Occasionally an idea arrives quietly, and sometimes they show up so strongly that you can’t ignore them. For sophomore Devin Maupin, the idea to start a Bible study at Meridian came during a moment of prayer at his church in Cobden. He wasn’t expecting it, and honestly, he wasn’t interested at first. But he laughs now when he talks about that week, because it didn’t take long before he realized the idea wasn’t going away.

“I was praying at the altar,” he said, “and God said, ‘You know about P7.’ And I told Him, ‘Yeah, I know about it… but I’m not starting that.’” For the next three days, Devin kept saying no. But everything around him seemed to nudge him in one direction. “It’s like things started getting in my way. He was leading me,” Devin said, shaking his head. “Finally, I said, ‘All right, God. I’ll do it.”

The next day at school, everything fell into place.

P7—short for Project 7—is a student-led Bible study supported through UPCI’s General Youth Division. The idea behind it is simple: give students a safe, respectful space to learn about scripture without pressure or judgment. Devin explains it with the kind of clarity you’d expect from someone much older. “It’s a way to spread the gospel without being pushy,” he said. “God says be loving, so that’s what we do.”

But the group at Meridian isn’t just called P7. Devin and his co-leader, Zach Woodworth, gave it a name of their own: Project Lighthouse. “A lighthouse shows ships where to go,” Devin said. “It keeps them away from the rocks and on the right path. That’s what Jesus does for us.”

The two students run the group together, alternating who leads discussions. Devin usually teaches while Zach takes notes and prepares questions, but both are deeply invested in the group. They meet twice a week—Mondays and Fridays—during the high school lunch block in the health room. Students bring their lunches, settle in, and join the conversation. Attendance ranges from five to seven students so far, but Devin isn’t worried about numbers. “It’s not about that,” he said. “It’s about the atmosphere. Respectful, safe, no judging.”

Each meeting begins with prayer. Devin asks the group if it’s okay to pray, and he loves that the answer has always been yes. “I’ve never heard anyone say no,” he said. After prayer, he gives the day’s title, opens the scripture passage, and breaks it down piece by piece. “I don’t want to just throw the Bible at them,” he said. “I want them to understand it.”

The curriculum comes from P7 Clubs, and Devin shares the lesson with Zach the night before each meeting so they can prepare. Their most recent lesson was on Cain and Abel and the dangers of jealousy. The “after-school” task for the week was writing a note to someone expressing gratitude—a simple action meant to help students carry the lesson into everyday life.

Project Lighthouse is the only student-run faith-based group at Meridian, something Devin is proud of. He remembers a teacher-led group from sixth grade, but hasn’t seen anything since. “This one is by the students, for the students,” he said. Eventually, they hope to meet after school so they can include junior high students, too. For now, the group is building momentum at lunch, and Devin has already started dreaming about future service projects. “We want to start small,” he said. “Like cleaning up the park in Mounds or Mound City. Just helping our community.”

Devin’s life outside of school is full, too. He has three brothers—one older, two younger. His older brother graduated last year and is studying welding at Shawnee. One younger brother is homeschooled, and the other, AJ Maupin, attends Meridian. Devin says his family is supportive of his goals, especially the biggest one of all: becoming a neurosurgeon.

He says it plainly, without bragging. “God called me to preach, and I feel like He wants me to be a doctor too.” He plans to earn his CNA certification through Meridian, then pursue pre-med after high school. His grades are strong, and he knows the path ahead will be challenging, but he smiles when he talks about it—determined, grounded, and steady.

And there’s one more detail he shares with a grin: his church wants to support Project Lighthouse by delivering pizza and snacks for future meetings. “Pizza and the Word,” he joked. “A slice of the Word.”