A Ministry of Burge Terrace Baptist Church

Middle and High School English,

Language Arts, Drama, and Communications

Alicia has had a God-given heart and desire for teaching in secondary education ever since she was in high school. She finds true joy in challenging teenagers to read critically and see things through a biblical worldview as they study literature and the world around them. She desires that students also feel confident in their skills for the written and spoken word as they move into the occupations God has for their lives.

Alicia has more than 25 years of teaching experience in public, private, and home education. She graduated from Bob Jones University in 2000 with a B.S. in English Education and a minor in Interpretative Speech. In 2004, she completed her Master of Education in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English.

She became the Director of Burge Terrace Home Educators in 2018 and started the academy in that year. She has directed multiple dramas and musicals over the years including the 10 years of BTHE Elementary Drama Camp.

Alicia and her husband, Ryan, are youth sponsors with the Burge Terrace Youth Group where the Lord continues to widen her love for teenagers. They have two college students, and one younger child enrolled in BTHE. She enjoys reading, music, the ocean, and, on rare occasions, Mountain Dew slushies.

American Sign Language

Melissa has been involved in the deaf community for over 40 years. Her journey began in junior high when she befriended a deaf neighbor who taught her to finger spell the alphabet and introduced her to basic ASL.

She later attended Tennessee Temple University, which had a deaf school on campus. Chapels, student body meetings, and church services all included interpreters, providing her with continuous exposure to American Sign Language. Through daily interactions with deaf students and formal ASL courses at the university, her skills grew. Her ability to communicate effectively led to opportunities to serve as an interpreter, accompanying deaf students to various appointments.

Mrs. Alexander continues to use her ASL skills whenever possible and loves sharing the beauty of the “silent language” with BTHE students.

Field Trip Coordinator

Jennifer graduated from the University of Indianapolis with bachelor's degrees in Business Administration and Psychology. Her professional background includes experience in personal lines and high-risk health insurance, where she managed booked premiums and held roles in Training & Development and Computer Systems.

Accustomed to fast-paced environments, Jennifer’s skills have been a valuable asset to BTHE. Homeschooling her own children was a deeply rewarding experience, and she continues her homeschool journey by supporting the staff and families of Burge Terrace Home Educators.

David holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Purdue University, and completed his Master's in Mathematics Education from IUPUI. He has experience  teaching at the high school and college level.

Mr. Kennedy married his high school sweetheart and they have three children.  The Kennedy's seven grandchildren keep them busy, and during spare time, David enjoys sports and music.  

After receiving Christ as a child, David has faithfully served the Lord at Franklin Road Baptist Church for 50 years. He looks forward to teaching students new skills and an appreciation for math.

German, Social Studies, Game Theory

Jon Streeter is an Indiana native, a graduate of Hillsdale College, Indiana University, and Oxford University in the United Kingdom, and a veteran teacher of twenty years. His passion for education centers around real-world examples rather than facts and figures. In history and government, he works to apply the lessons of the past to current events and to help students understand how world-historical events shape their daily lives. 

In matters of finance and economics, he strives to bring day-to-day examples into his lessons to empower students to be successful in whatever careers they choose. When it comes to the Bible, he focuses on applying the words of Scripture to everyday situations in which modern teenagers find themselves. In addition to his classroom teaching, Jon is also the host of a highly-successful podcast called 15-Minute History, where he and his co-host cover important events and people in short, easy-to-consume lessons and long-form discussions.

Erica is excited to be able to use her talents in both science and fine arts here at BTHE! She counts it a privilege to be able to help students grow in their appreciation for both creation and the Creator through all her classes.

With a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Bob Jones University, as well as “in the lab” experience from several companies, Erica is prepared to share her scientific knowledge with her students. She enjoys sharing her love of music and theater with students as the director's assistant for all BTHE productions. 

Erica is also actively involved at Burge Terrace Baptist Church in children’s ministry and music.

Bryan came to faith in Christ as a young man through the faithful witness of his friends and church. In college, God began to burden Bryan’s heart for pastoral ministry and church planting, specifically to see gospel-centered churches established and revitalized. After completing ministry training, Bryan helped plant Blue River Baptist Church in Edinburgh, IN, and later served as the founding pastor of Community Baptist Church in Franklin. God has continued to confirm Bryan’s calling to serve the local church through expository preaching, intentional disciple-making, and shepherding God’s people. The formation of Crossway Bible Church reflects Bryan’s deep burden to see a healthy, biblically faithful church planted for the glory of God and the good of Franklin. He counts it a joy and privilege to serve alongside this growing team of leaders in this gospel work.

Katherine earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with an endorsement in English as a Second Language from IUPUI. She taught in Lawrence Township Schools before stepping away to focus on raising her children. 

She re-entered the education field and taught preschool for three years. During the pandemic, Katherine dedicated her time to supporting her children's education at home, which led her family to pursue homeschooling. Katherine has experience working within a homeschool co-op, and has held positions of program manager for school-wide events, Math Penthalon coordinator, and administrator. 

Katherine comes to BTHE after serving as the K4 lead teacher at Burge Terrace Christian School. She brings with her the commitment to fostering a structured, supportive, and engaging learning environment for her students.

Debbye is a native of Indianapolis and was home-schooled throughout her educational years in Indiana and Kenya, East Africa. She graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University in April, 2006, with a BS in Art Education. She taught painting and drawing for one year at Zionsville Community High School and at Northpoint Homeschool Academy for 13 years. 

She has been teaching homeschoolers for over 17 years! Through her experiences, she has learned more about the Almighty God, art, different cultures, and the value of education. "I love seeing the progress in the students’ work and witnessing those light bulb moments in the art room! I love teaching at BTHE because of the community of families, the amazing administrators, and the smiling faces I see in my classroom. I enjoy sharing with them my love of art and how to appreciate other artists’ work.  At BTHE, I am teaching the youngest to the oldest in a day."

Grandmaster Daniel is highly respected and skilled and has achieved the highest rank in the Korean martial art of Taekwondo. He ranks as a World Certified 9th-Degree Black Belt. His expertise and dedication is a result of his nearly 40 years of training and teaching. He is known for his patient and inspiring teaching style by instilling the values of discipline, respect, and perseverance. 

Daniel loves teaching children. His heart is to influence them in a Godly manner through Taekwondo utilizing the memorization of Bible verses and short Bible lessons inserted into each class. Students absolutely enjoy his love for the Lord and enthusiasm he brings to teaching Taekwondo.

In addition to his role as an instructor at BTHE and Burge Terrace Christian School, Mr. Coblenz teaches Taekwondo in his hometown. Daniel is pastor of Union Baptist Church in Greensburg, Indiana.

Tony is a certified NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) Archery Instructor with over 13 years of coaching and instruction experience, working with children in grades 3 through 12.

“A unique aspect of archery is that it does not discriminate based on gender or athletic ability. Any child can achieve excellence in the Torches program while learning focus, self-control, discipline, and the patience necessary to be successful in the classroom and in life. Above all, our archery program is a ministry focused on giving glory to God. BTHE students are not just archers, but servants of Christ taking the love of Jesus with us to schools all over the state. I’m truly blessed to work with such talented young athletes–this is the joy that feeds my passion.”