turns, apologize, and uplift one another. To “love our neighbors, as ourselves,” we will face challenges, but I seek to implement these important steps during their foundational years. 

The Mission Mandate: “Go and make disciples… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:18-20). In my classroom, I teach my students that God has called us to make disciples of all nations and in all tongues. Because I teach in a second language, I want to equip my students in to make disciples through the gift of language that God has given them. When I hear them starting to produce the language, I am overjoyed to know that they can use this gift to show God’s love by spreading His word with people around the world. As they grow in their confidence with the Spanish language, I want them to fulfill their duties as children of God for the rest of their lives.  

The Image Mandate: “Let us make man in our image. Be fruitful…fill the earth…subdue it… rule over every living creature…” (Gen. 1:26-28). I teach my students that God cares so much about us that he created us as reflections of Him. I want them to see that every person on earth is created in His image: unique and incredibly valuable, in His eyes. I consider it a blessing to work with this specific age group, using my God-given gifts and talents to make my students’ learning experience enjoyable and memorable. I have the honor to play a part in helping them grow into the person God created them to be, helping them to build His Kingdom.