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Scholar Program

The Scholar Program is for kids 12 years old or older who are prepared through Core and Love of Learning phases to engage in more focused study.  It begins with about 2+ hours of study a day as a Practice Scholar engaging in one of our Practice Scholar Projects.  As the student's ability to focus and submit to difficult tasks grows, so does their iniative to study more hours.  With guidance from their parents and scholar mentors, the youth discover more about themselves, their abilities, and interests.  Through reading, writing, discussions and personal projects, students begin to understand the contributions they want to make to their families and communities.

 

The spine of our Scholar Program consists of year-long project classes with a specific VMASK: vision, mission, abilities, skills, and knowledge the scholars work to gain. Some are designed by Leadership Education Mentoring Institute (LEMI). Others are designed by inspired mentors. All projects have the purpose to help the youth move through the scholar phases. All mentors offering LEMI projects go through a special training by LEMI.  Other specifically targeted classes for our scholars are approved through the Board to ensure quality and adherence to the Thomas Jefferson Education philosophy and phase appropriate VMASK standards.

 

Scholar Projects to be offered will be decided upon each year to meet the needs of the membership.  

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KEY OF LIBERTY
PRACTICE Scholar (ages 12+)
 

In this project they study the founding fathers and founding documents of the United States. As they study the founding of the United States of America, they explore the purpose of government; world crisis and personal and family choices; leadership; war, pestilence, betrayal, statesmanship; hardship; how to survive during difficult times; public virtue; and traits of a hero. Students study the Founding of America and gain an in-depth experience with the Constitution. The students are inspired to memorize the Declaration of Independence, and surprisingly, they usually do! The culminating event is a Constitution Bowl typically against another TJEd commonwealth who has also held this project the same year. The teams are quizzed regarding their understanding of the Constitution of the United States. It is a fun way to end the year.

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Georgics
Practice Scholar (Ages 12+)

Shows the power of being reconnected to the earth and learning principles of community and self-reliance.

Students read several classics that take place in an agrarian setting so they see the value and growth that comes from hard work.

They learn what Will DeMille named the 6 Mini-Ag Ideals and the Georgic Principles (mission, entrepreneurship, forgiveness, self-validation, community stewardship, interdependence, real estate ownership, etc.) which are not only part of agriculture but part of life.

A strong emphasis is placed on the power of spiritually creating (also know as planning) something before physically creating it, and the students plan a Georgic project which can be anything from planning and growing a garden to raising bees or poultry.

Georgics Mini-Ag Ideals

  • community inter-dependence

  • community stewardship

  • entrepreneurship

  • real estate ownership

  • hard work

  • forgiveness

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EDISON PROJECT
(SELF-DIRECTED SCHOLAR) AGES 16+

Our Edison Project is a Self-Directed Scholar Project. It is for our 17+ scholars, who have been through the other scholar phases and are ready for the next step in their journey. Scholars use the knowledge, skills, and abilities they have previously gained to start making and impact NOW as they create and implement their own projects. They develop projects based on their passion, such as music, engineering, or a foreign language. Some prepare themselves to tackle college or an apprenticeship. Sometimes those projects lead to businesses or careers, sometimes those projects help the students find and fill in some of the gaps in their education (We all have them.) They stretch themselves further than they could go. But the scholars are not alone. They are guided by their Edison coach with a system of accountability, including deadlines and weekly self-evaluations to help them achieve their goals. By supporting and inspiring each other, they are able to join in the great conversation and overcome their roadblocks to find success. The skills gained in the Edison Project are invaluable tools they will use throughout their lives as they continue to fulfill their mission. A few of the vital principles they study are: finding heroes that have/had their same mission, securing mentors who can prepare them for their mission, showing initiative and dedication to their unique purpose, and submitting to mentors and inner feelings of doing the right-next thing. Our Edison Project will begin with a retreat on June 20-22. If you have a scholar 16+, they are invited to come, even if they will not be participating in the Edison Project this year.

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