Refining Rhetoric

What does it look like when a classical Christian education meets a national civics competition? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric, host Robert Bortins sits down with two Classical Conversations students, Owen Burrill and Elisha Hoey, who were selected as national finalists in the U.S. Presidential 1776 Award, a civics competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Out of hundreds of thousands of eligible students, only 20 made it this far — and these two CC students are among them.

Owen and Elisha share how they tackled a study library spanning John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government to Madison’s notes from the Constitutional Convention, what surprised them most about the Founding (hint: virtue shows up everywhere), and how the Classical Conversations Inc emphasis on memory work, primary documents, and impromptu speaking gave them a real edge. They also dish on their private tour of the National Archives and what it was like to see the Declaration of Independence without the crowds.

Whether you’re a homeschool parent wondering if the hard work is paying off, or a student looking for a reason to dig deeper into American history, this conversation is proof that a classical education does more than prepare kids for college; it prepares them for the arena.

Hear the episode at the link in the comments.