Raise Them UP!

Rise them UP! is underwritten by The Wicks Family Grace Foundation Guest: Riley Lee, President & Founder Skytree Book Fairs Introduction, Riley’s background-she worked previously with actor Kirk Cameron How difficult it is for parents navigating the world of children’s books…what’s Christian, wholesome & family friendly. Riley explains how she never thought she would get into the publishin...

Introduction of Guests: Trent A. Rogers serves as the Dean of Theological Studies & Associate Professor of New Testament & Greek at Cedarville University. Jonathan A. Wood serves as Vice President for Student Life & Christian Ministries and is an Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio. They discuss how long they have been serving college...

100% of the money for the Compassion Grant Program comes from donors, many are former homeschool parents, and others who support educational choice. We talked about the HSLDA and their core mission of legal defense for homeschool families. Organization is 40-years old. Nearly everyone who works for them homeschool or is a homeschool graduate. HSLDA is a membership organization & what it costs....

Guest: Dr. Janice Supplee, vice president for marketing and communications of Cedarville University of 6,400 students. Undergraduate 4,000. Introduction to Dr, Janice Supplee, VP of marketing and communication since 2016 of Cedarville University in Southwestern Ohio. How she became a dean at Cedarville University. Her father was a professor at the University when it was a small college. How the Lo...

How second nature profanity has become in our society & even in Congress. The way that we speak reflects the way that we feel. Swearing is “lazy language.” Cursing is an excuse for thinking. Judy Gruen talks about being a religious Jew who tries to avoid exposing herself to flagrant profanity, including by comedians. The sinful nature of cursing Fred gives biblical examples-quotes Scripture ve...

Introduction-Sponsorship mention: Wicks Family Grace Foundation Fred Pry: describes what is Child Evangelism Fellowship Ministry. Announces that he is no longer “Acting VP of Administration, but the Vice President of CEF Fred talks about how CEF was founded & how long it has been around and who they serve worldwide. I reference the article what brought Fred Pry into the studio about Undertandi...

On this episode of Raise Them Up! host Fred Zielonko talks to Katy McKinney, founder and headmaster of the Academy de Lafayette, whose student body was ranked by the classic learning tests as having one of the highest test scores in the nation for the 2023-24 academic year. How Katy came to name the school she founded and is the headmaster back in 2017. Katy started out as a teacher in California,...

Natalie is a homeschool mother of five. Four of the five children have graduated college. Still homeschooling one. Has been homeschooling for over 23-years. Why she became a homeschool mom… When her military chaplain husband got transferred to California, she gave up her therapy license in Maryland and decided then to homeschool mom. Not anti-public school but favors homeschooling. She is now a pu...

A self-governing republic depends on citizens who understand its history, principles, and responsibilities — yet civics education in America is rapidly declining. In this episode of Raise Them Up, Fred Zielonko is joined by Dr. Jeffrey Sikkenga, executive director of the Ashbrook Center and professor of political science at Ashland University, to discuss the growing crisis in civics education and...

For generations, children learned essential life skills through free, self-directed play — exploring their world, solving problems, and growing in independence. Today, much of that freedom has disappeared. In this episode of Raise Them Up, Fred Zielonko welcomes Dr. Peter Gray, research professor and evolutionary psychologist, to discuss why play is not a luxury for children — it’s a necessity. Dr...

Israel explains how his mother helped originate the modern homeschool movement in 1983 & subsequently published a homeschool magazine 11- years ago he started Family Renewal along with his wife. And, he speaks at 30- to-50 events per year. How he followed in his mother’s business & how he and his sister proofread his mother’s magazine. How difficult it was initially to reach teenagers. Dr....

Equipping the next generation to live out a biblical worldview doesn’t happen by accident — it requires intentional teaching, discernment, and engagement with the culture. In this episode of Raise Them Up, Fred Zielonko is joined by longtime Christian educator and broadcaster Steve Noble, founder of Noble U, to discuss why Christian parents must actively invest in teaching civics, history, and eth...

Homeschooling is no longer a fringe movement — it’s a growing, dynamic part of the American education landscape. In this episode of Raise Them Up, host Fred Zielonko welcomes Dr. Angela Watson, Senior Research Fellow and Assistant Professor of Education at Johns Hopkins University, to unpack what’s really happening behind the surge in homeschooling. Dr. Watson shares insights from nearly a decade...

Homeschooling is a blessing, but it can also be chaotic and incredibly challenging. Things don’t always go the way you plan. Emotions can run high and there’s a lot to navigate: Learning styles, teaching styles, curriculum, extra-curriculars, scheduling, legal requirements, co-ops... and so much more! It’s enough to leave any homeschooling parent feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. If you’ve been...