Danny Davis

of Peachtree City is in his first year of college, at a school with a

total enrollment of about 90. But that's eighty-something more than what

his last two years of high school had.

His college

of choice, Patrick Henry College in Virginia, is also in its first year.

It was established especially for home-schooled students, which is what

Danny was in the 11th and 12th grades.

Having lived

in Peachtree City nearly all his life, the 19-year-old spent five years

at Landmark Christian School, where he was in the running for valedictorian

of his class (1999) before he and his parents made a joint decision for

him to finish his high school years in their home rather than a traditional

classroom.

Both he and

his father stressed that this move was not motivated by any problems with

Danny or his school, but rather an intense focus on what they felt God

would have family do with regard to his education.

A number of

friends in the area, including some they worshipped with at Harp's Crossing

Baptist Church, already had experience with home schooling, so this was

not a venture they launched without considerable feedback from others

in the know.

Lee Davis,

Danny's father, said that his son had asked him to consider home schooling

before, but after his sophomore year they felt the time was right.

"We assess

our children's education every year based on curriculum, peer group, teachers

and administration and we try to see God's direction," said Lee Davis.

"With each of our three children, every year the decision could be

different."

Because of

his age and the fact that his study habits were already well developed,

Danny needed little direct supervision those last two years in high school,

but he got assistance from both parents Lee, a pilot for Delta Air Lines,

and Lucie, a stay-at-home mom.

A letter from

the Home School Legal Defense Association during Danny's junior year informed

the Davis family that Patrick Henry College was in the planning stages.

The idea stayed on the back burner for a while, but when Danny graduated

and took a year's sabbatical from academics to consider his future, it

looked more and more appealing.

Right now he

is majoring in government, one of only two degree program currently offered

(a classical/liberal arts degree is the other). His exact career course

after graduation is not certain, but Danny says it will involve politics.

Ironically,

with students coming to PHC after years in classes at their homes, they

enter a fairly traditional classroom environment. "The style of teaching

is the same as most colleges," said Danny. "But there's a lot

more student involvement, and more opportunities."

An intriguing

aspect of being in a school that is literally in the startup phase is

the opportunity to help shape policies that could be standard operating

procedure for years to come. One of Danny's current activities, the honor

code committee, is a good example. "Since it's a new school, we're

helping form the honor code," he said.

Continuing

the government emphasis outside the classroom, Patrick Henry College has

every student involved in student government. A "town hall meeting"

or sorts convenes weekly, with a special speaker brought in from the world

of politics to share his or her experiences with possible future leaders.

Danny plans

to be back in Peachtree City this summer and might look to land an internship

somewhere. But he is certain that he'll be returning to PHC in the fall.

Meanwhile,

his 6-year-old sister is being home-schooled at the beginning of her academic

career, although their father says that she might be placed in a traditional

classroom at some point in the future. Danny says that being at home more

during her early years was another advantage of his own home-schooling.

Whatever either

of these two students does in the coming years, it will almost certainly

be decided with their own spiritual well-being and their family's best

interests at heart. And as thousands of Georgians and millions of Americans

in similar academic situations are proving each year, that's not a bad

way to arrange one's priorities.