We are excited to welcome you to Rooted & Rising Homeschool Hybrid!
Rooted & Rising grew out of a prayer to join God at work to bring community and support to more homeschoolers in Central Kansas.
We pray God uses this endeavor to bless many children and families on their journey of homeschooling and discipleship.
Our mission is to foster a love of learning in your children, helping each child and family to know that God deeply loves them.
About Us
We hope to equip parents to homeschool, by helping them grow in confidence and assurance that they truly are the best teachers for their children.
At Rooted and Rising Homeschool Hybrid we seek to inspire families to leave a godly legacy by pouring God’s wisdom and truth into the hearts of their children!
Things to love about Rooted & Rising Hybrid:
Compassionate learning environment!
More freedom in childhood (more free time to play!)
Accountability for families to get the core subjects accomplished!
Refreshing Community!
Gentle equipping and encouragement for parents!
Mothers gain support and the gift of time-to catch up, breathe, rest, or observe Sabbath. On hybrid days, moms can attend appointments, run errands, or even contribute financially to their family if they choose, all without compromising their calling to homeschool.
"Continue to live your lives in him rooted, and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught." Colossians 2:6-7
"Continue to live your lives in him rooted, and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught." Colossians 2:6-7
Meet the Directors
Abby Hinman-Founder & Director of Elementary Education, Curriculum and Instruction
Abby Hinman is a mother of four, wife to a college professor, and an educator with a passion for hands-on, innovative learning. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, with a particular love for curriculum design and development. Abby also served as an adjunct professor in the Education Department at Central Christian College, where she worked with future teachers and deepened her commitment to strong instructional practice.
She spent five years teaching 5th grade at a Christian school, during which time she also presented at teacher conferences. After starting a family, Abby transitioned to homeschooling and has taught her own children for the past four years. She volunteered on the board of a local homeschool co-op and helped launch a thriving nature-school co-op that quickly grew as families sought meaningful outdoor learning experiences. With a long-held dream of opening an innovative, experiential school, Abby was thrilled to help launch this new hybrid program that brings that vision to life.
Emily Wuest-Founder, Director of Professional Development and Instructional Support
Emily Wuest is married to her best friend with 3 wonderful children. She has her Masters degree in Transformative Education. Her BA is in Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology. She is a certified K-5, 6-8 ELA, and K-12 ELL teacher. Her background includes teaching middle school English, 4th grade in China, online english classes, and is currently an adjunct English Professor at Central Christian College. While teaching, Emily helped with new teacher on- boarding and helping new teachers problem solve classroom issues.
She never imagined homeschooling, but after her son started to struggle in school, she felt God’s calling, through her husband’s prompting, on their family to begin homeschooling. When Kari began sharing her dream about the hybrid it felt like the very best of both worlds, to give her children the school peer experience, a school community, but also the ability to continue having the intentional learning time at home that is working so well to benefit her family. She is passionate about hands on creative learning and supporting and encouraging teachers and students both in the classroom and supporting families at home educating their children.
Kari Bower-Founder, Director of Secondary Education, and Website Design
Kari is married to an awesome guy who happens to be a Pastor and retired Army Chaplain. Her greatest joy and honor is to be called mom by seven amazing kids! Kari began homeschooling 16 years ago, when she felt called to home educate, desiring to be home with her babies, teaching them about Jesus and pouring into them as much as she could. She views homeschooling as a privilege and calling, (even on the hard days!)
Kari has a BA in Psychology, and is a Certified Birth Doula of 13 years, she is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She is the owner and founder of Journey Well LLC (2022), which provides support to women prenatally, during pregnancy, birth, postpartum as well as providing adoption support services. Journey Well functions as a Lactation Private Practice with Doula care and support, and has a free monthly support group for women in McPherson, KS. Journey Well also has helped in the support process from beginning to finalization of FOUR adoptions in Central Kansas! Kari began a Homeschool Community that grew to capacity in Rochester, MN in 2014-2015. She served as a board member for a Homeschool co-op and that same year began a thriving homeschool moms and kids life group that has also has grown and thrived till this day. She helped launch Gather Moms in McPherson in 2025 which supports women in many seasons of mothering!
Kari kept up praying how she and her family could be used to continue to help meet needs in her community. As she discerned the Lord’s leading she felt led to research hybrid homeschool learning a few years ago. She never imagined that the Lord would orchestrate connections with Emily and Abby allowing and guiding them towards a vision of beginning Rooted & Rising Homeschool Hybrid!
“We have been charged to cultivate the souls of our children, to nourish them in truth, goodness, and beauty, to raise them up in wisdom and eloquence. It is to those ends that we labor. The raising of children, the teaching of truth, the sharing of life, the nourishing of imagination, and the cultivating of wisdom: These are all His anyway; we are merely His servants.”
-Sarah Mackenzie