The Great Minds Course | 13-15 Year Old | FALL 2026

”The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart. And books teach us to feel deeply.” -Helen Keller

One of my favorite examples of author heroism took place in the mid 1800’s. Harriet Beecher Stowe was in the midst of injustice in America. The country had just passed the Fugitive Slave Act which allowed slaves who had escaped to free states to be captured again and taken back to their slaveholders. Harriet received a letter from her sister telling her to use her gift in writing to make a stand. Harriet had written as a hobby up to that point and now was poor, often sick, and had 7 young children to care for each day. But with a fire burning in her heart she started to write in the windows of her time and created the masterpiece known as Uncle Tom's Cabin. When she met Abraham Lincoln a couple of years later in the midst of the Civil War he said “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this Great War.”

In these classes I hope you feel the hearts of the authors, I hope they inspire you to see the people, places, and times they lived. I hope their thoughts and perspectives elevate yours. I hope you recognize that, no matter where you are in life, that your family, community, and the world need you!

WHAT TO EXPECT: 

I believe there is something powerful about spending time with the very best works of literature—books that have endured because they speak to the deepest questions of life. The great classics invite readers into thoughtful conversation with some of the greatest minds in history. When students fill their hearts and minds with these ideas, they begin to see the world with greater clarity, wisdom, and purpose.

Why read the classics? Because within their pages we meet people who wrestled with courage, loyalty, sacrifice, justice, and truth. We encounter characters who faced difficult choices, authors who asked meaningful questions, and stories that challenge us to think more deeply about what it means to live a good life. As students engage with these works, they begin to sharpen their thinking, strengthen their character, and discover that great books have the power to shape how we see the world and our place within it.

My hope for every student in this class is that they will come to love great literature and the timeless ideas found within it. As they wrestle with these stories and discussions, I hope they discover not only the beauty of the classics, but also the confidence to think deeply, speak thoughtfully, and use their learning to make a difference in the world around them.

CLASS STRUCTURE: 

Each class session includes approximately two to five hours of preparation, with the level of work determined thoughtfully by each student in counsel with their parents. Every week begins with a reading assignment from the text and a short written reflection, allowing students to come prepared with their own thoughts and questions. For those who desire to go further, additional challenges and deeper explorations are available. In this way, each scholar takes ownership of their education, discovering that the depth of their learning grows in proportion to the effort they choose to invest.

Students will also need access to the books we will study together, either purchased or borrowed from a local library. Having these texts ready ensures that each scholar can come prepared to engage fully in our discussions.

In the second week of August, families will receive a detailed email with everything needed to begin the course, including the complete book list, class link, weekly preparation schedule, the additional study guide, and other important details to help each scholar come prepared to participate fully in the class.

Below is the list of remarkable authors whose works we will study and learn from throughout this class:

• Robert Louis Stevenson
• Jane Austen
• C.S. Lewis
• Mark Twain
• Freedman
• Louisa Alcott

  GREAT MINDS COURSE DETAILS: 

• 30-week course for scholars ages 13-15, designed for students ready to engage thoughtfully with the lives and works of remarkable authors and the enduring ideas found in their writings.
  
• Weekly class gatherings of 50 minutes, centered on thoughtful discussion, mentorship, and reflection on the readings.
  
• Online class setting: Classes will meet online in a small-group setting of up to 10 students, creating a space where each scholar can participate, share ideas, and engage in meaningful discussion.
  
• Weekly preparation: Students can expect 50-60 pages of reading, along with a short written reflection prepared before the next class.
  
• Scholarly exploration: As part of their writing, students will investigate unfamiliar words, references, and ideas they encounter in the text, including their meanings and context within their written work.
  
• Extended Study Opportunities: Each week an additional study guide will be available for students who desire to dig deeper into the readings and pursue further study through extra reading, projects, research, and thoughtful exploration.
  
• Book list: A complete list of the biographies and autobiographies for the course will be provided the second week in August so students may come prepared for each discussion.

FALL WEDNESDAY CALENDAR:

• Sep I 2,9, 16, 23, 30
• Oct I 7, 14, 21, 28
• Nov I 4, 11, 18, 25
• Dec I 9
• Jan I 6, 13, 20, 27
• Feb I 3, 10, 24
• Mar I 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
• Apr I 14, 21, 28
• May I 5, 12