Starting a microschool or homeschool program is a bold step—but deciding whether to launch as a nonprofit can be even more daunting. In this episode of WISE & Otherwise , host Dalena Wallace is joined by two guests: Becky Wilmoth  (widely known as Becky Abrams), founder of Nonprofit Ed Solutions , and Allison Weide , a first-time founder launching Beacon Hill Academy  in Wichita, Kansas. Together, they explore the ins and outs of forming a nonprofit—from legal structures and

When Meghan Melchor stepped away from her role as a special education teacher to raise her young children, she didn’t expect to start a school. But after one heartfelt email from a desperate mom whose son was drowning in middle school, Meghan realized she couldn’t say no—and didn’t want to. That one student became two. Then three. Then four. Today, Meghan runs Lionheart Academy , a microschool that serves middle and high school students with severe autism, intellectual delays

When Shawna Hein’s daughter started attending Northfield Academy, Shawna made a promise: “I’m going to try to stay out of this. I want this to be your thing.”  Her daughter still teases her about that, because just a few years later, Shawna is now the head of school —leading a growing community rooted in classical learning, hospitality, and transformation. But this story isn’t just about a parent-turned-principal. It’s about the beauty of education that changes lives—sometime

After 24 years in public education, Trudy Wischropp  never imagined she’d be launching her own school—let alone moving an actual...

When Pastor Justin Walker stood up one Sunday and announced that his church would be launching a tuition-free Christian school , some...

For years, Jaime Beck watched her son Charlie fall through the cracks of the traditional school system. Diagnosed with ADHD at eight...

When Dalena Wallace first envisioned a way to support Kansas’s growing network of Christian microschools, she didn’t start with a...

Can public school children really receive Bible instruction during the school day? It sounds impossible—but thanks to a little-known law...

Kathy Bond never set out to become a school board member. A retired ballerina and former flight attendant, she built her career on...

In a city full of schools, McAdams Academy is unlike any other. It doesn’t have sports teams or pep rallies. Its students don’t wear...

When Pastor Dave Atherton of One Church at Pleasant View was praying about the future of his congregation, he didn’t have a master plan....

In a quiet corner of Lawrence, Kansas, a bold educational shift is taking root. After years of homeschooling her five children and...

In today’s rapidly evolving education landscape, more families than ever are stepping away from traditional public schools—and not just...

When Stephanie Dulin received a last-minute email from her public school district reversing its policy on mask mandates, she didn’t...

When Jenn Troy and her family relocated from Illinois to Spring Hill, Kansas, in late 2020, they assumed their children would continue in...

When Alexa Munger, a licensed therapist and mother of two, began exploring school options for her son, she had no idea she’d find herself...

What would you do if your child came home day after day, anxious, hurt, and afraid—and the school wouldn’t listen? For Jaci Unruh of...

In the heartland of Kansas, Becky Elder’s story stretches far beyond her own lifetime. It’s a story of multi-generational courage,...

After 35 years of homeschooling her nine children, Amy McVay is embarking on a new chapter—launching a classical Christian hybrid school...

In a small town near the Kansas-Colorado border, Nikki Chubb’s journey into homeschooling was not just a decision—it was a calling....