The LadyK Podcast

Katy McKinney

Saving America One Child at a Time Join Katy McKinney, “Lady K”, the Head of School at Lafayette Academy: A Classical School for an inspiring podcast series dedicated to Saving America through the excellent education of our children. At Lafayette Academy: A Classical School, we are committed to Saving America through the right education of our children, fostering a rigorous, content-rich, classical liberal arts program that cultivates both academic excellence and virtuous character. Our mission is to develop the intellectual and personal habits of each student, preparing them to lead responsible, virtuous, and productive lives. We believe in Saving America 🇺🇸 one child at a time by equipping students to become contributors and leaders in their homes, communities, businesses, and government. Through a curriculum rooted in the principles of our Founding Documents, we nurture intelligent and virtuous American citizens who understand and live by the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, endowed by our Creator. Each episode explores how Lafayette Academy: A Classical School's vision shapes students into statesmen, entrepreneurs, and servant-leaders dedicated to God, country, community, and family. Tune in to discover how we forge character, inspire service, and build a foundation for a free, just, and happy society—one student at a time.

  1. Jul 13

    From Homeschool Mom to Head of School: The Story Behind Lafayette Academy: A Classical School

    This week, Katy McKinney shares the story behind founding Lafayette Academy: A Classical School,  and what it really takes to build a classical school from the ground up. Drawing from her experience as a public school teacher, homeschool mom, and founder of Lafayette Academy: A Classical School, Katy discusses the challenges, setbacks, and moments of faith that shaped the school's journey. She also explains how discovering the classical tradition—and the influence of Hillsdale College's K–12 education movement—helped shape Lafayette Academy's mission to cultivate wisdom, virtue, and a lifelong love of learning. Whether you're a parent exploring classical education, considering homeschooling, curious about the Hillsdale approach, or wondering if your community needs a classical school, this conversation offers practical encouragement and an honest look behind the scenes. In this episode you'll learn: Why Katy left traditional educationHow homeschooling led her to classical educationHow Hillsdale College's approach influenced Lafayette Academy: A Classical SchoolWhat it actually takes to start a classical schoolThe biggest challenges Lafayette Academy facedIf you've ever wondered whether a classical education is right for your family—or dreamed of starting a school rooted in truth, goodness, and beauty—this episode is for you. For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/ For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

  2. Jun 29

    From Training to the World Stage: A Conversation with Marin McKinney

    Marin McKinney returns to the Lady K Podcast to share what has been a remarkable and transformative season. After completing her sophomore year at Hillsdale College, Marin devoted herself to training for USA Shooting selection matches and recently competed for the opportunity to represent the United States in international competition. But this conversation goes far beyond athletics. Marin reflects on the pressures of competition, the lessons learned through setbacks, and the importance of developing a calm and disciplined mind. Together, Katy and Marin discuss perseverance, confidence, and why failure is often one of our greatest teachers. Whether your child is an athlete, a student, or simply learning how to face challenges with courage, this episode offers practical wisdom and encouragement. It is a reminder that growth rarely comes without difficulty and that character is formed through the steady practice of beginning again. Topics discussed include: • USA Shooting and the selection match process • Competing under pressure and learning from setbacks • Developing mental discipline and confidence • The importance of positive self-talk and preparation • Why failure is a necessary part of growth • Lessons that apply far beyond athletics At Lafayette Academy: A Classical School, we believe education is about more than academics. It is about forming young men and women who are prepared to pursue excellence with humility, perseverance, and gratitude. For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/ For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

  3. Jun 15

    Finding Classical Education: An Educator’s Story

    What draws someone to teaching, and what does it take to become a great teacher? In this episode, Head of School, Katy McKinney, welcomes Ms. Glidden, who spent the year serving as an intern at Lafayette Academy: A Classical School,  under the mentorship of master teacher Grace Leonard. Ms. Glidden shares what she learned from working alongside experienced educators, teaching young students, and stepping into the daily rhythms of a classical classroom. Their conversation explores the importance of humility, lifelong learning, mentorship, and the formation of both teacher and student. Ms. Glidden reflects on how her experiences, from teaching swim lessons and jiu-jitsu to working with elementary students, helped prepare her for the classroom and shaped her understanding of what it means to teach well. This episode offers an encouraging look at the next generation of educators and the kind of formation that helps teachers grow in wisdom, confidence, and love for their students. If you've ever wondered how great teachers are formed, this conversation provides a thoughtful and hopeful perspective. For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/ For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

  4. Jun 1

    Published by the Federal Reserve: Lafayette Students Explain the Invisible Hand Behind a Hit Song

    What does a popular song have to do with economics? In this episode, Katy sits down with four Lafayette Academy students whose economics project was selected for publication by the Federal Reserve's Journal of Future Economists. Inspired by the classic essay I, Pencil, the students set out to answer an intriguing question: What does it actually take to bring a song to life? What they discovered was far more than a story about music. From songwriters and recording studios to instrument makers, streaming platforms, marketers, and countless others working behind the scenes, every song depends on an extraordinary network of people contributing their unique skills and talents. Together, they reveal a powerful economic principle often called the "invisible hand", the idea that people pursuing their own work and interests can create something valuable that benefits millions. Along the way, the students discuss their research process, what surprised them most, and why understanding economics is really about understanding human cooperation. For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/ For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

  5. May 18

    What Great Relationships Teach Us: A Senior Thesis Conversation

    In this special episode, Head of School, Katy McKinney, sits down with one of Lafayette Academy’s students, Ellie Schweizer, who just completed her senior thesis exploring virtue, friendship, and the “good life” through the philosophy of Aristotle and the novels of Jane Austen. The senior thesis is a capstone that reflects years of reading deeply, writing with care, and learning to think with clarity. Through works such as Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice, this conversation explores how relationships shape human character—for better or worse—and why virtuous friendships are essential to human flourishing. This conversation offers a rare look at what a student is capable of before graduation, when both intellect and character are taken seriously. If you have ever wondered what the end result of a classical education can be, this episode gives you a clear and compelling picture. At Lafayette Academy: A Classical Education, education is not only about knowledge, but about the formation of character and the cultivation of virtue. The senior thesis is one expression of that formation. It reveals a student’s ability to engage meaningful ideas, speak with confidence, and pursue truth with humility.  In the end, education is not merely the transfer of information; it is the formation of the whole person.  📚 Featured Works Mentioned Nicomachean Ethics — AristotleEmmaSense and SensibilityPride and Prejudice For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/ For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

  6. Apr 20

    Lafayette’s Approach to History: Forming the Moral Imagination and Future Citizens

    In this episode of the Lady K Podcast, Katy McKinney pulls back the curtain on how Lafayette Academy: A Classical School teaches history, and why it’s so much more than dates, battles, and tests. From kindergarten stories about George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette to tales of pioneers, Almanzo Wilder, and Benjamin Franklin, we explore how history is intentionally used to build moral imagination, shape character, and form future citizens who can sustain our Republic. Discover why we teach restraint through Washington’s refusal of kingship, patience and self-control through Farmer Boy, courage and justice through real historical dilemmas, and the dangers of resentment through Benedict Arnold. At Lafayette Academy, history isn’t just content, it’s formation. If you want your children to love what is good, recognize evil, and develop the virtues needed to be thoughtful participants in a free society, this episode reveals the deeper purpose behind our approach. Join Katy as she explains how we’re not just educating students, we’re forming citizens. For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/ For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

  7. Apr 6

    Forming Future Citizens An American Education Worth Preserving with Guest Dr. Khalid Khan

    In a free nation, education is never neutral, it is always forming something. In this episode, Dr. Khalid Khan explores what it really means to educate a child for citizenship, not just academics. Through examples like the restraint of George Washington and the life of Benjamin Franklin, we consider how what children learn shapes the kind of people they become. At the center of this conversation is a simple but often misunderstood idea: you can’t teach a child to think without first giving them something to think about. Knowledge is the fuel for thinking, and without it, true understanding never takes root. You’ll hear how Lafayette Academy builds that foundation through rich historical study across each grade level, meaningful stories, and books like Why Not, Lafayette? that help form what we call moral imagination, a child’s ability to recognize virtue, responsibility, and truth. We also discuss why the school delays screens and technology in the early years, not to resist the modern world, but to protect attention, cultivate focus, and create real pathways for deep thinking. This isn’t about producing better students. It’s about forming future citizens. Not just what is my child learning,  but who is my child becoming? For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/ For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

  8. Mar 23

    It Started With a Question: Academics or Character?

    Why would someone start a school from scratch? In this episode of the LadyK Podcast, Katy McKinney shares the real story behind founding Lafayette Academy: A Classical School, in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri. It wasn’t a business plan or a strategic move. It was a conviction. After years of teaching, homeschooling, and searching for the right environment for her own children, Katy kept running into the same problem: schools that offered strong academics often lacked character formation, and schools focused on character often fell short academically. So she asked a simple question: Why can’t a school do both well? This episode walks through the heart behind Lafayette Academy, the gap it was created to fill, and why classical education is resonating with so many families in St. Charles County and beyond. If you’re a parent exploring school options or curious about classical education, this episode will give you clarity on what makes it different—and why it matters. For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/ For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

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Ratings & Reviews

5
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About

Saving America One Child at a Time Join Katy McKinney, “Lady K”, the Head of School at Lafayette Academy: A Classical School for an inspiring podcast series dedicated to Saving America through the excellent education of our children. At Lafayette Academy: A Classical School, we are committed to Saving America through the right education of our children, fostering a rigorous, content-rich, classical liberal arts program that cultivates both academic excellence and virtuous character. Our mission is to develop the intellectual and personal habits of each student, preparing them to lead responsible, virtuous, and productive lives. We believe in Saving America 🇺🇸 one child at a time by equipping students to become contributors and leaders in their homes, communities, businesses, and government. Through a curriculum rooted in the principles of our Founding Documents, we nurture intelligent and virtuous American citizens who understand and live by the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, endowed by our Creator. Each episode explores how Lafayette Academy: A Classical School's vision shapes students into statesmen, entrepreneurs, and servant-leaders dedicated to God, country, community, and family. Tune in to discover how we forge character, inspire service, and build a foundation for a free, just, and happy society—one student at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Katy McKinney
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The LadyK Podcast
  • Show Website
    The LadyK Podcast