From Abeka Student to Abeka Academy Teacher: A Full-Circle Homeschool Journey

Mrs. Antich | Pensacola

I grew up watching Abeka teachers in my living room, never imagining for one second that I would one day have the opportunity to shape the very curriculum that taught me.

My connection to Abeka and Pensacola Christian College began long before I ever stepped on campus.

My parents met at PCC—my mom as an undergraduate and my dad as a graduate student. When I came along, they chose to homeschool with Abeka. My mom made the sacrifice to stay home with us, even though she had a master’s degree and could have been teaching elsewhere. That decision changed everything.

Family and faith around the kitchen table

I was raised in rural North Carolina as the oldest of four siblings, and Abeka Academy quickly became part of our daily life.

Our classroom was the kitchen table, and our teachers appeared on a television screen. To us, they were larger than life. They weren’t just instructors—they were the only teachers we knew. We felt special. 

Faith wasn’t something we separated from learning. It was woven into our education,

our family life, and our daily routines. And because we were homeschooled, learning didn’t happen in a single room or at a single desk—it happened everywhere.

Where learning comes alive

I couldn’t sit still as a child, and that became obvious very quickly. I learned best when I could move—standing, pacing, twirling a pencil, or studying outside. Some of my clearest memories are studying on the porch swing, with birds chirping and the breeze blowing. I learned in the car, at my grandparents’ house, outside, and inside—wherever life took us.

That flexibility shaped how I learn even as an adult.

Learning to surrender to a calling

But Abeka gave me more than academics. It built character.

The teachers applied a biblical worldview to every subject and taught us to live for things that matter for eternity. That foundation followed me into college. 

When it came time to choose where to go, I looked at other Christian schools, but I knew I was meant to come to Pensacola Christian College. I arrived with my own plans to major in business, but during a Bible conference, I surrendered my plans to the Lord. I felt a clear calling into education and changed my major to English.

After graduating, my first professional role wasn’t in the classroom, but with Abeka Publishing. For the first time, I saw the care and intentionality that go into creating curriculum.

I was working behind the scenes on the same materials I had once used as a student.

A dream realized

Later, Mr. and Mrs. Yohe opened a door for me to step into the classroom as an Abeka Academy video teacher. Teaching felt surreal.

The teachers I had grown up watching were practically celebrities, and suddenly, I was standing where they once stood.

I carried their influence with me—teachers who cared deeply about reaching students’ hearts, even through a screen.

Although I’m no longer teaching on camera, my lessons continue to live on in the curriculum. Students are still learning from them—just as I once learned from teachers who bridged the distance between us and made every lesson feel personal and meaningful.

Teachers like Mrs. Thompson shaped how I approach English. Others, like Mr. McBride, taught me that reaching students’ hearts mattered just as much as delivering the lesson. And of course, there was Mr. Smith—whose stories and enthusiasm made learning unforgettable. To work alongside teachers I once admired was incredible.

The commitment that made it all possible

When I think about my journey with Abeka, I can’t separate it from my parents and the sacrifices they made—the long days at the kitchen table, the patience, the dedication, and the love. I know now what that commitment requires, and I’m deeply grateful they stayed faithful to it.

Looking ahead, I see Abeka continuing to be a part of my life—through the lessons I create and in educating my own children. From student to teacher to homeschool mom, my journey has come full circle, and I’m deeply grateful that the lessons of my childhood continue to shape the person I am today.

Discover how Abeka helped turn learning at home into a lasting legacy.

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