Biography & Autobiography Course | 13-15 Year Old | FALL 2026

“A proper diet is good for your body, and the best books are good for your mind. Your life will be determined by the people you associate with in the books that you read. Many people whom you will come to love will be met in books. Read biographies, autobiographies, and history. Your books will provide all the friends, mentors, role models, and heroes you will ever need. Biographies will help you see that there is nothing that can happen to you that wasn’t experienced by many who used their failures, disappointments, and tragedies as stepping stones for a more tremendous life. Many of my best friends are people I’ve never met.” -Charlie Jones

WHAT TO EXPECT: 

In this class, you will meet remarkable men and women—friends, mentors, role models, and heroes—alongside other young scholars who are eager to learn from their example. Together we will study individuals who chose to serve, to love, and to sacrifice for the principles they believed in and for the people around them. As we explore their stories, my hope is that you will begin to see your own life more clearly—that you will recognize the quiet call to your own mission. Each of these individuals did their best with the gifts and opportunities they were given, standing firm where they were planted. You can do the same. Your life matters, and the time to begin is now.

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 individuals whose lives and examples we will explore together in this class.

• Fredrick Douglass

• Booker T. Washington

• Ralph Moody

• Helen Keller

• Corrie Ten Boom

• Ji-li Jiang

• Immaculée Ilibagiza

• Ben Carson

BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY 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 TUESDAY CALENDAR:

• Sep I 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• Oct I 6, 13, 20, 27
• Nov I 3, 10, 17, 24
• Dec I 1, 8
• Jan I 5, 19, 26
• Feb I 2, 9, 23
• Mar I 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
• Apr I 13, 20, 27
• May I 4, 11