Building the School Her Son Needed with Mily Pérez

What does it take to turn more than 20 years in education—and one child's experience of not thriving in traditional school—into a new kind of learning environment? Host Kerry McDonald sits down with Mily Pérez, founder of Athena Micro-Academy of Austin, a microschool serving students in grades 6–12 that just opened last month! Mily shares how her educational background shaped her calling as an educator, why her son's learning experience inspired her to build a school of her own, and how the KaiPod Catalyst program gave her the confidence and practical knowledge to launch. Mily explains why she intends to keep Athena intentionally small, how she is protecting its warm and joyful culture, and how she designs each student's curriculum backward from their college, career, or post-high-school aspirations. This conversation offers an honest look at the challenges, choices, and deeply personal motivation behind building a school where every student can feel seen and supported. *** Check out the Education Entrepreneurship Lab for a steady stream of new articles and original content—by school founders, for school founders.