Growth in K–8 schools participating in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) has created a shortage of seats in choice high schools. Kevin Festerling envisioned a solution in Milwaukee, which is one of the toughest places for young urban students to come of age. MPCP gave Kevin and his team opportunity to try an innovative approach. After years of experience in leadership positions at St. Marcus Lutheran School, Hmong American Peace Academy, and the Center for Urban Teaching, Kevin opened the doors of Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School in 2018 to its first class of 60 freshman boys. With support from The Bradley Foundation and the Bradley Impact Fund donor community, Kingdom Prep will add another class this August, and two over the next two years to reach total enrollment of approximately 240 students.
As founder and principal, Kevin’s vision for Kingdom Prep is a place where young men develop their God-given gifts to lead in the home, serve in the Church, engage in meaningful work, and transform the community. And he’s called on Shawn Sprewer, a man he’s known for years, to bring the vision into reality. Kevin and Shawn both graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran High School. They went in separate directions for college in the late 1990s, but met again at St. Marcus in the mid 2000s. Kevin taught and became Director of St. Marcus Middle School, and Shawn served as Director of St. Marcus College Prep Center before taking over as Dean of Students for St. Marcus Middle School. Shawn, who is Kingdom Prep’s assistant principal, gained critical business experience in roles as a financial analyst at Harley-Davidson and later, Rockwell Automation, before committing his life to K–12 urban education.
Together they’re filling a demand for a much needed, innovative high school able to prepare young men for twenty-first century leadership based on the principles of faith, service, experience, and excellence. They’ve built a diverse staff of teachers who are passionate about shaping their students into leaders in their personal lives and their community. Under their leadership, Kingdom Prep is an innovative, dynamic addition to the ecosystem of choice schools serving Milwaukee students and their families.
“Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School has created a niche mission and vision, specialized for young men who are called to boldly commit to brotherhood in Christ for lives of purpose. The societal impact of a Kingdom-first brotherhood will manifest deep, lasting changes in our community, as our 'boys becoming men' step up as loyal husband to wife, strong father to children, and courageous servant to Christ and Church.”
Kevin Festerling
Founder, Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School
