About Us
Located in the heart of beautiful Cody, Wyoming, we are passionate about providing an exceptional educational experience deeply rooted in American values and a strong faith in what it takes to serve God.
What sets us apart is our commitment to integrating Biblical principles into every aspect of day of learning. We believe that education is not just about acquiring knowledge but also about developing character and understanding our place in the world through a Biblical perspective.
We go against the grain in our approach to schooling. We are not a traditional school. We place a heavy emphasis on outdoor activities, play and building strong friendships that will last a lifetime. Let's get back to the basics and teach children how to think, not what to think.
Samantha
Williams
My faith is the foundation of who I am. I am a strong believer in God, and I strive to build my life around the example Yeshua gave us—leading with faith, love, compassion, integrity, humility, and a willingness to serve others. Everything else I do is rooted in those values.
I’m a businesswoman, educator, and lifelong learner, but above all, I’m a woman of faith who believes that the gifts and opportunities I’ve been given come with a responsibility to use them well.
My educational journey has taken me down several different paths. I hold four degrees—two bachelor’s degrees. One in Criminal Justice and the other in Psychology. I also hold two associate degrees in Sociology and English.
I have been educating children for ten years, six of those teaching at a broader scale. Teaching has been one of the most meaningful parts of my life. It has taught me patience, perseverance, compassion, and the importance of recognizing the potential in every person.
I’m also an entrepreneur. For the past three and a half years, I’ve owned and operated two successful businesses. Building businesses from the ground up has challenged me, strengthened me, and taught me real life lessons that I pass on to the classroom. It has given me the opportunity to lead, create, take risks, overcome setbacks, and turn ideas into something meaningful.
But my accomplishments are not what define me. My faith does. I believe God has given each of us unique gifts, and I want to use mine in a way that honors Him and positively impacts the people around me. Following the example of Yeshua means striving to treat people with kindness and dignity, standing firm in what I believe, helping others when I can, and continuing to grow into the person God has called me to be.
For me, being American Made represents more than
entrepreneurship or achievement. It represents faith, freedom, hard work, perseverance, family, service, and the courage to build something meaningful with the gifts God has given you. My story is still being written, and I’m grateful for every lesson, every challenge, and every opportunity along the way.
Dr. Melissa Graham Hansen
Dr. Melissa Graham Hansen has been teaching since 1998, and is the former principal flutist of the Midland-Odessa Symphony & Chorale (now known as the West Texas Symphony) and the West Texas Winds. She has performed with numerous orchestras, such as the Greeley Philharmonic, Fort Collins Symphony, Lubbock Symphony, and the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (Houston). While in West Texas, Dr. Hansen served as a faculty member at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and Odessa College (musicology and flute performance). She intensely enjoys teaching musicology and general music courses in a classroom setting as well as private lessons.
Dr. Hansen earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree (specializing in performance and pedagogy) from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2012. After joining the MOSC as the principal flutist and member of its resident wind quintet the same year, Dr. Hansen also served as the MOSC personnel manager (2014 to 2021). As so many experienced around 2020 however, a shift was needed.
Happily, Dr. Hansen and her family moved to her husband’s home town of Cody in 2022. Gone are the days of managing full orchestra personnel on top of performing and collegiate teaching; she’s happy instead to manage a vineyard, a large flock of poultry, four yorkies, and two incredible children.
As the American Made music teacher since 2025, Dr. Hansen has loved the joy of exploring music with students once again. After all, as Igor Stravinsky once said, “What force is more potent than love?”
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