As Whitefield Academy enters our 25th year, so many exciting things are happening. But one of the most exciting things is that as we grow older, we are finding that many of our graduates are having children who they are now enrolling at Whitefield. In fact, this year we will have five children of alumni enrolled!

We sat down with one of these parents, Abby Johnson, to find out why she felt so strongly about sending her kids to the same school she attended.

When did you attend Whitefield Academy?

I went to Whitefield from the year it opened, 1995, until 2000 — 5 years. That was 8th-12th grade for me.

What did you go on to do after you graduated from Whitefield?

I spent one year at Emporia state and then four years at New St. Andrews College in Idaho. I studied Liberal Arts and Culture and graduated in May of 2005. Now I actually teach from a classical perspective in an online homeschool setting.

How do you feel Whitefield prepared you for life after high school?

I didn’t know it at the time, but Whitefield set me on a path of classical education that God has had me in the center of ever since! I loved all the in-class discussions about literature, themes, politics, society, etc. Those deep sessions of being aware of what was going on in the world around me right then as well as historically were invaluable to me in “waking up” my perspective and informing my thinking.

What brought you back to Kansas City after college?

Definitely family and jobs, but truly, also Whitefield! I wanted my kids to go to school here. The opportunities for both my husband and me were better in Kansas City in order to facilitate Whitefield attendance for our kids.

Why did you decide to send your kids to Whitefield?

We have three kids at Whitefield now: Kindergarten, 3rd and 7th grade. I can’t imagine a better place for a few reasons.  First, I know the people. I trust them in their decisions about curriculum and about what they are teaching my children. Also, I know that they genuinely love my kids.  I love classical education. I teach it myself to home schoolers in an online school, and I’m so thankful for the truly classical AND Christian experience my children have at Whitefield.

What do you like about Whitefield now that you’re a parent?

Whitefield offers good food for my adult soul as well. I love the book groups between parents and faculty as well as the fireside chats where teachers sit down and highlight their nook of classical Christian education. This school is a blessing to the parents just as much as to the kids.

As the years pass, we can’t wait to have more discussions with other alumni parents!