• Sarah Leydon and Thomas Barhorst

  
• Sarah Leyden

  Sarah Leyden was born and raised in Kirksville. She has been fortunate to be a member of the Mary Immaculate Parish since baptism as an infant. She attended Mary Immaculate School from Kindergarten through 8^th grade and graduated from Truman State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in leadership. She is a CPA and works in accounting at a local community bank. She and her husband have three children who have or will graduate from Mary Immaculate School.

  
  

  My parents, Michael and Mary Jo Schwend, taught her the importance of the Catholic faith at a very young age. Now, as an adult, it is a gift for her that she still gets to attend mass with her parents each Sunday at 9 am. As a parent at Mary Immaculate School, she is very involved with the school. Over the last 13 years, she has held different roles, including leading fundraising efforts (Sweetheart Dinner, Raise Right, Box Tops, etc.) and co-chairing the 2022 School Accreditation and Self-Improvement Study. She is presently a member of the Parish Finance Council and holds a leadership role as auditor.

  
  

  Sarah is excited to be an Impact Mentor for the 6^th – 8^th graders. She has experience coaching youth basketball for that age group; this will be her first time leading a youth group in a spiritual way. Sarah has a daughter entering 8^th grade and has seen first-hand the challenges they face. Sarah hopes MI Impact will equip them to engage the world around them while staying true to their Catholic principles.

  
  

  Sarah’s goal is to help foster a deeper relationship with Jesus through prayer, learning, good conversation, and fun!
• Thomas Barhorst 

  Thomas Barhorst moved to the Kirksville area in 1999 to attend Truman State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in counseling. He and his wife Rachel decided to stay in the area after they graduated in 2004 when she took a position teaching third grade at Mary Immaculate School.
  
  In his 20 years at Mary Immaculate, he has assisted with youth ministry, participated in Knights of Columbus, hosted the “Why Catholic?” program in his home, volunteered at school functions, offered to provide support groups to parents in our parish, and served on the School Advisory Board for 6 years. Currently, he is a member of the social concerns committee.
  
  Professionally, he has worked with teenagers and their families for the past 20 years in a variety of settings, having developed skills in helping people manage their emotions and handle difficult situations. He volunteered to participate as an MI Impact mentor, a positive role model, and help our youth strengthen their faith and moral development.