WHEATLAND – Platte County is known for having quality school systems, and between its various schools has produced some notable academic scholars and successful entrepreneurs. There are also multiple choices for parents when deciding to send their children to school. The local public school districts, charter school, and home schooling are among those options, but there is another option in Wheatland which has been growing over the last several years.
Valor Institute Community is a tuition-funded religious school started with an eight-student kindergarten class and enrichment program in 2020-2021. Since then, the school has grown to include four teachers and accommodate an average of 27 students from Kindergarten through eighth grade. There are also additional enrichment teachers who assist in the learning process.
In searching for a way to provide a safe place where children could thrive during their most influential years while growing each day in their relationship with Christ, local moms Sarah Walton and Crystal Hershey “prayerfully” stepped out to start the non-denominational Christian school.
“We had a desire for our own children to have the opportunity for a quality education, to establish friendships with others, but not detract from the values we hold dear,” Walton, who is also the school’s principal, explained.

The school, which supports identifiable core values, has continued to grow and establish itself with the support of the community who have providing prayers, resources, finances, and fundraising support (gun raffles, butterbraids, a Buffalo hunt/processing raffle, and community engagement events).
Valor utilizes Abeka, a respected and proven Christian school curriculum. The advanced curriculum (typically one or two years ahead of traditional school programs) teaches children to think critically, learn to learn, to value and cherish people as unique individuals, and establish core values from a biblical worldview. There is an emphasis on learning the history of our nation and why it was founded; cursive is taught beginning in first grade; language emphasizes comprehension; math is taught traditionally; science is set up to be hands-on in investigating variety, order, and reasonableness of the design and laws of nature; health teaches a divine purpose for and how to take care of their physical bodies; and a Bible class teaches the true stories of the bible and includes daily devotionals. Once a week, the staff leads corporate worship during Chapel. Enrichment classes include art, music, and P.E. classes.
“Our combined classrooms are small to foster advanced learning (each at their own level of ability),” Walton said. “We want people to know there is another schooling option available to parents, but do not claim to be better than any other local school.”
“We are fighting for a culture of honor….We encourage students to learn to honor each other and how they were created. Everyone is a special creation of God, and we need to show consideration for each other. That concept is directly involved in how we handle conflict resolution,” Walton said.
Valor also has a Department of Family Services-licensed preschool through preK program that accommodates before- and after-school childcare for working families. Since the school is DFS licensed, tuition assistance through DFS is available for those who need extra help with childcare expenses.
The school also follows, as closely as possible, the local school district’s calendar schedule. The administration and staff also work closely with parents to meet students where they are academically, and to help them succeed in their educational goals. Walton also emphasized, parent involvement and community support has been essential in the success of the school.

For more information on Valor Institute Community, see their website at valorwheatland.org or their Facebook page.