Making The Leap

If you're like the Stigalls, you'd assume an MBA is an intimidating, advanced degree you'd earn well after high school and college. John Foster joins the show today to explain how an MBA level of instruction is something any homeschool or Christian school teacher can introduce to their kids right now.  Hear why John believes we can do better for our kids when discussing free markets...

Chris and Christine discuss the growing nationwide trend of schools attempting to keep students' gender transitions a secret from their parents.  "What are your pronouns?" is now a common question heard in public school classrooms. Some schools have even set up " gender affirming closets " so students can change clothes at school without parental knowledge.  Parents must t...

Chris and Christine discuss Charlotte Mason’s method of education with Ambleside Schools International Founder Maryellen St. Cyr . In 1989, Maryellen began to search for a philosophically and pedagogically consistent method of Christian education. She found just such a method in the writings of British educator, Charlotte Mason. Maryellen has since become one of the country’s leading experts on Ch...

Chris and Christine discuss the growing importance of receiving a Christ-centered education with a mom and Christian school graduate, Hannah Earle.  Hannah's background is in psychology and social work. Through this work experience, Hannah realized that young people are up against more cultural forces than ever before. As culture continues to shift, it's exceedingly important for young p...

Chris & Christine interview two more of the Herzog Foundation's 2023 Christian Teachers of the Year : Janelle Rupp and Jake Kounter. Janelle Rupp teaches Anatomy & Physiology, Introduction to Healthcare, and Forensics at North Cobb Christian School in Kennesaw, Georgia. She is the author of a teaching program, “Remember Whose You Are,” which roots human sexuality in gospel identity. P...

Chris & Christine interview three of the Herzog Foundation's 2023 Christian Teachers of the Year : Dr. Kyle Rapinchuk, Brooke Stewart, and Rev. Joe Cox. Dr. Kyle Rapinchuk teaches Christian Worldview at School of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri. Kyle is also the co-founder of The Classical Thistle , an organization dedicated to promoting classical Christian education in a 21st centu...

This week, Chris and Christine discuss how Christian schools can better educate students with learning disabilities. They are joined by Karla Phillips-Krivickas, Founder of the Arizona Inclusion Network and Think Inclusion .  With over 20 years of experience in state and federal policy, Karla uses her unique perspective to advise education leaders on sound policy and best practices to advance acad...

Chris and Christine discuss the Herzog Foundation's new Ambassador program and are joined by two participants in the program, Delaney Greim and Ginger Wiens .  The Herzog Foundation offers year-long ambassadorships to young leaders seeking to make an impact in K-12 education nationwide. Each ambassador becomes fully immersed in Herzog Foundation programs and operations in Smithville, Missouri...

Chris and Christine discuss the philosophy of Kingdom Education with Middle School Principal Luke Bowers .  Luke is well-versed in Christian education as a former Christian school student, coach, athletic director, and now, middle school principal. Luke and his school are practitioners of Kingdom Education, a Christ-centered educational philosophy developed by Glen Schultz .  Glen has had a life-l...

Chris and Christine discuss online education with Garrett Smiley, Co-Founder & CEO of Sora Schools . Online learning got a bad rap during the pandemic, but some students may benefit from a virtual school environment.  Sora Schools is an innovative middle and high school that helps students succeed. The project-based curriculum centers on socratic discussions and independent learning based on a...

The topic of school choice is often misunderstood as we learned last week at the Herzog Foundation's event with Corey DeAngelis. Opponents to school choice will frequently say: "School choice will destroy rural communities." "School choice only benefits the elite." "Private schools are in it for the money." These lies are intentionally spread to confuse parents a...

Chris and Christine discuss the recent vilification of parents who want better education options for their children. It's clear that the school choice and parent empowerment movements are under attack.  Groups like Moms for Liberty and Parents Defending Education have worked tirelessly to protect their children and advocate for education options. Now, they're being labeled as hate groups...

Chris and Christine are joined by local parents Ashley and Tyler Mackey. Being new listeners to the show, the Mackey family was slightly hesitant to taking the homeschool approach to education in 2020, but after a successful experience for their two children, Ashley and Tyler are confident they made the right decision.  Ashley and Tyler discuss the beginning stages of homeschooling their children...

In this week's episode, Chris and Christine cover a local controversy within a Kansas City school and a board member who chose to take an ideological stand on a shared media platform. The post was targeted towards more conservative, Christian families in regards to Pride month.  Chris and Christine continue to dive into reoccurring public school controversies across the country in regards to...

Chris and Christine discuss post-graduation life with former Christian school graduate, Makaylee Hawkins. After her senior year, Makaylee took the traditional college route, but quickly learned that God had other intentions for her life outside of a four-year university. Makaylee talks about the impact of having had a Kingdom Education and the influence of Christian educators when facing the real...

Chris and Christine are again joined by their daughter, Anna Stigall, a year after her debut on the show. Anna gives her insider experience as a student at a Christian school in comparison to the public education system. She also answers questions about navigating social media, friends, phones, and self-discovery from her own perspective as she goes into high school.  To learn more about the Herzo...

Chris and Christine discuss school choice with returning guest Ginny Gentles, host of Students over Systems , in association with IWF . Ginny dives into the pervasiveness of mobile phones in the education system and the impact of personal electronics on student learning. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com . Like and follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram o...

Chris and Christine are joined by two local listeners, Megan and Kendra, who are in the process of starting a Christian school in Cameron, Missouri. With the help of SchoolBox , a program provided by the Herzog Foundation, Cameron Christian Academy is already growing in it's rural setting in northern Missouri. Chris and Christine also comment on parents' growing concerns about teachers c...

Chris and Christine are joined by Sheriff Deputy Jonathan Bransfield just a week after his name made headlines for talking a student down from the ledge of a water tower. Deputy Bransfield discusses his experience as a school resource officer and as a father who recently made the leap to enroll his own children in a Christian school. He also tells his testimony of how the Lord has used his positio...

Chris and Christine are joined by Missouri State Representative Josh Hurlbert. They discuss the progression of school choice within the state of Missouri and beyond. They also cover the current victory in Kansas after the passing of Women's Bill of Rights that properly defines a "woman" and will protect female sports from transgender athletes. Josh also promotes MOScholars, a schola...

Chris and Christine have an in-depth conversation with Tricia Hanska on science in education and how Christian education bridges the gap between secular and biblical worldviews. Tricia shares her passion for God’s creation and science, giving insight into how to prepare children to learn about science through a biblical lens, while also learning how to defend their faith. When a student learns abo...

Chris and Christine are joined by guest Lucas Miles, pastor and author of The Christian Left and Woke Jesus: The False Messiah Destroying Christianity . Lucas discusses the premises of his published works that cover the gradual socialism and woke ideology that American churches are beginning to adopt in order to satisfy a more diverse Christian following.  Lucas also discusses The American Pastor...

Chris and Christine discuss some of the stories shared at the Making the Leap 1 Year Anniversary event.  Chris and Christine also cover current events featured on The Lion , an online news publication by the Herzog Foundation. They dive into a  recent speech given by President Joe Biden at an event to honor the 2023 Teacher of the Year and discuss book bans.  Like and follow The Lion on Facebook a...

We're celebrating one year of Making the Leap! This special episode contains live Q&A from our recent one-year anniversary celebration at the Herzog Foundation. Chris and Christine dive into their personal journey on starting this podcast and hear stories from listeners of how the show has helped them and their children's education. Follow Making the Leap on Facebook , Instagram , Tw...

Chris and Christine are joined by guest Kristin Grubbs, author of Deep End of Public Education . When COVID-19 began to affect her children's schooling experience, Kristin chose to become more involved in their local school district. However, this new involvement in public education opened her eyes to escalating issues, including the controversial push for the Panorama Student Survey . Kristi...