Our Students
The Center for Liberty and Learning exists for the primary purpose of enhancing the student experience at Founders Classical Academy by providing a forum for the expression and exchange of ideas, cultivating public spiritedness, and learning more about local, state, and federal politics.
Our students are elite. They are well rounded. And they are hungry for knowledge and have a true desire to pursue excellence. In Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, he argues that the truly happy life requires that virtue exist in a "complete life." Our students don't only excel in the classroom; they bring their virtues, skills, and knowledge to bear on society at large through philanthropy and through striving to become informed citizens.
The Young Citizens' Club
In the Young Citizens Club, our students come together twice a month to discuss local, state, and federal news pieces. We analyze news sources and attempt to find accurate and unbiased information on politics. We discuss these news pieces in our meetings and attempt to understand the effects the laws have on local, state, and federal politics.
In addition to learning about current events and analyzing news sources, our students learn how to talk about complex issues in front of groups of people. Modelled after the Lyceum clubs that were popular in America in the 19th century (places where Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster honed their rhetorical skills) our students have the opportunity to make a speech on a disputed question at each meeting.
And finally, our fellowship extends beyond the club meetings. At the end of every meeting, students are given opportunities for philanthropy and public service. Our students know that being a citizen doesn't just mean knowing about current events; but that citizenship requires that one play an active role in serving the community.
The Tocqueville Fellowship
The Tocqueville Fellows at the Center for Liberty and Learning are the students most dedicated to civics, patriotism, and public service. This group of students go above and beyond in the classroom as well as outside of it.
Application to the Tocqueville Fellowship is available to all students at Founders Classical Academy, grades 9-12.
The Tocqueville Fellows meet with our colloquia speakers outside of events and are given one-on-one attention from our guests. Fellows also have the opportunity to present papers at the Center for Liberty and Learning events, introduce speakers, and may publish on our blog. Beginning in Summer 2023, Tocqueville Fellows will attend a summer trip free of cost. Tocqueville Fellows also receive cords for graduation. Our long-term goal is to create a community of graduate Fellows who mentor current students as they graduate from Founders.
Applications for The Tocqueville Fellowship are now open and will be accepted through February 28th of 2022.