The Wichita Miracle: The Secret Blueprint for Tuition-Free Christian Education
Mon Feb 02 2026
What happens when you stumble upon a model of education that seems too good to be true?
In our first episode of 2026, Dalena Wallace sits down with Emmi McCabe for a candid conversation about the "Wichita Model" of stewardship. As a member of the Wichita Catholic Diocese, Emmi experienced firsthand the unique reality of tuition-free K-12 education—a "Way of Life" that has sustained the Wichita Catholic community since 1968.
Full disclosure: We are not experts on this topic. In this episode, we are diving in as novices, sharing our own "aha" moments and learning about Father Thomas McGread’s vision right alongside you. Dalena explores her own intrigue with this model and asks the big question: Is there a way for the broader Protestant church to catch this same fire?
In this episode, we chat about:
The "Discovery": The chance encounter that opened our eyes to the Wichita model.
The "Air Quotes" Reality: How Emmi’s family experienced "free" education and what it actually requires from a community.
A Different Perspective: Moving away from "fundraising" and toward stewardship as a daily mission.
Intention & History: A first look at the years of intentional planning that built this culture.
🚀 BIG NEWS FOR 2026: The HERO Matching Scholarship Challenge
We are officially launching the HERO Matching Scholarship Challenge! We currently have a $100,000 match fund ready to support Christian education. Every dollar raised by our founders and schools goes directly toward tuition, ensuring that faith-based education is accessible to every family.
How you can take action today:
Find a School: Check out a HERO partner school in your community and see how you can contribute your time, talent, or treasure: heartlandhero.org/directory
Visit Our Website: Learn more about our mission at heartlandhero.org.
Get in Touch: Have questions? Email Dalena at dalena@aimeducationks.com.
We'd like to thank our generous sponsors for this year's podcast episodes:
1. Learning Lab Wichita: Programs, space and support foreducation done differently. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher or an education innovator – Learning Lab gives you the resources to create your own path.(https://www.golearninglab.org/)
2. VELA: Every day, millions of families are stepping up to own their education. Thousands of founders have broken the mold, providing solutions that work better for families. This is a movement of self-determined people doing education their own way. VELA is where they connect. Download the VELA App today! (https://vela.org/)
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What happens when you stumble upon a model of education that seems too good to be true? In our first episode of 2026, Dalena Wallace sits down with Emmi McCabe for a candid conversation about the "Wichita Model" of stewardship. As a member of the Wichita Catholic Diocese, Emmi experienced firsthand the unique reality of tuition-free K-12 education—a "Way of Life" that has sustained the Wichita Catholic community since 1968. Full disclosure: We are not experts on this topic. In this episode, we are diving in as novices, sharing our own "aha" moments and learning about Father Thomas McGread’s vision right alongside you. Dalena explores her own intrigue with this model and asks the big question: Is there a way for the broader Protestant church to catch this same fire? In this episode, we chat about: The "Discovery": The chance encounter that opened our eyes to the Wichita model. The "Air Quotes" Reality: How Emmi’s family experienced "free" education and what it actually requires from a community. A Different Perspective: Moving away from "fundraising" and toward stewardship as a daily mission. Intention & History: A first look at the years of intentional planning that built this culture. 🚀 BIG NEWS FOR 2026: The HERO Matching Scholarship Challenge We are officially launching the HERO Matching Scholarship Challenge! We currently have a $100,000 match fund ready to support Christian education. Every dollar raised by our founders and schools goes directly toward tuition, ensuring that faith-based education is accessible to every family. How you can take action today: Find a School: Check out a HERO partner school in your community and see how you can contribute your time, talent, or treasure: heartlandhero.org/directory Visit Our Website: Learn more about our mission at heartlandhero.org. Get in Touch: Have questions? Email Dalena at dalena@aimeducationks.com. We'd like to thank our generous sponsors for this year's podcast episodes: 1. Learning Lab Wichita: Programs, space and support foreducation done differently. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher or an education innovator – Learning Lab gives you the resources to create your own path.(https://www.golearninglab.org/) 2. VELA: Every day, millions of families are stepping up to own their education. Thousands of founders have broken the mold, providing solutions that work better for families. This is a movement of self-determined people doing education their own way. VELA is where they connect. Download the VELA App today! (https://vela.org/)