When someone once asked me if we teach a liberal arts curriculum “even though we’re conservative,” I smiled. There’s a lot of confusion about why we boast about “liberal arts” in today’s politically charged culture where “liberal” implies a political leaning.

As we reflect upon the vibrant tapestry of the 2024-2025 school year at TRA, it is clear that while our days were wonderfully full, our Great God has, with boundless generosity, provided for our every need and then some!

At its heart, paideia is the formation of the whole person. Plato, in The Republic, likens education to turning the soul toward the light, orienting it to what is true and just. Aristotle complements this in Nicomachean Ethics, where he emphasizes the role of education in habituating virtue—shaping not only what a student knows, but how they live. These classical insights reach their pinnacle in the biblical vision of paideia, and Paul exhorts Christians to raise children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (ESV, Ephesians 6.4). It is this vision that guides our school’s curriculum and culture, grounded in the conviction that all education is ultimately formation.

One unique aspect of our curriculum is the emphasis we place on public speaking, starting as early as 1st grade. Public speaking in our curriculum is not merely about eloquence; it is about equipping our students to proclaim the Gospel and speak truth in love. As Saint Augustine once said, "The truth is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself." By teaching our students to communicate effectively, we are empowering them to be courageous witnesses of their faith, standing firm in their convictions and defending their ideas with grace and humility. By starting in 1st grade, our lion cubs can begin to find their roars. 

Partnering with Parents: TRA is not a drop-off school

I teach Latin. It’s an ancient language spoken by the Romans…maybe you’ve heard of it? 

Not all of my students are equally prepared to answer this question …and it is one that they, as well as I, will inevitably be asked by their aunts and uncles, grandparents and neighbors. “So…why Latin? And why Latin in Wenatchee? Isn’t Spanish more useful? Isn’t any spoken language more useful?” 

Fair point. Spanish is useful. But then, so is English. So is Arabic. So is Japanese. 

We live in a choice-saturated culture. Choices are good. Competition is good. It’s no different when it comes to your child’s education. Next to following Jesus and choosing a spouse, it’s one of the most important decisions you will ever make.

I often think about a C.S. Lewis quote–who doesn’t?–as I think about the landscape of education: “The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts.” We often speak of education with battle imagery: “I’ve got to get ready for the invasion of 8th graders into my classroom,” or as a violent force of nature that must be conquered. There’s maybe some truth in that, at times, but our job isn’t to cut down jungles, to hack and slash at the vines and branches of culture today, but to irrigate the deserts of falsehoods and despair with the Living Water of Truth that streams from Christ Jesus. 

Given that the Harry Potter books are not part of the TRA curriculum and Wenatchee is over 4,000 miles away from the United Kingdom, why is there a House System for TRA secondary students?

TRA prides itself on Christian, Classical education in a joyful and relational community. That’s right, we have a House System because we want secondary students to build and value community during a pivotal time of life. (We have no desire for students to speak with a British accent or add the letter “u” to various words.)