Our Mission & Story
To be completely honest, I never in a million years thought I'd homeschool my kids. I was a public school student myself. While I didn't love school, I also didn't have a bad experience that made me think I'd choose a different path for my own children. That changed after I became a mom.
My husband and I started asking ourselves what was truly the best fit for our family. Did we want our kids to spend most of their day at school and only see them for a few tired hours in the evening? Did we want to plan our lives around the school calendar, or did we want the freedom to take family adventures, whether around the Upper Peninsula or abroad when it worked best for us? Did we want them learning in a classroom of 20+ students with one teacher, or did we want the flexibility to dive deeper into their interests, encourage creativity, and tailor learning to who they are? And during those early years especially, did we want so much of their learning happening on screens?
There isn't one right answer to those questions. Every family is different. But for us, homeschooling felt like the right choice.
When we decided to homeschool our three daughters, one thing I knew was that I wanted them to have a strong community. While I think the old stereotype that homeschoolers are "awkward" is becoming more and more outdated, I still wanted my girls to build meaningful friendships with other children whose families had chosen a similar path, not just through sports or occasional activities, but through a consistent, welcoming community.
As I looked around at the homeschool groups already serving our area, I realized that while they were doing great things, I couldn't quite find exactly what we were looking for in our particular season. So I decided to create it.
The Readers' Collective was built around the kind of childhood I wanted my daughters, and every child who joins us, to experience. One where books spark imagination, curiosity is celebrated, creativity is encouraged, and learning extends far beyond a worksheet. Through stories, hands-on activities, outdoor adventures, and meaningful community, our hope is to foster a lifelong love of reading while giving children the freedom to explore, ask questions, and discover how they connect with the world around them. We also wanted to create something that parents would genuinely enjoy and a place where families can build friendships, and make memories together.
One year later, I couldn't be more grateful. The Readers' Collective has grown into something even better than I imagined. We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, allowing us to continue growing and serving homeschool families through this mission.
I'm incredibly thankful for our board members, Rachel Erhart and Grace Gallagher, whose creativity, ideas, and dedication have helped shape this community into what it is today. Together, we've built a place where children and parents alike can learn, explore, and grow alongside one another.
Getting to know so many wonderful families who are in the same season of life has been such a gift, and I can't wait to see what the coming years bring! To get in touch, please email us at upreaderscollective@gmail.com.