Jeremy Ackerman
Husband, father, Christian, and belletristic bibliomaniac, Jeremy is no stranger to the homeschool community. The adventure started in 2003 when Jeremy proposed to the most beautiful woman in the world, Kate Mundrick, who inconceivably replied in the affirmative. Time since has brought six wonderful children into their lives: Benjamin (2004), Caroline (2005), Selah (2007), Caleb (2013), and twins, Hazel and Hope (2019). Their homeschooling journey led them to Classical Conversations where Jeremy and Kate both “tutored” on and off between moves and homeschooled their first three children. It was here, working with kids, that resurrected Jeremy’s lifelong desire to teach and make learning exciting. Though he holds a degree in art and graphic design, his stronger love for literature made teaching English a more natural choice. Currently, Jeremy uses his passion to teach middle and high school literature/writing at Christian Homeschool Center and Providence Preparatory Academy. He is obsessively dedicated to doing the best he can to help kids love learning. His other interests include drawing, singing, organizing, and reading (shocker)!
Julie Babb
Julie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Art History from UNCW while stationed in Wilmington as a military wife. During that time she volunteered at St. John’s Museum of Art (now Cameron Art Museum) where she learned how a museum is operated, how to install traveling art exhibits as well as the museum’s permanent collection and how to handle and transport art. After living in Wilmington for four years, Julie and her husband Jeff were transferred to Chicago where she earned a Master of Arts degree in Art History from Northern Illinois University and volunteered at the Art Institute of Chicago. At the Art Institute she spent many hours in the museum library doing research for the textile department. After living in Chicago for four years, she and her husband were transferred again, this time to Houston, where she was employed by the Museum of Fine Arts to work in registration and installation. Upon retirement from the Coast Guard in 2001, God led Julie and Jeff back to Wilmington which has become their permanent home. Julie was then given the opportunity to teach Art History at UNCW for a little over a year as well as teach an art history series to the docents at Cameron Art Museum. In 2003, God blessed Julie and her husband with the first of three children. She has since devoted her time to raising and homeschooling them which brings her great joy. Her children are her hobby, as well as reading, crocheting, watching old movies, and spending time with her family and friends.
Sonja Bailes
Sonja grew up in Wilmington, NC. She attended college at UNC-Chapel Hill, where through God’s providence, she met her husband, Eddie. She graduated with a BS in Public Health and continued her education in the business school at Duke University. After graduating with a master’s degree in healthcare administration (MHA), Sonja worked for 10 years as an
administrator and consultant for physician practices and hospitals in the Charlotte, NC area. Once her first son was born, she hung her diplomas over the rocking chair and became a full-time mom and eventual homeschooler. She homeschooled her two sons, Drew and Nathan, for 20 years -- from kindergarten through high school. While searching for a foreign language
option for her younger son, she had the idea that learning sign language would be fun for both of them. She and Nathan began taking sign language classes locally, and before long, her son asked if she would start a homeschool class so that he could sign “with people his own age."
This was the beginning of the ASL program at CHC! Even though Sonja is a retired homeschooler, she continues to coordinate the American Sign Language classes for CHC and serves as the bookkeeper for Christ the King Church.
Jenn Bass
Jennifer is a passionate advocate for living a lifestyle of health and wellness. Convinced that we are not only called to care for our spiritual lives but our physical bodies as well, it is her belief that the way we feel physically can have an effect on every area of our lives. She loves studying nutrition and the ways a healthy lifestyle that includes both a proper diet and exercise can be so impactful to a person both mentally and physically. Seeing this truth manifest itself in her own life has driven her to continue educating herself on the topic. She is constantly devouring books on nutrition. She has also received two nutrition certificates through Cape Fear community college. and studied personal training through ACE. Her plans this summer include getting a health coach certification through NASM.
Through the years she has been committed to weight training, holy yoga, and running. Running is one of her favorite forms of exercise. She started running as a teenager and has grown to love it even more as an adult. In an effort to pass along her love of running she has volunteered her time coaching Girls on the Run and Stride. Her desire is to show children that exercise can be both fun and rewarding.
As a mom of three rapidly growing children, she is constantly looking for ways to keep everyone moving. Her family enjoys spending time together hiking, bike riding, taking walks, and kayaking. She also enjoys trying new healthy recipes out on her crew who are usually willing participants. Well, some are more willing than others but her hope is that little seeds of health and wellness are being planted along the way not only for her family but also the people God puts in her path.
Elizabeth Burk
Elizabeth is well versed in home education as a home educated graduate herself through Pensacola Christian Academy. She has taught children of various ages from 5-day clubs with Child Evangelism Fellowship as a teen, to VBS, weekly church classes, and youth ministry work as an adult. Sensing the call to one day teach her own children at home, she chose to become a lifelong student of all subjects. She, her husband Kevin, and their 4 children ages pre-k to highschool moved to Wilmington in 2017 and have been blessed by the thriving homeschool community here. The privilege of nurturing, teaching and encouraging each child in understanding who God is, who they are as His creation, and empowering them with the knowledge necessary to live the life He has for them is her life ministry.
Elizabeth is passionate about sharing the true history of our country with the next generation. The majority of students across this nation do not receive an education of how the United States was really founded. "One nation under God", meaning the one true triune God. She looks forward to engaging with students to bring the history of our nation to life, as they are our future leaders.
Christine Cheesman
Christine has been creating art for as long as she can remember, waking up before Saturday morning cartoons to sketch and draw floor plans of dream houses. She studied visual arts at East Carolina University, receiving a BFA in art education/painting. She studied art in Gubbio, Italy and with sculptor Lisa Sotilis which helped inspire a passion for painting, design … and cooking. She now enjoys making creative and allergy friendly foods that are tasty and visually appealing to inspire healthy eating.
Christine has taught art in public schools, private schools, and hybrid homeschool programs. She also taught culinary arts to middle school and high school students. Her favorite setting is small group classes where the students create friendships and engage in meaningful conversations while creating. Seeing children (and adults) let go of fear and embrace their God given creativity brings great joy to Christine.
She and her husband Woody have been homeschooling in part or full for 15 years. Their oldest is a sophomore at Lipscomb University in Nashville. They are excited to be back in Christine’s hometown of Wilmington after a period of living in Orlando, Florida.
Gina Crowder
Gina wanted to teach children since she was very young, often helping teach Vacation Bible School and summer camp as a teenager. She attended Atlantic Christian College and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and later received a Master’s degree in Special Education from East Carolina University. She and her husband moved to Wilmington after getting married. Teaching in the school system was her passion for nine years until she had children and decided to stay home. When her oldest was in the fourth grade, she decided to begin homeschooling. She has been homeschooling now for thirteen years. Her two oldest are in college and she continues to homeschool her youngest two. Throughout her homeschool career Gina has enjoyed not only teaching her own children, but also teaching a variety of homeschooling classes including writing, grammar, and history. Teaching continues to be something that she loves and enjoys.
Sally Evans
Sally was born and raised in San Salvador, El Salvador Central America where she attended a fully bilingual British preparatory school for ten years. Through her school, she graduated from the international Baccalaureate Program in 1989, and came to North Carolina as an international student. She graduated from Campbell University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and minors in Business Administration and History. She later completed a Master of Business Administration degree from Wingate University, and while working and building a career in health administration in the Charlotte area, she finished a Graduate Certificate of Health Administration from Pfeiffer University. In early 2002 Sally said “I do,” and joined her husband Don in Wilmington where her three children were later born. Sally believes that the best degree and career of all for her has been to become a wife and mother, and feels blessed to have had the opportunity to classically home school her three boys for over ten years. It was through home education that she discovered a love and a passion for teaching. Sally and her family attend and are active members of New Hanover Church.
Hayley Hamilton
Hayley grew up in Wilmington and attended UNCW where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. She married her amazing husband of 25 years, Rob, after her junior year in college. After graduation they moved to Massachusetts while Rob attended seminary. She worked for three years as a Recreational Therapist at a nursing home and loved it! Their oldest daughter was born at the end of seminary, and she was thankful to become a stay-at-home mom! They moved multiple times and ended up having five kids in four different states:) Fourteen years ago the Lord called them back home to Wilmington and they love being back with family and of course the beach. Hayley started her homeschool journey in 2008 when her oldest was in kindergarten. She had different rolls in Classical Conversations both as a tutor and writing/grammar teacher from 2010-2022. This will be her 2nd year teaching Elementary Science at CHC. She enjoys spending time with her family, being outside; especially at the beach, anything athletic, reading, and cooking. She’s excited to add Elementary Math this year in addition to exploring God’s amazing creation with her students!
Shelley King
Originally from South Carolina, Shelley graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelors of Science in Parks, Recreation and Tourism management and has always loved having a good time! Her husband’s job with Young Life originally brought them to Wilmington and it has been home for 10 years. They served in vocational ministry for 15 years, and had three amazing, rowdy boys in that time: Jackson, Sam, and Charlie. He has since left Younglife staff, and now owns and operates multiple franchise units of Crawlspace Medic. When Shelley is not homeschooling, baking, walking outside, or hanging out with friends at the beach, she’s busy helping to support him in his business endeavors. Shelley served as the administrator for Christ the King Church for three years and as the interim Children’s Director for one year. Shelley is well versed in the classical method of homeschool as her family has participated in Classical Conversations for five years where she has worked as a Foundations Tutor as well as an Essentials Tutor (the Grammar and writing class). Shelley also started Wilmington’s Wild + Free Group in 2019 that focused on giving children time to explore nature and enjoy the outdoors. She has spent the last five years reading through Charlotte Mason’s Home Education series and using those methods in her homeschool. She believes strongly in the process of narration, note-booking, and hands-on learning for a child’s retention and understanding of materials. More than anything in Shelley’s years of homeschooling, she has learned to love learning! She has gained so much new knowledge and has excitement for new subjects and is ready to share those with all of you!
Kristi lee
When Kristi started music lessons at the age of 7, her parents couldn’t keep her off the piano. After spending much of her school years in various music groups, festivals, and competitions, she went on to study music in college. She holds a B.S. in Music Education and an M.M. in Piano Performance. In 2006 she was invited into Pi Kappa Lambda. Kristi has taught Music Appreciation at USC-Upstate and piano lessons at California Baptist University. After moving to Charlotte, NC and starting a family in 2012, Kristi taught private lessons for 17 years and started her own music school during that time. In 2019 she was named the Charlotte area’s Top Music Teacher by the Steinway Piano Gallery. Kristi and her husband Adam relocated to Wilmington in the spring of 2021 along with their three daughters and two dogs. She currently serves as a worship band keyboard player at her local church. She enjoys spending time outdoors and reveling in God’s goodness through the beauty of nature and the creative arts. She is busy homeschooling her daughters but loves spending a day each week in the classroom at CHC!
Rob Moser
How to summarize a life lived on the edge of sanity? Yes, this is your psychology teacher’s opening line. Since the Lord rescued me in 1999, he compelled me to trust, follow, and keep my eyes on Him. After being saved in 1999, I soon met my lovely wife, Mauri, who complements my many weaknesses. After marriage, we had everything planned for our life, salaries, corporate jobs, benefits, 2 ½ kids; however, in 2010, God interrupted our American dream and called us to live a life on mission using Hebrews 11:8-10 as the hallmark (see below). We obeyed and moved to Wilmington where he planted us in a church and called us to foster and adopt three children. From there, a great adventure in faith began and from 2016-2023 where all seven of us moved from Charlotte to Wilmington to Mexico to Colorado, and back to Wilmington changing residences 9 times in that period.
As for my education and experience, I hold a Bachelor’s in Psychology, a Master’s in Counseling and Development, and 20 years of work experience in the field of counseling and psychology. My counseling experience includes 12 years as a licensed therapist, seven years in severe child mental health, seven years in individual and family Christian psychotherapy, and six years lead pastoring (and counseling) as a church planting missionary in Mexico and Colorado.
Not only have I been a pastor and counselor, but I spent 3 years as a school teacher teaching bible and science at the Manantial School in Mexico. Through this experience, I developed a love of building good relationships with students and seeing them grow academically, personally and spiritually. It's a joy to see students develop in their understanding of themselves, their world, and their creator and Savior. My hobbies and interests include travel, geography, exploring new cultures and people, theology, philosophy, as well as basketball, golf, and science fiction.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. Hebrews 11:8-10
Kati Naef
Kati has a heart to help young people discover their gifts, understand their God-given abilities, and use them for His glory. She loves to encourage people into their full potential and help them succeed. She enjoys hands-on learning and holding students to a high, but achievable, standard. Kati and her husband Christian have two daughters whom they have homeschooled since 2005. Kati has a BS from George Mason University in Health, Fitness & Recreation Resources/Exercise Science. She has been a director of Greater Glory Worship Arts since 2014.
​
Shanna noel
Shanna was born in Wilmington, NC, and raised in Oak Island, NC. She always knew she wanted to be a teacher. After befriending a Venezuelan exchange student in high school, Shanna decided to pursue a degree in Spanish and become a Spanish teacher. She attended UNC Wilmington, graduated with a BA in Spanish, and received a K-12 NC Teaching License in Spanish. For nine years, she taught high school Spanish in Pender and New Hanover counties. After Shanna's youngest son was born, she and her husband decided to have her stay home to be more present with their children. When her youngest started preschool at a local church, Shanna worked as a teacher assistant. She loved being able to express her faith while teaching, and this planted a seed in her to consider how to incorporate that with her children. In 2020, her family found the answer in homeschooling. Her family is thriving with this decision and has plans to continue, indefinitely. She currently lives in Wilmington with her husband and two sons. Her hobbies include spending time with her family, reading, traveling, and volunteering on the curriculum team at her church. She is very excited to share her passion for Spanish, teaching, and her faith with her future students and their families.
Bryan Palumbo
Bryan graduated from the National Institute of Technology for the Deaf in Rochester, NY with an AAS degree in Data Processing in 1988. He also attended the Computer Tech in Pittsburgh, PA, for an AAS degree in Computer Information Management from 1993 to 1995. He worked in the Information Technology field from 1988 to 2001.
In 2001, he moved to Wilmington and started working for a residential contractor framing homes. He has taught the Deaf Bible study at Grace Baptist Church since 2009. He also taught and preached at Deaf churches or ministries in many cities since 2013. He is the leader of the Romans Road for the Deaf ministry, traveling all over the United States to evangelize the Deaf and teach them about Jesus. From these experiences, he wrote the book Romans Road for the Deaf: A Step of Faith which inspires many to be courageous and bold to preach the gospel of Jesus.
His study of Christian apologetics began in 2008 when he fell in love with the subject. His studies have helped equip and prepare him to communicate with those who have doubts about God, Jesus, the Bible, etc. and to answer their questions. God has given him a desire to help anyone who wants to learn more about apologetics and how to defend their faith. His hobbies are spending time with his wife Jill, pyrography (wood-burning artwork), reading apologetics books and articles and watching YouTubes about Apologetics and debates between Christians and others with different worldviews.
Jill Palumbo
Jill Palumbo grew up in Huntington, NY and graduated from Our Lady of
Mercy Academy. She has three grown children, a son and two daughters.
She homeschooled her youngest daughter for her final years of high school
and plans to homeschool her four year-old granddaughter, Katie, starting
this fall. She has been married to Bryan Palumbo for 18 years. She is a
long-time volunteer with Special Olympics, has been a member of Grace
Baptist Church since 2018, and is a founding member of Grace Christian
Fellowship for the Deaf. Currently, she teaches in the KIDSign class at
CHC and cherishes each moment with the little students! In her free time
Jill loves scrapbooking, gardening, and spending quality time with her
family and friends.
Leigh Williams
Leigh Williams received a B.S. in Dance Education Grades K-12 from East Carolina University. She has taught Drama, Music, Art, and Dance in public and private schools, grades K-12 for 22 years. Leigh and her husband Jeff built The Arts Company, Inc., a performing arts school located in Faison,NC, providing quality arts education to ages two through adult. Seven years later they founded Project Reclaim Ministries, a non-profit ministry with the mission of reclaiming the arts for God’s glory, hosting main stage concerts, arts collaborations, and community events, reaching over 3,000 children and implementing a child sponsorship program with World Vision International. While her degree is in arts education, she has a deep love for teaching little ones and being a part of the spark that ignites a love for learning. She also has a dedicated heart for Elementary cognitive learning with roots in Biblical foundations. Her hands down favorite position that the Lord has ever blessed her with was Director of Footprints Preschool/Kindergarten, in Mount Olive, NC. During this time, Leigh was honored to teach K-4 and K-5 and to oversee curriculum, instruction and development of a strong community involvement with her families.
Leigh believes that children thrive in education and are inspired towards excellence in all things when they know they are loved and valued, when they understand that they have been carefully knit by God, and when they see education as a means to know Him deeper. Leigh has been homeschooling her four children for the past nine years.
Tim Williams
Born and raised in Jacksonville, NC, Tim grew up with a love for the outdoors and the ocean. His father taught woodshop, and his mother taught math and served as a school counselor. Teaching was in his genes from his early years; he has taught math at Coastal Carolina Community College for over ten years.
Tim began surrendering his life to the leadership of Christ in high school at a youth summer camp. He completed his undergraduate studies in ministry at Wheaton College (IL) and recently completed a Master of Divinity at Campbell University. Tim is married to Bobbie Joann and has four wonderful daughters: Madison (2009), Anna (2011), Ruby (2016), and Sarah (2019). Tim and his family settled in Wilmington in 2021 and are members at Christ Our Hope Anglican Church. He enjoys volunteering at First Fruit Ministries and works remotely for Disciple Nations Alliance with a passion for the beauty and the power of the Gospel to bring change to situations of poverty in lives, communities, and nations around the world.
Ali Willson
Ali is a Connecticut native but has been in Wilmington long enough (debatably) to be called a southerner. Upon moving to Wilmington in 2000, Ali attended UNCW while working as an extra on local film productions. She met her best friend, Ken, in 2001 and they were married 3 years later. For a brief time, they lived in south Florida but knew Wilmington was where they wanted to start their family and moved back in 2006. After their first son, Jack, was born, they started their homeschool journey with nothing more than faith, a little fear, and supportive friends. God was faithful and since then, they have been blessed with Ella, Sam, and Noah.
Ali has enjoyed learning alongside her children. She has tutored Foundations and Writing/Grammar at various Classical Conversations campuses throughout her 10 years of homeschooling. She and Ken are members of New Hanover Church and they love to travel with their family. Her children especially like how their mother manages to turn every family trip into a “learning opportunity.”
Ali is excited to continue her homeschool journey at CHC and is determined to prove to middle-schoolers that sentence diagramming is fun! She is also eager to engage with and encourage students while teaching Logic with a Christian Worldview.
