Kimberly Knepper’s roots are embedded in Lake Charles, and she said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

The 35-year-old lifelong Lake Charles resident said her parents and grandparents are both locals. She and her husband, Jared, have been running Curious Creators, a Montessori school, out of their home since August 2020.

Knepper attended Queen of Heaven School and St. Louis Catholic High School. She briefly attended McNeese State University to study psychology, but left just after a year upon realizing the major wasn’t for her.

Knepper began working full time and eventually wound up in the admitting department at Christus Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital. She also got an online certification for office management through Sowela Technical Community College.

Knepper met Jared, and the two were married in 2010. She eventually became pregnant with their first child, Jordan. Unfortunately, Jordan was delivered prematurely and died in January 2012. After Jordan’s birth, Knepper said she discovered she had a blood clotting disorder. She was bed bound and took a year-long leave of absence from her job at Christus to recuperate.

Knepper eventually became pregnant again and had her second son, Nathan, now 8, and her third, Ethan, 6. Her blood clotting and other health complications during Ethan’s pregnancy also forced her to be bed bound. It was during this time that she began to think about her future.

“A lot of people said I would make a great teacher,” she said. “I had a lot of time to do research.”

After Ethan’s birth, Knepper chose to stay home and raise her two sons. She also enrolled at the University of Phoenix to study early childhood education online. She has roughly a year left before obtaining her bachelor’s degree.

While enrolled in college, Knepper said she learned about the Montessori education method. The style of teaching is more learner-driven, all while providing structure and guidelines.

“Children can learn the way they want to,” she said. “They’re learning, but more independently, based on what they choose.”

While staying at home with her sons, Knepper said she began watching other children around 2016. It wasn’t until 2020 that Erin-Beth Carter, co-founder of Acton Academy Lake Charles, asked her if she would want to teach young children at her home.

Knepper eventually decided to open her own Montessori program out of her home in early August 2020. She teaches roughly seven students full time, with their ages ranging from 2-4 years old. Other students attend for half-day sessions.

Thankfully, Hurricane Laura’s landfall three weeks after her Montessori school opened did little to damage their home, Knepper said. The storm drove her and Jared to start up their own business as Curious Creators. She described the first year as a rollercoaster, with their home nearly flooding last May while she taught her students.

Knepper said Jared, who was employed at Levingston Engineering in drafting and design, was laid off last year. Jared left the field entirely to focus completely on growing Curious Creators.

“All our families and friends were here, and family is everything,” she said. “Jared is the office manager and takes care of the paperwork. I’m the lead teacher, and he assists me.”

Knepper describes Curious Creators as a close-knit family environment. She said students are even learning about household chores, like washing dishes and doing laundry.

“Kids are very curious and want to learn,” she said. “We’re not just teaching letters and numbers. We teach how to use things throughout the home.”

The ultimate goal, Knepper said, is to save enough money to purchase a second home and renovate it to act as the main location for the school. She also plans to finish college and wants to eventually earn a master’s degree in early childhood education.

Knepper said her love for Lake Charles runs deep. One reason for that feeling is the community’s ability to bounce back after numerous natural disasters.

“Lake Charles has been through so much,” she said. “I take pride in our community and how everyone sticks together. We have a spirit here that’s strong, caring and loving, and I want the same for my children.”