High School Mentor Program
Guide Your Child Successfully Through High School.
A Mentor Program for Homeschool Parents
Next Program Begins January 28, 2025
Registration Is Open Now!
Get the Confidence You Need.
Even if you have years of experience homeschooling, the thought of “high school” can make you feel stress—or even a bit of panic. With HEAV’s mentoring program, you’ll get help with all the big questions AND get small-group coaching and shared experiences to make sure you’re getting it right.
- Help your teen discover his strengths and set goals.
- Learn the ins and outs of college or career prep.
- Develop an individualized four-year plan.
- Get a handle on record-keeping, transcripts, and testing.
- Explore social aspects and extracurricular activities.
- Get coaching and feedback from an experienced mentor.
- Relax about those high school years!
“Homeschooling through High School.” The sound of that is enough to make many parents panic. But really, it is not as impossible as you think! And you don’t have to figure it out alone.
You CAN have the knowledge and confidence you need to successfully homeschool through high school.
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Begins January 28, 2025
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16-Week Program
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Monthly Webcast
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Weekly Small-Group Coaching
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Course Notebook
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Online Community
Do you wish you
- Were sure your child will be prepared for his future?
- Even knew what direction he wants to go?
- Knew the simple answers to questions like transcripts and diplomas?
- Were confident your high school plan was “right?”
- Had a sounding board with a parent a step ahead of you?
Meet with Your Mentor
Connect with an experienced guide and with other parents who are starting right where you are.
Clarify Your Goals
Careers, college, record-keeping, transcripts, social life, driver's ed, and extracurriculars—we'll cover it all!
Create Your Plan
Week by week, you'll know your student is on the right track to accomplish his long-term plan.
Hal & Melanie Young ~
Things That Matter
August 6
Not since his baby days has your child made such huge leaps of development. As a parent, you can feel your relationship changing with your son or daughter, and you may wonder where this is going. Hal & Melanie—parents of eight—have walked this path and have so much share.
Topics to be covered:
- Relationship building and personal discovery with your high school student
- Nurturing the parent-child relationship
- Understanding how God created them—strengths/weaknesses
- What you should really know as you begin this school year
Hal and Melanie Young are homeschooling parents of eight and the authors of several books, including Raising Real Men, My Beloved and My Friend, and the Amazon bestseller Love, Honor, and Virtue. They host the podcast Making Biblical Family Life Practical and are popular conference speakers throughout North America, known for a focus on Christ, grace, and stories about practical application of the Bible day-to-day. They have six sons and two daughters—with four grown, and four still sharing noisy, messy happiness in eastern North Carolina.
Hal & Melanie Young ~
Beyond High School
April 23
We’ve covered a lot this year, and you are now confident you can homeschool through high school—but where is all this headed, and what comes next?
This webinar will get you started on exploring three paths for life after high school. We’ll cover college planning, career planning, and options for a gap year.
Hal and Melanie Young are homeschooling parents of eight and the authors of several books, including Raising Real Men, My Beloved and My Friend, and the Amazon bestseller Love, Honor, and Virtue. They host the podcast Making Biblical Family Life Practical and are popular conference speakers throughout North America, known for a focus on Christ, grace, and stories about practical application of the Bible day-to-day. They have six sons and two daughters—with four grown, and four still sharing noisy, messy happiness in eastern North Carolina.
Super Price Cut!
Thanks to the generosity of VELA Education Fund, who provided a Next Step grant just before Christmas this year, we are able to reduce the price by a whopping 63%! MANY,many thanks to VELA for investing in the future of homeschooling! This truly would not be possible without their support of nontraditional educational opportunities.
Don’t miss this opportunity. Sign up today!
Consider joining parents who have been there and understand your high school concerns.
Homeschool Mentor Program for
High School Parents
A dynamic, interactive program open to high school parents nationwide
We get it. Even experienced homeschool parents feel that certain angst when high school enters the picture.
The struggle is real–and it’s not just about transcripts, college, and careers.
Not since his baby days has your child made such huge leaps of development.
Your high school freshman is still an older child. Your high school graduate will be a young adult.
And the foundation you lay in these years will prepare him to excel in academics, relationships, career, and life.
This is why HEAV has founded its High School Mentoring Program—to pair an experienced parent who has been there with a small group of parents just starting the journey.
Interested?
Please fill out the program interest form as a first step and we will reach out to you with further information
Can’t see the form? Click here!
Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire.
Discuss All the Topics that Concern You
The HEAV Homeschool Mentor Program is a 16-week program that offers weekly, small-group coaching sessions with an experienced mentor, virtual live events on Tuesday evenings covering all the topics below, and access a whole host of resources throughout the year.
You can have the knowledge and confidence you need to successfully homeschool through the high school years!
Our mentors are veteran homeschooling parents who have the experience and knowledge to help you in your journey.
Schedule for High School
Vicki Bentley
Meet Vicki Bentley, a joyful mother of eight daughters, foster mom to fifty children, and proud grandma to 23 wonderful grandbabies (plus eleven great-grandchildren). Alongside her husband Jim, she’s homeschooled 17 children, and her workshops and articles reflect her understanding of the daily challenges facing homeschooling parents. Since 1991, Vicki has been an integral part of support group leadership, providing invaluable guidance and support to homeschooling families at HEAV and HSLDA.
- Notice of Intent (NOI)
- Proof of Progress
- High School transcript
- College transcripts
- Portfolio of exemplary work
- Reading list
- Course summaries
- Test scores
- Academic and civic awards
- Extracurricular experiences
Jonathan Brush
Jonathan Brush is the president and CEO of Unbound, a homeschool graduate, and a homeschool dad of six. A first-generation homeschool graduate, he was director of admissions for a private liberal arts college for nine years and worked for more than ten years in non-traditional higher education.
Jonathan speaks to families and groups across the country about how to seek out and train for adventures and prepare correctly for the amazing opportunities available in the time and place that we live. He loves Unbound and Unbound students and dreams about new ways to connect them to each other every day. Jonathan and his family make their home in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
- Use and management of current technology
- Research skills
- Setting goals
- Time management and deadlines
Candice Dugger
Candice is the founder of Bullied Broken Redeemed, and a nationally recognized anti-bullying expert, author, speaker and trainer. Candice and her team specialize in equipping leaders, parents, and youth on all aspects of Gen Z bullying. These life-changing programs use interactive activities and projects to motivate and empower effective anti-bullying warriors. Candice has been featured on NBC, Christian Broadcasting Network, and Family Research Council, and she is a recognized trainer for Fortune 100 companies. She is regularly featured as a keynote speaker for national and international conferences. Along with her work as an anti-bullying thought leader, she specializes in helping families transition from public or private school to homeschool when a family is in crisis. Her popular “Coming Home” series has helped parents all over the world find hope and healing while using homeschooling as a foundation for the journey.
- Entrepreneurship strategies during and beyond high school
Kathy Kuhl
Kathy coaches parents teaching children with learning challenges, providing resources, support, and guidance. After homeschooling her creative, distractible, dyslexic son, Kathy interviewed 64 parents homeschooling students with learning disabilities. Then she wrote Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner, a handbook equipping parents to teach children with many learning challenges. Kathy also wrote Staying Sane as You Homeschool and Encouraging Your Child.
- Planning High School for your out-of-the-box learner
Hal & Melanie Young
Hal and Melanie are publishers, writers, bloggers, and popular conference speakers known for their Christ-centered focus and practical, real-life stories. They are the creators of the popular Craftsman Crate subscription box and also the award-winning authors of Raising Real Men; No Longer Little; and Love, Honor, and Virtue. The parents of six real boys (all grown!) and two real girls, they live in noisy, messy happiness in North Carolina.
- College Path
- Types of Colleges
- College Visits
- Paying for college
- Career Path
- Apprenticeship
- Military
- Trade programs
- Entrepreneurship
- Experiential learning and life skills
- Gap Year
- Travel
- Short term missions
- Volunteering
- Work
- Relationship building and personal discovery with your high school student
- Nurturing the parent-child relationship
- Understanding how God created them – strengths/weaknesses
- What you should really know as you begin this school year
September 17, 2024 – All About Testing
and Graduation
Speaker: Kimberly Farley
Topics to be covered:
- Testing for college credit: AP, CLEP
- Tests for college admittance and scholarship applications: PSAT, SAT, ACT, CLT
- Special needs: Testing with accommodations
- GED vs. Diploma
October 15, 2024 – Experiential Learning
and Life Skills
Speaker: Connie Albers
Topics to be covered:
- Your child’s unique wiring
- The difference between aptitudes and abilities
- Cultivating your child’s potential through experiences and training
- Life skills training
November 5 2024 – Building Relationships and Discovering Your Child’s Strengths
Speakers: Walt & Tammy Jurek
Topics to be covered:
- Ascertaining natural skills and interests
- Testing for aptitude and spiritual gifts
- How to put the test results to use
August 20, 2024 – Plan Your Year
Speaker: Anne Elliott
Topics to be covered:
- Preparation for high school
- 4-year plan
- Core subjects
- Electives
Special Surprise-and-Delight Bonus Deep Dives
Lanissir James ~ Speaker
All About Testing and Graduation – February 27
Lanissir is joyful and energetic with a mission to impact the lives of people to live joyfully and fearlessly as they pursue their God-sized dreams. A much sought-after speaker, she loves to inspire people by using humor and real life experiences., providing social, spiritual, academic, and supervisory support for families.
Lanissir earned her BS in journalism from the University of Maryland College Park, is Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® certified, and is pursuing a master’s degree in biblical studies. She and her husband, Lorenzo, have seven children. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, photography, and kayaking.
Target Topics
High School Strategy (Plan Your Year)
- Typical program of study (subjects) Extracurriculars (electives)
- Research skills: term paper, outlining, note taking, deadlines
- Tentative goals-college or technical training
- Introduce high school courses
- Ascertain interests/natural skills
- Volunteer work
Teaching Methods
(out-of-the-box learning)
- Tutors
- Distant learning
- Co-ops / Barter subjects
- Dual enrollment at community college
- Internet / Online
- Learn w/student
- AP /CLEP
- Apprenticeships
Important Tests
- PSAT
- SATs
- ACTs
- CLT
- Community college entrance tests
- Test prep
Supplemental Testing
- StrengthFinders
- DISC Profile
- Myer-Briggs
- 5 Love Languages
- ASVAB
- Johnson O’Connor Research Foundation (aptitude testing)
Record Keeping/ Organization
- NOIs
- Achievement test scores Reading list
- Course titles/course summaries
- AP/CLEP results
- Awards/public recognition/honor societies
- Work experience
- Arts/cultural events
- Sports
Transcript
- Credit value
- Grading work
- Dual enrollment credits
- Pre-high school courses
- GPA calculation
- Transcript service
Graduation
- GED
- Diploma
- Ceremony
- Regalia
College Applications
- Types of colleges
- FAFSA
- Scholarships
- Gap year
- Unbound Program
Career Planning and the Workforce
- Apprenticeships
- Trade programs
- Entrepreneurial mindset Experiential learning and Life Skills
Make the Most of Your Time
THIS PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED WITH YOUR FAMILY IN MIND.
Direct Talk
Clear explanations, on-point discussions, and honest answers.
Direct Plan
Consistent and convenient meetings and at-your-fingertips information.
Direct Results
A solid, flexible plan tailored to your child's strengths.
Yes, you can! “I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me."
Meet the Director
Jill Shelton
High School Mentoring Director
Jill and Bob, her husband of 27 years, homeschooled their five children beginning in 2006. Three of the five have graduated and are successful in their adult lives. Sarah, 23, is in graduate school to be a speech therapist while working full time as an ABA therapist; Sophia, 20, is training to become a seamstress with a large university; and Daniel, 19, is in the USAF. Andrew, 16, and Hazel, 9, are also home-educated, filling Jill’s days with much laughter. Also in their home was a nephew during his last few years of high school and now works for the US Postal Service. Jill has used many curricula that have depended on the children’s needs. She knows the joys and challenges of educating children through high school with unique needs. Bob and Jill are active church members and live on a small homestead.
Amy Martinez
High School Mentoring Director
As a veteran homeschool mom of five, Amy Martinez has experience with a variety of homeschooling methods and curricula, including online materials, traditional correspondence, unit studies, Charlotte Mason-inspired programs, and child-directed/unschooling methods.
She has been interviewed on a well-known Unschooling podcast, participated in multiple veteran homeschooler Q&A panels, and mentored homeschooling moms across the country and around the world.
Over the past year and a half, Amy and her team of experienced mentor moms developed and launched the first session of the High School Mentoring Program with HEAV. After soliciting feedback from the charter year’s participants, she has updated the program to help reach more high school families with the program this year. She and her team of mentors are excited to walk alongside you as you journey through the high school years.
Amy loves helping other families find the courage to follow God’s lead in the beautiful journey of homeschooling their families.
Meet Our Program Mentors
Program mentors coming soon!
April Craig
April and her husband Jacob have been married for 26 years and are the parents of two grown children, both Liberty University grads. She homeschooled her children from 2002 through 2019, using a variety of curricula and classes in her homeschool journey. The participated in Classical Conversations for most of the high school years, and one child also took dual-enrollment classes. April taught many classes in co-ops over the years, and after homeschooling, has worked at a daycare, child care, Christian school, and preschool.
Susan McCord
Susan has homeschooled her three children from the beginning until graduation. One child is a college graduate, one is pursuing a college education while working part-time, and her third child is pursuing an electrical apprenticeship. An eclectic Charlotte Mason homeschooler, Susan has guided her children’s education through learning challenges with two children, as well as over 14 years of health challenges with her oldest.
Her emphasis is on tying heartstrings with your children and helping them pursue their strengths and giftings while providing the tools for them to overcome their individual challenges. Homeschooling can be an opportunity for sanctification as we pursue The Father and His ways. As we live out our faith with care for one another and compassion toward others, parents and children can grow simultaneously. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer, our families can pursue God’s purpose for our lives.
Liz Dombroski
Liz and her husband, Chris, have been married for almost 22 years. They have three children, two of whom are Eagle Scouts and high school graduates. Liz started her homeschooling journey when she was told by the school system that her oldest child did not belong to her during school hours and that the school teachers knew how to handle the child better than she did. Liz and Chris immediately pulled their oldest child out of the public school system and began to research ways to help their child, who is on the Autism spectrum. Since then, Liz used a plethora of curricula, teaching techniques, and extracurricular activities she could get her hands on to teach her children to love learning, grow in Christ, and become independent adults. Her goal in life is to build bridges and forge paths to make the journey easier for others to follow. Her method is to shoot arrows into the future that others can use to help them along their journey.
Adrienne Brown
Adrienne Brown, a determined advocate for personal growth and resilient motherhood, is motivated to empower mothers to leverage their inherent skills in nurturing robust families as they homeschool them. As parents of eight, four of their own and four adopted, she and her husband homeschooled all their children, successfully guiding the older ones toward top-tier colleges nationwide. Adrienne’s diverse career includes an eight-year stint in the United States Air Force, serving in Germany for two years, and an eight-year tenure with the Department of Defense. She is a family homeschool consultant at Homeschool Mom of 8 and a published author. Adrienne Brown has taken the stage as a keynote speaker at numerous church events, sharing her approach to personal development and resilience for contemporary mothers. She is refreshingly genuine, enthusiastic about her family, and dedicated to her mission.
Melissa McKensie
Melissa Mckensie is so grateful to have homeschooled her own children for more than ten years, with just one left to graduate. Throughout their journey, her family has been a part of many different co-ops and groups. High school can be daunting and sometimes overwhelming; she hopes that she can encourage someone not to give up and realize that we don’t have to do this alone. Her goal is to emphasize the importance–and the excitement!– of the high school journey, of which the most important aspect is building positive relationships. She is looking forward to helping families understand the many ways we can accomplish one of the most important assignments we can ever have: educating our children.
Crickett Brown
Crickett and her husband, Michael, have been homeschooling since their children’s education began. They are blessed with five children here on Earth – Erin (24), Holly (22), Claire (19), Wesley (16), and Lydia (12). Three of the five have graduated, homeschooled all the way through. Crickett’s homeschooling style leans toward the Charlotte Mason approach, using an eclectic mix of curricula.
Since moving to Virginia in 2003, the Browns have been actively involved in local and state homeschool communities. Crickett has organized teaching co-ops and served in homeschool support groups, a local youth theatre, a Keepers at Home group, and a Contenders for the Faith group. In addition to homeschooling her children, Crickett also finds time to serve as the Virginia State Coordinator for TeenPact Leadership Schools and as a Richmond Regional Home Educators board member.
Suzanne Farmer
Suzanne has been married to her husband, Dennis, for 22 years, and they have two young adults and a teenager. They are in their 20th year of homeschooling, and they’ve used an eclectic mix of curricula through the years. Their older daughter was homeschooled from K-12 and recently completed her Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano Performance. Their youngest child is currently in 7th grade.
Suzanne likes to call herself the unlikeliest homeschooler because she wasn’t born in the U.S. and didn’t attend school here. When she and Dennis first decided to homeschool, she didn’t have the usual 13 years of American education to fall back on.
The fact that she was able to homeschool from kindergarten through high school successfully makes her passionate about encouraging homeschooling and prospective homeschooling moms. If she can do it, she believes anyone who truly wants to can do it, too!
Suzanne prides herself on her ability to find the best resources for her children, including curricula, tutors, or teachers for subjects like French (which she doesn’t speak).
She hopes she can support and encourage parents so they, too, can homeschool all the way through high school.
Joan Schilling
Joan and her husband, Rob, relocated from their native southern California to central Virginia over twenty years ago. Along with a bachelor’s degree in history (UCLA), she has earned an M.Ed. and a Ph.D. in curriculum & instruction from the University of Virginia. Joan’s homeschooling journey began over sixteen years ago with her son, who recently turned twenty. He graduated from homeschool high school in 2022. She currently enjoys homeschooling her two daughters—a fifteen-year-old 10th grader and a thirteen-year-old 7th grader. Joan describes her overall homeschooling style as “eclectic.” Known among her homeschooling friends as someone who has researched and experienced using many different types of curricula, she is delighted to apply her educational background to figuring out what pathway works best for each learner. Joan sincerely hopes and prays that she can serve parents who seek to follow God’s call to homeschool their children through high school.
Mentor Program
Your Guide through High School
Want to be a mentor?
If you have experience homeschooling a high school student and would like to learn more about becoming a mentor, click here.
FAQ
The entire program is online–a beautifully orchestrated combination of live webcasts, helpful Q&A sessions, and weekly small group coaching with your mentor and your “tribe” – four or five other parents who will be your companions throughout the journey.
