2024/2025
Moderator Bios
"My name is Amanda S., and I homeschool my two children in the great state of Texas. I also work from home as a CPA doing consulting and accounting work for some awesome nonprofits. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening, baking, and following my kids around in their various activities. I'm excited to be moderating for the first time this year!"
Angela M. will be moderating The Book of the Ancient Greeks, The Iliad and The Odyssey. I was born and raised in SE Michigan, which is where we currently reside. I am a product of the public school system, went to college for mechanical engineering, and was employed within the automotive industry. Prior to having children, my husband and I said that we'd *never* homeschool, but God had different plans for us! :) (It turns out that engineering was a cakewalk when I compare it to some of our really hard school days.) My family is now going into our 9th year of homeschooling using Memoria Press with students in grades 9th, 7th, and 4th. This is my third year moderating for Vita Beata and through it I've discovered a deep appreciation for ancient histories and literature. I'm thankful for the opportunity to learn alongside my children and to trust God in our day to day triumphs and struggles.
Anna S. "I am a homeschooling mom to seven children living in central Indiana. It’s our fourth year using Memoria Press curriculum and eleventh year homeschooling. I have a major in World literature and linguistics. I love reading great books and learning from them. I am looking forward to moderating with Vita Beata."
Aundrea K. "Hello! I am a homeschooling mom of 6 with a degree in Theology, and a love of history and literature. I am excited to continue our journey with Vita Beata."
“Hi! I’m Ava W, I am 16, I am going into my junior year, and this is my first year as a Vita Beata moderator. I have been taking Vita Beata classes as a student for five years and I have been learning using Memoria Press for seven years. The first Vita Beata class I ever took was Famous Men of Rome, which I will helping moderate this year. I am a mother to zero, but I do have five little siblings that I love with all my heart and two puppies who never fail to cause chaos. I look forward to spending this school year getting to know some amazing kids, learning, and moderating. Have an amazing day!”
Bridget N. I am excited to be moderating for the first time this year. This will be our second year with Vita Beata. I have been blessed to be able to homeschool our 5 children that range from 9 years old to 4 months for the last 4 years. I have a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Florida. I have taught at our local co op and am a coordinator there.
Brittany K. has been homeschooling for 14 years, using Memoria Press for 6 years, and participating with Vita Beata for 4 years. She loves learning about history and helping children see how historic figures fit onto the timeline of life. Mrs. Kearns is a mother of 6 and wife of a US Naval Chaplain. She has degrees in Human Development and Nursing. She enjoys running with her children, hiking, and learning about new cultures and languages.
"My name is Candi G. I am a homeschooling mom of 5 sons with a Master's degree in English. I love all things language and literature and am so excited to begin leading discussions this year!"
Cassie V. is starting her ninth year of homeschooling and is thrilled to be returning to the Vita Beata community. Cassie hails from Ohio with her husband and three children. Between Latin and Literature lessons, they can be found on the soccer field or camping.
"My name is Catherine S. I am a mom of five children, ages 13-6, and have homeschooled for eight years using Memoria Press exclusively. I am excited to moderate Eight Grade Literature this year. My hobbies include sewing, traveling when I am able, and gardening. My favorite books are Jane Eyre, The Count of Monte Cristo, and Alice in Wonderland."
Caroline G lives on a small farm in the Texas Hill Country with her husband, 6 kids, and a herd of dairy goats. She enjoys sports, cooking, and reading good literature alongside her children. This is her third year with Vita Beata and 14th year homeschooling.
"My name is Cecilia C. and we've been homeschooling for 11 years and this will be my 4th year moderating a Famous Men Vita Beata class. My children (3 boys and a girl) range in age from 6 to 16. We enjoy Memoria Press history, science and Latin among other things. Around here we are fans of reading both aloud (recently Ranger's Apprentice books, C.S. Lewis and Laura Ingalls Wilder) and independently. When I'm not homeschooling and reading I love to be outside with my plants."
"Hello, I am Christine C. This will be my first year moderating with Vita Beata and ninth year of homeschooling. I discovered a love for classical education during college, where I majored in English and philosophy. When I am not busy teaching our four children I can be found reading, hiking, gardening, and gaming."
Christine S. is the wife of a pastor and mom of 10th and 7th grade sons. She’s been homeschooling classically for 10 years, using Memoria Press for 5, and is excited to be moderating with Vita Beata for the first time this year!
Christina W. is a 2nd generation homeschooler with a BS in Computer Science. She has homeschooled her three children (10th, 7th, and 3rd) from the beginning of their education. This is Christina’s fourth year with Vita Beata.
Christy B. is in her ninth year moderating for Vita Beata and its antecedent. She has moderated the majority of the classical studies and literature groups at some point, and this is her second time moderating Greek Tragedies. She also is the inaugural Memoria Academy Special Needs Teacher, currently teaching both Latin and Literature. She has homeschooled with Memoria Press since a move from Louisville forced them to leave the Highlands Latin School. Her college sophomore is a Memoria Press homeschool graduate, and she is homeschooling a senior, a freshman, and a sixth grader this year.
Cortney S. is a homeschooling mom of 2 great kids. This will be her 9th year homeschooling and her 7th year using Memoria Press. Cortney teaches 3rd and 4th graders at a local Highlands Latin cottage school. She loves reading in any spare time she can find. This will be her third year moderating with Vita Beata.
Daniel S. "I have had the pleasure of homeschooling my children for about 10 years. Although I currently work as a family doctor, I do share the responsibility with my wife, and have been very involved in multiple subjects with our children. I love the knowledge and insight I also gain from teaching my children. I enjoy great works of literature and regularly read books on kindle on a daily basis. I look forward to going through literature with Vita Beata this year and mutually learning more about these great works together."
Debbie H. My introduction to homeschooling began on a walk down Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, KY with my family. We noticed an open house for Highlands Latin School. After that visit and subsequent research, we resolved that our kids would attend this amazing school. Before our oldest was school-aged, life pulled us in a different direction to Des Moines, IA where a church member mentioned that her family homeschooled. She described her curriculum, which sounded a lot like Highlands Latin School, Memoria Press! The realization that the Highlands Latin School curriculum was available through Memoria Press persuaded me to homeschool, and I have never looked back. I have homeschooled full-time since 2014 and have three children.
"I am Evie A. Prior to having my children, I spent 7 years in the public school system (teaching 3rd, 5th, and ESL) where I had to fight to even read chapter books to our students. I have LOVED reading classical literature and studying history with my 3 children (headed into 8th, 7th & 5th for 2024-2025) using Memoria Press as our guide. I'm excited to meet your wonderful children and encourage them along their journey of growing a love for reading and learning."
“I’m Heidi F. This will be my third year moderating for Vita Beata, and I am excited to lead the Greek Myths class. I have four children with one on the way. We are in our tenth year of homeschooling and using Memoria Press curriculum. In my free time, I enjoy working on our hobby farm, baking or reading.”
“Hi, I’m Julie S. This will be my sixth year moderating with Vita Beata, our ninth year with Memoria Press, and our twenty-third year homeschooling. I am a bi-vocational pastor’s wife, mom of ten, and a grandma to three. This year I am homeschooling my youngest three in 7th, 9th, and 11th grade. I was drawn to MP through their literature guides and have enjoyed walking with students through most grades levels of literature as well as Homer and a few history classes with VB. This year I will be moderating 7th Literature (one of my favorite years), BOAR/Aeneid, and the new Alternate 10th/11th grade literature. I will also be teaching Third Form Latin online."
"Hi, I’m Katie S. I’m a mom to 4. This will be our 8th year homeschooling and I will have an 8th grader, 6th grader, and 1st grader this year with a little one along for the ride. This is our third year with Vita Beata and my second year moderating, though I’ve taught co-op classes in the past."
Kim A. "Greetings from the heart of Texas! I didn't always plan on homeschooling, but with my husband's unique schedule as a pastor, we were drawn to the flexibility it offers so we could visit family (WI, IL) & the opportunity to spend more time with our children. I've been homeschooling for the past 6 years, primarily using Memoria Press materials. I have 4 children ages 12, 10, 7, and 2, as well as a dog and chickens. I am also a RN, specializing in vascular access. In our free time we hike as much as our schedule allows. We love the challenges hiking brings, especially if it involves crossing streams. This will be our first year participating in Vita Beata & my first year moderating. I enjoyed going through Famous Men of Rome with my eldest daughter & now look forward to repeating it with my son & some of your kiddos!"
Kristi B. is a pastor's wife and mother of two children, ages 12 and 16. She has been homeschooling for eleven years and loves reading and learning alongside her children. This is her fourth year moderating for Vita Beata. She will be leading 7th Grade American Studies. She blogs about family and faith, especially about homeschooling and trusting God in hard times, at www.thissideofheavenblog.com.
Letisha P. Will be moderating 7th Grade Literature. I have been walking the homeschool journey since the year 2000. I have 4 sons and 2 daughters ages 31-6 and 7 grandchildren. I am a nurse and Biblical naturopath where I enjoy utilizing God’s Word and His medicinal gifts to help others. My hobbies include farming on a small scale, gardening, reading, and being outdoors as much as possible. I also enjoy visiting my dad on our 6th generation farm in West Virginia and vacationing in North Carolina on the oceanfront. One of my all time favorite books is “The Dangerous Journey.”
Marie W. is a homeschooling mother to 6 children ages 16-4. We have been homeschooling for 10 years, 7 of those using Memoria Press exclusively. This will be my second year moderating for Vita Beata and our sixth year with participating students. During the 2024-2025 school year, I will have children in Junior Kindergarten, First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, and Eleventh. I am excited to lead students this year in their studies of literature and classical studies!
"Hi! I am Melanie R., second generation homeschooler in upstate New York, mother of four, and a devoted Memoria Press enthusiast. We are embarking on our sixth year with MP and my third year moderating for Vita Beata."
Nannette J. "Hello from from Maryland! I'm grateful to the Lord that we are about to start our 10th year of homeschooling! I recently retired from full time midwifery to stay at home with the 5 beautiful souls God has granted me to raise. For 2024-25 I will have 8th grade, 6th grade, 3rd grade, and 1st grade students, plus little baby sister in the mix! I We have used Memoria Press materials and Memoria Academy for 5 years now and this will be our 3rd year with VitaBeata, 2nd for me as a moderator. I look forward to moderating 6th grade American History and 3rd grade Literature!"
"My name is Noah P. I'm 17 years old, and will be a junior in the fall. I have always been homeschooled and have taken and enjoyed several Vita Beata classes. Having a great love of classical history, I'm looking forward to moderating a Famous Men of Ancient Greece class. This year I earned medals in the National Latin Exam and the National Roman Civilization Exam. I plan to major in history in college and look forward to sharing my love of classical history in particular with my students!"
Shannon S. is a second generation homeschooling mom of five. Like most homeschool moms, her daily life finds her teaching the kids, juggling all the things from sports to music activities to menu planning, and also actively participating in her role as pastor's wife. This is her third year moderating (this year 5th and 8th literature as well as BOMA/RRT), her family's fifth year participating in Vita Beata, and her ninth year of homeschooling with Memoria Press. Shannon has a degree in music history and French and has taught music privately and in classroom settings from elementary to collegiate level. She is so thankful for Vita Beata's online presence for her own children and is thrilled to be part of it.
"Hello, My name is Shatoya W., a homeschool mom of three beautiful children. This is my 5th year homeschooling and I am enjoying the ride. I am a certified Early Childhood Educator. This will be my second year journeying with Vita Beata. During my first year I enjoyed Memoria Press so much, I decided to become a moderator for the Third Grade Literature Class for the second year. I am enjoying being a moderator, and can not wait to moderate again next year."
Stephanie S. "Hi! I have been homeschooling in some capacity for 11 years. I have three children and this will be our 5th year using Memoria Press. This is my 3rd time moderating and my first time jumping into Famous Men of the Middle Ages.”