Horseback high school

Editor's Note: This is the first of a two-part series on the White Family traveling from the west coast to the east coast via horseback.

On Monday morning, around 10 a.m., a family and their animal traveling partners rode into Harrison. Josh and Terra White, with their two sons — Lucas and Levi, sat high atop their horses while leading their other animals alongside them. As the group traveled into town, word spread of their arrival — neighbors called one another about encountering the travelers and many took to posting to social media about the unusual sight of horses trotting along the roads.

The family had already made new friends in Carroll County as they were making their way east in the preceding days — one more leg on a years-long journey across the US together. More new friends were quickly found among the members of the Boone County Round-Up Club, who graciously extended a temporary home to the family — opening the facilities at the fairgrounds in Harrison so that the Whites and their animals could have a shady spot to rest and clean up, restore themselves in preparation for another leg on their trip. The Whites have been making friends on the road for a long time now.

The family has managed to find many folks along their way who offer them a place to stay. Every new town brings new faces and new human connections — more links in a chain of human connections stretching its way across the country.

“It’s very difficult to call ahead,” Terra shares. “If you call ahead and try to explain to people what you are doing — they’re going to think it’s a prank call or just, they don’t believe you so they’ll hang up on you. You literally have to ride in and then people get it — we have no truck, no trailer. We are just riding every mile.” The reason for this trip might seem mysterious to anyone who sees them only in passing, but the Whites have some very sincere reasons for traveling as they are.

The Whites’ journey began in April 2022. Levi was only 15 at the time, and Lucas was 13. The family is originally from Nevada, but they started their trip in Susanville, Calif. The trip has a primary goal of reaching the Atlantic Ocean. This goal however, is not the trip’s purpose. The trip is being undertaken in lieu of high school — a four year journey to replace the four years many American kids spend in classrooms, surrounded by people their own age and largely from their same neighborhood.

For Lucas and Levi White, there are no classroom walls. Their teachers come from all walks of life — all ages, economic backgrounds, cultures and religions. Every human interaction is an opportunity to learn from others, and to make new friends. The boys’ science lab is the night sky, the river, and the insects that follow them around. They study maps and manage finances for the family, planning carefully every step of the way to keep their family on track and the animals that accompany them safe.

As the Whites enjoyed the hospitality they found in Harrison this week, they spoke with the Times about the people they have met so far along the way and what it has meant to them all, the White parents, Josh and Terra, as well as their sons.