Instructors
Mrs. Jennifer Beaty
Jennifer Beaty was raised in Texas in a pioneering homeschool family. At age 22, she moved to Bolivia to start an orphange for abandoned and orphaned babies. The ministry grew, but so did her family after marriage to Jake at age 30, so after a few more years in Bolivia, the family of seven moved to Tennessee near Jennifer's family. After three years there, Jake got a great job in NW Washington near HIS family, so the family (now bigger) moved again. Jake began training for the ministry, and in January 2024, the family was invited to pastor Clover Pass Community Church in Ketchikan, AK. They moved in May and love it here! The Beatys have homeschooled since January 2013, the week after adopting three boys from the homes in Bolivia when their oldest bio daughter was newborn. Those three boys are now in their early 20s. One is married and all have good jobs. The four daughters are the current Beaty students!
Mrs. Tracy Benner
I was born and raised here in Ketchikan and love raising my family here on our soggy little island. I went to Eastern Washington University and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in 2008. Justin and I got married in 2008 with the sand in our toes on Maui. This is our first year homeschooling our girls and we are excited for this new adventure.
Mrs. Julia Collins
I was born and raised in Texas and moved here to Ketchikan with my husband, Jeramy, in 2022. We have 3 children together, and serve in the children's ministry at South Tongass Alliance Church. I obtained my Bachelor's degree in Human Services from Southwestern Assemblies of God University in 2012. I currently work part-time as a care coordinator, assisting individuals with disabilities to receive services in their home and community. This is my second year homeschooling, and I have always had a passion for homeschool and I am very excited to be a part of this ministry and community to grow our children together, equipping them in truth and love.
Mrs. Elizabeth Fonda-Lindner
Hi there! I’m a mom of three, Sam (9), Nate (7), and Georgia (4). We also have a Kerry Blue Terrier and eight ducks. I grew up in Eugene, Oregon but moved to the Seattle area to complete my nursing degree at the University of Washington.
We are a Coast Guard family so the kids have lived in many states (OR, WA, AL). Our favorite place to live so far has been here in Ketchikan, Alaska! We love the close-knit, safe community.
We enjoy hiking rain or shine, fishing/crabbing, and playing card or board games as a family. We take a yearly trip to Hawaii when we need a break from the gloomy weather and were able to see the volcano eruption this year. We love learning together and have enjoyed our homeschool journey so far!
Mrs. Amy Hout
I was born and raised in Colorado and moved to Ketchikan in 2008. My husband, who is retired from the Coast Guard, now works in rental maintenance. We have two children—our daughter is a senior at George Fox University, studying mechanical engineering, and our son is a high school senior who will graduate in May through IDEA. I’m excited to be part of The Learning Tree co-op and look forward to helping out however I can.
Mrs. Loren Mickel
I’ve been in Ketchikan since 1993, age 6, when my dad relocated our family for a civilian job at the coast guard base. I homeschooled off and on from 3rd grade through high school. Even though I should’ve met my husband, Caleb, a million times over while growing up here, it didn’t happen until God’s timing was right. We quickly got married in 2007 and started expanding our family in 2014. We have a lovely daughter and son and 2 dogs. We have been homeschooling for the last 2 years and find it very enjoyable. We are loving the co-op and spending time together, creating a wonderful community for our kids to flourish.
Mrs. Mishele Rhein
My husband and I will be celebrating 30 years of marriage this fall with four grown children and 5 grandchildren. Originally recruited for the Horse Program at Echo Ranch Bible Camp in 1996, we arrived lacking any knowledge of Southeast Alaska and have proudly called it home since. I have spent 14 years as a homeschool educator, 3 years as an ABE/GED tutor at Ketchikan Correctional Center, 2 years as a classroom teacher with KGBSD, and currently working toward my Master of Art in Teaching. My hope is to help develop quality education opportunities within the community through The Learning Tree Co-op. I am excited to meet you all and look forward to what we will create together.
Mrs. Cindy Speights
Born a California girl, I moved to Sacramento (center of state) where I met my husband of 42 years. We traveled across US via military moves for 10 1/2 yrs when my husband got out. We moved to Alaska in June 2000 working for a company called AC or Alaska Commercial company managing village stores across Alaska in remote villages which God used for provision and direction since He sent us to Alaska as our mission field. We came to Ketchikan in early 2008 and bought our first home. We home schooled both our children who have gone on to be successful God loving believers. Our daughter lives here in Ketchikan with 4 teenagers and our son and his family live in Colorado with 4 teenagers. I consider myself blessed beyond measure. We were a part of a large church with a huge homeschooling cell group organization which our then teenagers actively participated in and I co-taught a drama cell group. I am so excited for this amazing opportunity to participate in the Learning Tree Co-op.
Mrs. Courtney White
I was born and raised in Texas. I moved to Ketchikan towards the end of 2021. I came to Ketchikan as a travel nurse with zero intention to stay here. My feral boys fell in love with it here so we stayed. I have my bachelors in nursing from Midwestern State University and currently work at Peacehealth in multiple departments and capacities. I am a certified dementia practitioner and one day would like to get my masters in nursing education. Our homeschool journey started this year. We are enjoying the freedom it provides us. Atlas enjoys all the free time he has! I have two other boys Ever-7 (who still attends Point Higgins) and Phoenix who is almost 2. My husband Terrence and I are classmates so we’ve known each other since we were 5 but we’ve been married for almost 14 years.
Mrs. Darcel Williams
Hi! I am Emmet and Tobias Ridinger’s mom. I have been homeschooling my sons since the fall of 2020. I was raised in Metlakatla, Alaska but spent my junior year of high school in Washington State and then graduated from Ketchikan High School. I then spent 4 years at Middlebury College in Vermont and received a bachelors degree in Sociology and Anthropology. After college, I worked as a certified behavioral health aide, community engagement coordinator, and a high school assistant basketball coach in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor. I moved back to Ketchikan in 2011 to work as the Tribal Liaison and Study Skills Coordinator for a collaborative effort between the Ketchikan Indian Community and KGBSD to raise the graduation rates of native students. At the same time, I also served as the girls high school assistant basketball coach. I then started focusing on a student counselor masters degree and was four credits shy of graduating when God showed me he had a different plan. I’ve been home with my sons for the past 10 years and while I’ve enjoyed all of my previous roles, my favorite of all has been guiding my sons' faith and education.