The Gap Year That Builds Leaders - with Krish Dhanam

Your teenager is smart, motivated, and still unsure what they’re called to do. Or maybe they’re already in college and feel like they’re paying to “find themselves.” We talk about a different path: a focused, high-intensity gap year that builds character, clarity, and real leadership skills instead of just collecting credits.

We sit down with Krish Dhanam, dean of the Patriot Institute at Patriot Academy, to break down what a full academic year of Christian worldview training actually looks like. Krish explains the “baptism by fire” approach where students learn apologetics, research quickly, and present confidently, plus deep dives into worldviews like Islam, atheism, Hinduism, and scientism so they can engage culture with both conviction and kindness. We also get practical about how parents can think through college decisions, why purpose should come before a major, and how mentorship continues long after graduation.

Along the way, we share stories of student growth, the impact of community and accountability, and memorable experiences like end-of-year travel to Philadelphia and Washington, DC that connects American history and constitutional principles to real places and real responsibility. David and Tim Barton also zoom out to a bigger challenge: resetting our assumptions about education and government by going back to biblical principles and foundational ideas that shaped the American experiment.

If you care about civics education, apologetics, leadership development, and raising the next generation to serve well, listen now, subscribe, share this with a parent or student, and leave a review so more families can find it.

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