For September, our virtue is True Friend. We will spend chapels, class meetings, homeroom time, and daily teachable moments to help the boys answer the essential question, “What does it mean to be a True Friend?”

The boys of PDS are developing life-long friendships in front of our eyes. Some of these relationships could last a lifetime. In light of these realities, we aim to teach the boys the Biblical basis of why God created friendships and how this gift of true friendship helps us to glorify Him throughout our lives. By using Biblical examples in the Old and New Testaments, we hope to build the boys into True Friends.

One of the first lessons we teach in our 4th grade seminar class is from Proverbs 18:24, "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly." We ask the boys to list the qualities that they would like a friend to have. They always use words such as kind, forgiving, trustworthy, honest, sense of humor, and many more. Once we have exhausted the list, we then "turn the table" on them. We ask them if they exhibit the same qualities they have mentioned to their friends. They soon realize that to have friends, they must demonstrate kindness, be forgiving, trustworthy, honest, etc.

As we spend this month being intentional about true friendship, it is our prayer that each boy continues to "grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man.”

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you as we teach the boys this incredibly important virtue.

Mark Fruitt

Mark Fruitt serves as Elementary Principal and Director of the Building Boys, Making Men program at Presbyterian Day School (PDS), an independent school serving boys in grades PK-6 in Memphis.

Born and raised in Memphis, Fruitt earned his undergraduate and master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Memphis. Before coming to PDS in 2004, he served as a teacher, head varsity boys basketball coach, assistant varsity football coach and Dean of Students at First Assembly Christian School. Also during this time, he served as director of the family life center at First Assembly of God Church.

Over the years Mark’s professional development has included Project Zero at Harvard, Leading Today’s Changing Middle School, the National Association of Independent School Conference, and many others. He has also attended numerous coaching clinics, including: Alabama, Penn State, Nebraska, and Indiana to name a few.

Mark was awarded the Most Valuable Teacher Award while teaching at First Assembly and earned coach of the year honors in 2000. Mark enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, and reading. Mark is married to Amy and they have one daughter. They are members of Hope Presbyterian.