A quick search on social media uncovers the popular mantra of humanity’s uniqueness: be yourself.

“Never apologize for being yourself.”

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation”

“The only requirement is to be yourself. So, if ever society tries to mold you into someone unrecognizable, stand your ground”

“Be You. Not Them.”

While this mantra is often misused, a seed of truth is buried in its soil that references the Imago Dei. Humans are created in the image of God, each one with unique attributes. God created only one you and your experiences, reactions, emotions, and stylistic expressions are distinct.​

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So why does this reality not extend to the American public education system? Beginning in the early 20th century, public education in America was intentionally designed to be centrally controlled and bureaucratic with industrial organization principles like the “factory floor” model (Hood, 1993). According to Hood (1993), “administrators, teachers, and students all had a place in producing a standardized ‘final product’”. This final product included a political and social role where a common culture and democratic values were shared with the influx of new immigrants entering America at that time (Hood, 1993).

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It is no wonder that public education is monolithic, outdated, and often unsuccessful. The final product of public education has largely failed our children. Before the 20th century, education models were diverse–various private tutors, church schools run by ministers or clergymen, private schools–but largely founded on voracious reading of classic and contemporary authors from that time, learning modern and ancient languages, and diligent study of topics like mathematics, philosophy, and geography (Campbell, 2015). The end goal was mastery of a subject instead of a favorable Standardized Test score.

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The pre-20th century American education model produced students like our founding fathers. Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson entered college at age 16–Harvard and College of William & Mary, respectively (Campbell, 2015). Jefferson finished college in only two years. In an 1812 letter to Adams, Jefferson wrote, “I have given up newspapers in exchange for Tacitus and Thucydides, for Newton and Euclid; and I find myself much the happier” (Campbell, 2015). If the Department of Education thinks comparing present-day students’ capabilities with the founding fathers is unfair, Alexander Hamilton responds: “Men give me credit for some genius. All the genius I have is this. When I have a subject in mind. I study it profoundly . . . the effort which I have made is what people are pleased to call the fruit of genius. It is the fruit of labor and thought” (Campbell, 2015).

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A silver lining of schools forced to transition to online instruction during the Covid-19 pandemic was parents witnessing the quality–or lack thereof–of their children’s education (Ingraham, 2024). Because of the mess of public schools (Steiner, 2023), free education is not enough anymore. Parents find quality education worth paying for. What about the parents who cannot afford private schools and desire an excellent [Christian] education akin to the education of our founding fathers?

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Mighty King High School fulfills the need for average families in major American cities–which often have the lowest-performing school districts–to provide their children with quality, Christ-centered education rooted in the classics. Private school tuition is expensive for good reason, but with your help, we can make excellent Christian education accessible for all families regardless of socioeconomic status.

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Unlike some of our founding fathers, we are not cultivating deists. We desire to introduce and/or spur students and their families to a vibrant relationship with their Creator, Jesus Christ. Our mission statement describes it beautifully:

By seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33), Mighty King High School helps students fan into flame their God-given gifts (2 Timothy 1:6). Through quality Christian education rooted in the classics and robust servant leadership development, students are equipped to excel in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity (1 Timothy 4:12).

In Hosea 4:6, God rebukes Israel, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Founding father James Madison echoes this sentiment: “A well-instructed people alone can be permanently a free people” (State of the Nation 1810 < James Madison, n.d.).

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Families want the best education for their children and many need affordable education options. Please partner with us to create a safe haven for NYC children that will unlock their full, God-given potential and launch high school graduates who will be effective ambassadors for Jesus Christ–a welcome light in a dark world.