(at age 20)

Q: How many siblings do you have?

L: We are six siblings, 3 boys and 3 girls

Q: How long have you been homeschooled?

L: All my life except for 1st grade which I spend in a Christian school in Germany.

Q: Do you have any hobbies / favorite things you like to do?

L: Running, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Now about your homeschool experience

Q1. Do you know why your parents homeschooled you?

L: Yes, first and foremost, they wished to raise me in the wisdom and admonition of the Lord. Second, they were not convinced that other options would instill in me the desire for excellence that I might develop if I were responsible for my own education.

Q2. Did you like homeschooling and why?

L: Aside from working at the bookstore with my dad, home schooling prepared me most for what I am doing right now. I enjoyed it thoroughly, primarily because I was in control of my own future. I felt that I could go anywhere and do anything as long as I was sufficiently motivated and willing to commit the time and energy.

Q3. Do you think you missed anything by not going to school like other children do?

L: I think I would have benefited from more sports programs. Some of the homeschoolers I have met here have had little experience playing an organized sport and developing the teamwork and leadership skills that often accompany it. It should never be the deciding factor for home schooling, but I think that this area could be developed.

Q4. Are you involved in any other groups/activities outside the home? What do you do and how often per week?

L: I am currently a senior at West Point. I live away from home and will attend flight school after graduating. I am currently very involved in the cadet chapel and in Officers Christian Fellowship. I coach my company orienteering team and am the academic officer for my company. I am also president of Pi Sigma Alpha, an honor society for political science majors.

Q5. What do your relatives (grandparents, aunts and uncles) think about you being homeschooled?

L: They are overwhelmingly supportive.

Q6. Do you think that your education is as good as that of other children and what makes you think so?

L: I was not prepared for the math and science curriculum here. I was very well prepared for the liberal arts. I believe that I was able to overcome early difficulties because I had the mind set that I was responsible for my education. I believe that this is far more important than excellence in a specific academic field.

Q7. What do you think are the greatest advantages of homeschooling?

L: First, developing a close relationship with your parents. Second, learning that your education is your responsibility and yours alone. Third, not being subjected to the incredibly immoral influences in the public school system. In my first two months at West Point I learned more about “the world” than I ever wanted to know. I believe that I was sufficiently grounded to be able to understand it in the context of God’s word, but it has been difficult, not in the sense that I am really tempted by the lifestyle, but in the sense that it can be incredibly demoralizing and depressing to look around and see my classmates poisoning themselves and their future marriages by their actions right now. I must say, I become very upset very often when I see what goes on around me. I would not wish anyone to be exposed to this earlier than need be, certainly not in high school or before.

Q8. What are the greatest challenges in homeschooling?

L: Dealing with a child who refuses to take responsibility. For me, the greatest challenge was juggling the many decentralized programs that I was taking part in (sports and classes were in many different places and getting back and forth was a big time commitment).

Q9. Do you find it easy or hard to learn at home and what would you want to change to make it better?

L: I found it very easy for most classes. There were few distractions and lots of encouragement.

Q10.  Do you think that you will homeschool your own children one day?

L: Without a doubt.

Q11. How many children of your own would you like to have one day?

L: As many as I am blessed with.

Q12. What would be some of the advice you would give other homeschoolers if they were to ask you (a neighbor kid for examples that is thinking about homeschooling)?

L: I would strongly encourage it but would emphasize that it’s a huge commitment on the part of both the parents and the children. If either of them does not care, it will not work, at least not to its fullest potential.

Q13. When do you think you’ll graduate (at what age)?

L: I finished high school at 16. I will graduate West Point at 20.

Q14. What do you want to do once you graduate from homeschool? Or if you have graduated already, what are you doing today and how does it relate to your homeschool experience?

L: I am about to be commissioned in the U.S. Army. I have learned that my experience prepared me uniquely for the military culture. I take responsibility for myself and the people around me. I never quit and never make a half-hearted attempt.