Cultivating Generational Wisdom: The Unique Hybrid Homeschool Adventure in South Dakota

(The Lion) — After spending 17 years as a public-school educator in South Dakota, Sarah VanDerVliet never imagined that she would depart to establish a hybrid homeschooling initiative.

“If you had asked me five years ago, I would have never, ever predicted this would be my path,” she states. “But God clearly had alternate intentions for me.”

These intentions involve Buffalo Christian Homeschool Academy, characterized by local news sources as “a hybrid physical and at-home K-12 institution” with a significant emphasis on agricultural education. In just three years, her academy has expanded to 32 pupils, relocated to a larger venue over the Christmas break, and broadened its waitlist.

“God has armed all of us as parents to recognize what’s best for our children,” VanDerVliet articulates, highlighting that every guardian should feel competent to teach – whether through homeschooling or otherwise.

Indeed, her school’s guiding scripture is Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

“The Bible speaks of generational learning and how grandparents would instruct, and great-grandparents would also impart knowledge. I believe as a society, we’ve somewhat strayed from that.”

Practical projects encourage independence, self-esteem

Some of VanDerVliet’s most cherished educational moments involve observing her students thrive through hands-on agricultural tasks. These activities include raising and processing poultry as well as producing butter, sour cream, and fresh cheese from donated raw milk.

“For us, being at home gives us the opportunity to accomplish more on the farm and collaborate as a family,” VanDerVliet explains, noting her husband’s agricultural lineage extends back to his great-grandparents.

“Since agriculture plays a crucial role in everyone’s daily existence, we aim for students to become insightful consumers, self-reliant, and aware of their freedoms and rights,” she expressed. “I desire the next generation to be capable of caring for me when I am unable.”

Michelle Stephens, a registered nurse who also serves in the military, attributes her children’s ability to merge their studies with existing farm responsibilities to VanDerVliet.

“Living on the ranch and my kids participating in rodeo, caring for our animals on the farm is extremely significant for us,” she stated, adding that her 7th-grade son is nurturing bottle calves.

“There are various factors to consider regarding that, such as profit margins and other aspects. She really supports him with the educational side of that, enabling him to visualize his growth in it throughout high school.”

Stephens has also observed remarkable development in her eldest daughter, who will graduate from Buffalo Christian this spring.

“Initially, when she began high school, she was very quiet and reserved,” she mentioned, explaining that her daughter felt unable to fully express herself in her previous public school.

“Rodeo wasn’t popular in our small community. She couldn’t truly discuss some of her interests. There wasn’t the same enthusiasm. Upon transferring to Buffalo Christian, it felt more like a secure environment where we could genuinely engage in something larger than ourselves, and really flourish in that.”

Such experiences are typical among the homeschooling program’s older students, particularly those transitioning from public education, according to VanDerVliet.

“Over the past three years, I’ve witnessed significant changes in some of those students’ mental well-being. They have become happier, healthier, and more confident. I believe that enhancing their self-assurance has been invaluable.”

A moral, Christian framework

VanDerVliet attributes much of her students’ improvement in self-esteem to a heightened understanding of Christian education.

“I’ve observed these students coming to know their identity, being confident in themselves, recognizing that Jesus loves them, and understanding how to utilize their faith as a beacon in this world.”

“In public education, discussing the Bible was not permitted. I wasn’t able to teach a curriculum centered on it, or anything similar. … Now I can dive deep into it with the 32 kids that we have.”

One of VanDerVliet’s motivations for founding Buffalo Christian stemmed from realizing her children dedicating more hours to schoolwork than to spiritual development.

“We calculated the hours spent in education and compared it to the hours spent in Sunday school and youth group,” she noted, estimating 30,000 hours for high school versus 6,000 hours for church engagement.

“Is algebra truly more significant, or is it more crucial to comprehend the meaning of the Bible and who Jesus is and what God represents?”

During her homeschooling journey, VanDerVliet can now weave her Christian beliefs into their education “seven days a week, instead of merely two.”

“I’ve noticed a remarkable change in my children,” she remarked about spiritual matters, adding that there has also been a shift in their academic performance.

“I have observed a transformation in my daughter, and I’m not suggesting it was solely because I was a teacher – rather, I believe she is afforded the opportunity to complete tasks at her own pace. It took nearly a year and a half, almost two years, just to boost her confidence to understand that yes, you can do math, and yes, you can read.”

VanDerVliet’s daughter, now 17, had previously been in an individualized education program (IEP) at public school. After homeschooling, she has progressed to a stage where she can read the 240-page book I Will Protect You: A True Story of Twins Who Survived Auschwitz.

“It fills my heart with joy that she’s making progress at a manageable level,” VanDerVliet said. “I can see how much her confidence and sense of self-worth have transformed.”

Stephens also states that transitioning to Buffalo Christian from her children’s prior school was “truly the best decision we could have made.”

“We’re kind of reviving those traditional skills that many of these children have never really experienced,” she pointed out, mentioning activities such as canning, beekeeping, woodworking, and leathercraft.

“All of these additional crafts that can be implemented when in a smaller group allow them to cooperate and undertake projects as a team, and it’s been delightful to witness how they’ve matured and created something truly remarkable.”