Cast

God has blessed Schoolhouse Rocked with an amazing cast! When we set out to film the movie we had a wish list of people we wanted to interview, but almost no connections and no idea how we were going to get in touch with these people. God opened doors! It was only by His amazing power that we were able to get interviews with such an amazing cast.

J. Michael Smith, Esq. has served as president of Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) since 2001. He has been defending homeschooling in court and before the legislature since 1983, when He and his wife Elizabeth, along with Michael Farris and his wife Vickie, founded HSLDA.

Dr. Carol M. Swain is a former professor of political science and law at Vanderbilt and Princeton Universities. She is an engaging public speaker, political commentator, author, and homeschooling advocate who is passionate about empowering others to raise their voices in the public square.

Sam Sorbo is an actress, author, and homescholing advocate. She and her husband Kevin homeschool their three children. Her books, They’re Your Kids and Teach from Love are excellent resources for homeschooling families and parents intent on teaching their children Biblical values.

Andrew Pudewa is the director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing and a father of seven. Traveling and speaking around the world, he addresses issues related to teaching, writing, thinking, spelling, and music with clarity, insight, practical experience, and humor.

Andrew Kern is founder and president of the CiRCE Institute, the founding author of The Lost Tools of Writing, and co-author of the best-selling book Classical Education: The Movement Sweeping America.

Christopher A. Perrin, PhD is the CEO/publisher at Classical Academic Press, and a national leader, author, and speaker for the renewal of classical education. He serves as a consultant to classical schools and is the director of the Alcuin Fellowship and the co-chair of the Society for Classical Learning.

Ken Ham is the president, CEO, and founder of Answers in Genesis-US, the Creation Museum, and the Ark Encounter. His passion for apologetics and Biblical authority have made him one of the most in-demand Christian speakers in North America.

Heidi St. John is a highly sought-after conference speaker who has delighted tens of thousands of people through her books, podcast, blog, and social media posts. She is an outspoken homeschool advocate and homeschools her seven children.

Connie Albers is a respected speaker and author for NavPress who has served the homeschooling community for 27 years, as well as homeschooled her five children who are all graduates of the University of Central Florida. She has served as a director and board member for a large state homeschool organization, worked in the political arena as a senior strategist for a successful U.S. Congressional campaign, and has been a Speaker Relations and Events Manager for Apologia Educational Ministries.

Bryan Osborne is a speaker and Curriculum Specialist at Answers in Genesis. He taught Bible history in a public school for 13 years and, for nearly 20 years, he has been teaching Christians to defend their faith.

Israel Wayne is the author of several books, a popular conference speaker, and Director of Family Renewal. He and his wife, Brook, are both homeschool graduates who homeschool their nine children. He has been a regular columnist for Home School Digest, Home School Enrichment and The Old Schoolhouse magazines.

Sarah Mackenzie is the best-selling author of Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler’s Guide to Unshakable Peace, creator and host of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, and a popular speaker at homeschool conventions across the country. Sarah homeschools her six children.

Josh Tolley is a nationally syndicated radio host, business trainer and founder of Purple Monkey Garage, and the best-selling author of Evangelpreneur. Josh is an outspoken proponent of homeschooling, who advocates for homeschooling as a powerful way to teach real-world business and entrepreneurship skills to the next generation.

Dr. Jennifer Murff is the President and founder of Millenials for Marriage. She is a homeschool mom of four, a university professor of strategic leadership, and a family advocate. She has chosen to homeschool in order to give her children the very best education that will lead to better outcomes and opportunities in their future.

Scott LaPierre is the senior pastor of Woodland Christian Church, an author, and a popular speaker at homeschool conventions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and two master’s degrees, one in Education and the other in Biblical Studies. He and his wife, Katie, homeschool their seven children.

Michelle Burgess serves as the Homeschool Dual Enrollment Counselor at The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, California, and has homeschooled all of her children.

Pam Barnhill is an award-winning educator, author and homeschool mom of three. An English major and former journalist, she now hosts the popular podcast, The Homeschool Snapshots Podcast and publishes Your Morning Basket and Plan Your Year for homeschool moms.

Janice Campbell is the founder of Everyday Education and homeschooled her four sons from preschool into early college using a lifestyle of learning approach influenced by Charlotte Mason and classical learning. She is a speaker and the author of the Excellence in Literature curriculum and Transcripts Made Easy.

Colleen Kessler is an advocate for the needs of gifted and twice-exceptional children. She has a B.S. in elementary education, an M.Ed. in gifted studies, and is the founder of the popular blog Raising Lifelong Learners. She is a prolific author and a homeschooling mom to her four children.

Kathy Kuhl is the founder of Learn Differently and helps parents teach children with learning challenges. She is the author of Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner, Staying Sane as You Homeschool, and Encouraging Your Child. Kathy graduated from William and Mary, where she earned teaching certificates in English and mathematics.

Kerri DeRenzo, PhD is WASC Administrator and Educational Specialist at Innovative Education Management, and a former high school and middle school science teacher. Having written her doctoral dissertation on homeschooling and the Common Core, Kerri is an expert in the areas of educational standards and curriculum development. Kerri homeschools her three sons.

S. D. Smith is the best-selling author of The Green Ember series and a homeschool father of four.

Solomon Schmidt is a 13-year-old homeschooled student and author of U.S. History Bites and U.S. Presidential History Bites.

Cecelia Schmidt is a 17-year-old homeschooled student and author of The War Rages On and The War Within.

Robert Bortins is CEO of Classical Conversations and chairman of Homeschool Now USA. He is a homeschool graduate, accomplished athlete, and children’s author with a strong passion for helping families homeschool using the classical tools of learning. Robert serves on numerous non-profit boards and assists businesses as a well-respected mentor.

Bob Sjogren is an author, speaker, and curriculum developer with a deep desire to raise up laborers to help fulfill the Great Commission in order that God’s greatest glory would be revealed among all nations. Bob authored Unveiled At Last, and co-authored Cat and Dog Theology and Run With The Vision.

Debby Sjogren holds a B.S. in Education and began homeschooling her four children in 1993. Now, with four homeschool graduates whom have all graduated with their bachelor’s degrees, God led Debby and her husband, Bob, to begin writing and publishing Bible curriculum through the ministry of UnveilinGLORY, a home-based missions mobilization ministry.

T. Caleb Schroeder and his wife Leah are homeschool graduates who both hold bachelor’s degrees in Teacher Education. Caleb is a credentialed public school mathematics teacher and also has a master’s degree in Mathematics Education. He is currently working on a second Master’s degree in Biblical Studies from The Master’s University. Caleb is a popular Classical Conversations Practicum speaker and Leah is a Classical Conversations Essentials tutor who homeschools their six children.

Nanette Brown graduated from LIFE Pacific College with a degree in Theology and Biblical Studies and serves as the Director of Classical Conversations in Lancaster, CA. She homeschools her five children.

Jelaine Fondren has undergraduate degrees in Math and Physics from the US Air Force Academy and a Master’s in Applied Physics. She was an Air Force officer and is now a homeschool mother of three. She serves as a tutor for Classical Conversations.

Jill Tanner has a BS in Human Development and homeschooled for 12 years. She and her husband, Pat, founded the Desert Christian Home Education Program in 1990.