JACKSONVILLE — Freshmen at Routt Catholic High School have begun their four-year high school experience with plenty of prayer, thanks to their theology teacher, Maureen Bradish.

At their teacher's suggestion, the class of 29 students — which is divided into two theology groups — will spend the entire 2013-2014 school year praying for and about individual requests made by their fellow students, staff and faculty members at Routt, and others from outside the school as well.

"Anyone can ask for a request," explains Betty Kuvinka, development director at Routt. "They simply drop a note in a designated area at the school. From the day the request is received the classes pray out loud in classes and also meditate in the school chapel for those in need."

Prayer has always been part of the daily routine at Routt, but now the students have specific individuals to pray for, according to Kuvinka. "Most of the prayers are from people outside of school. Some of the prayers read are for a particular day. For example, maybe someone is having a medical test," she says. "Of course there are others that they are continually praying for."

Prayer requests can be anonymous, but for those who mention a person by name, a written "Routt Catholic is praying for you" prayer card is signed by all the freshmen students and mailed to the person for whom they are praying.

"They are little notes of hope," says Bradish, who has been teaching at Routt for five years. "It's just one more way that Routt students show love and service to others."

The classes have had positive feedback from families for whom they have prayed, says Kuvinka. "Many of the families have expressed in writing to the class how much it means to them to have Routt students praying for them," she says, adding that so far the prayers have gone out for both local people and those who live in other cities and states. "One of the requests came for someone in Florida — that is the furthest away so far."

Keeping an active prayer life is an important element to the small Catholic school; something that Bradish realizes, says Kuvinka. "Thanks to her, Routt students have the opportunity to begin each day, and each class, with a prayer and devotion."