Welcome!
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Meet your teacher
Literature|Logic & Rhetoric|Senior Thesis | Ascent Classical Academy, Douglas County
ABOUT ME
I was born and raised in Colorado, and even attended high school right here in Douglas County. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in English from Hillsdale College, along with a Minor in Latin. I entered college with the intention of majoring in Politics and eventually making my way to Washington, D.C., but while at Hillsdale I developed a deep love for classical education and the positive influence it has on its beneficiaries and the world as a whole. This passion re-directed my steps and led me to Ascent Classical Academy. I am overjoyed to be here and to contribute to my students' pursuit of all that is good, true, and beautiful.
EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY
My educational philosophy can be stated simply: The secret to a happy, healthy, productive, and virtuous life is to have a rightly ordered soul; a sound education which emphasizes goodness, truth, beauty, discipline, and wonder is an invaluable part of developing such a soul. Further, attaining a robust understanding of the world and the history of its peoples through the various fields of study is essential to a sound education.
WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
I am eagerly looking forward to sharing the great works of literature of the Classical Tradition with my Literature students and exploring the art of thinking and persuasion in Logic & Rhetoric and Senior Thesis. I am excited to help kindle a fire of wonder in their hearts for their own part in the great human story which we are all heirs to.
GET TO KNOW ME
what is your favorite book?
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry . I read this book for the first time in an undergraduate course titled "Existentialism and Literature," and reading it forever altered the way I view responsibility and the wonder of human relationships. Though it is a children's book on the surface, it is a delightful tale full of timeless wisdom for both young children and seasoned adults (and any age in between). I read it at least once a year and highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.
What is your favorite subject?
Unsurprisingly, my favorite subject is Literature. Given that the written word is necessarily produced by human beings, often about human beings and for human beings, it is the single greatest artifact of human history. To me, Literature is a gateway to understanding not only the stories of those who came before me (both fictional and non-fictional), but also to understanding myself and my place in the world and in relation to its inhabitants.
What do you Appreciate about ascent?
I greatly appreciate our emphasis on the development of the soul along with the mind in both our students and our staff. An educated human being is not simply one who knows facts and theories but one who understands such things and prudently incorporates them into his or her life. An intelligent mind without a virtuous heart can quickly lead an individual or community into treacherous waters, and I treasure Ascent's mission to harmoniously equip our students with intelligence and virtue so that they may become productive, responsible members of our community, and that its staff are held to high standards of virtue as well.
What is your favorite Game?
I grew up playing ice hockey, and it is still my favorite game to play (whenever possible) and to watch. I was thrilled to cheer on the Colorado Avalanche as they brought home the Stanley Cup this year!