Shawn & Julie McKnight
When Julie and Shawn McKnight first set foot on Miller School of Albemarle’s campus, they were struck by the quiet beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains that frame the school. “It’s breathtaking,” Julie recalls. Nestled outside the bustle of the suburbs, MSA felt instantly different. It felt peaceful, welcoming, and purposeful. The McKnights could imagine their son Rysen not just attending school here but finding the space to grow, learn, and thrive.
That sense of possibility mattered deeply to the McKnights. Like many families, they had watched their son struggle academically during the upheaval of the COVID years. However, when he transitioned to Field School, Rysen began to flourish, graduating from eighth grade with the highest GPA in his class. It was his teachers at Field School who first encouraged Julie and Shawn to consider Miller.
The fit proved to be just right. At Miller, Rysen quickly found his footing. Small classes and individualized learning plans created by teachers allowed him to lean into his strengths and stay challenged. “He’s a straight-A student,” Julie shares proudly. “He works really hard, and he’s really been thriving at Miller.” The family also appreciates the advanced academic offerings at Miller. This is something that stood out as a mark of the school’s commitment to pushing students to their full potential.
“They strongly recommended we look at MSA. We looked at other schools, but we thought Rysen needed something more intimate like Miller.”
But academics are only part of Rysen’s story at MSA. He also discovered a new passion for cross-country. Running had always been an interest of his, but at Miller, surrounded by active peers and a supportive coaching staff, Rysen began to embrace it fully. He found not just a sport, but a community that pushed him to be his best self. “Everyone is so active at Miller,” Julie explains. “He wanted to be part of that.”
Now, in his second year, Rysen is helping guide the younger runners who look up to him. For his parents, it’s one of the most rewarding transformations to witness. “He’s so motivated,” Julie says.
For the McKnights, the impact of MSA has gone beyond their son’s personal growth. It has reshaped how they think about community and giving. As new parents to the school, they wanted to do more than simply say thank you; they wanted to give back in a way that encouraged other families to join them.
“Finding MSA for our son was a gift in itself,” Julie says. “We felt encouraged to participate in fundraising because we knew that, if it meant more funds being donated to the cause, it would help increase the impact.”
They see giving as an essential way to sustain the very qualities that make Miller so unique: its scholarship programs, athletic departments, academic resources, and the facilities that create such a memorable environment for students. “As a small private school, you know the funds you’re giving are going to help keep the educational ecosystem that our kids live in continue to thrive.”
Julie explains. “In order to keep the facilities and opportunities available while attracting and retaining quality teachers and staff for our kids, the school needs more than tuition alone can provide.”
For the McKnights, MSA has been more than a school; it has been a turning point for their son and a source of gratitude for their family. Looking out across the Blue Ridge Mountains, they see not only the breathtaking views but the future their son is building – one that’s rooted in hard work, community, and opportunity. And for Julie and Shawn, that is more than worth giving back to.