The Classical Orchard

Laura Estes is a life-long resident of the Manhattan-Wamego area. After graduating from Wamego High School, she attended Kansas State University, earning a degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in special education. She taught 6th grade at Flint Hills Christian School prior to being a stay-at home mom. Laura has been married to her husband, Ray, for 23 years. They have four children: Rachel, 20, Jonathan, 17, Abigail, 14, and Matthew, 10. They also have a black lab, Max, and 6 chickens. 2023-2024 is the Estes family’s 10th year of homeschooling. Laura loves baking bread and decorating sugar cookies, reading, antique hunting with coffee in hand, Mexican food, photographing her kids’ sporting events, feeding a crowd, and leading ladies Bible study.

Hannah is a Manhattan native and wife to Kirk. Together, they have two little boys- Elliot (2) and Jack (4 months). Hannah was homeschooled from grades K-12 and graduated from Kansas State University with a B.S. in Dietetics in 2019. She has worked doing nutrition counseling, college dining foodservice operation, and child nutrition foodservice operation prior to having children. She believes creation reveals God's handiwork and is excited to explore this with students in the field of biology this year. In her free time, Hannah enjoys playing the piano, working out, going on dates with her husband, and drinking plenty of coffee.