Classical Christian Academy: A love of learning has helped Luke Roberts succeed in high school

Before you learn about Classical Christian Academy graduating senior Luke Roberts, you should learn a little about what a classical Christian education entails.

One site describes the goal of classical Christian education as “formation, not merely information, helping to prepare young people to think with depth, believe with courage, and serve with compassion.” Another says, “It starts with a different purpose and ends with different results than conventional education.”

Classical Christian Academy in Rathdrum uses the liberal arts stages of grammar, logic and rhetoric to achieve its mission, which is to deliver a Christ-centered education to its students in both academic disciplines and Christian virtues.

There is no better student spokesman for CCA than Roberts, who has attended the school since kindergarten, and whose family is deeply involved with the school. His mother teaches second grade there, his uncle is a headmaster and a cousin graduated recently with him.

“I have loved my education here,” Roberts said. “I don’t have the best grades, but I do love learning. Am I versatile? Let’s just say that I can’t find a college major because I’m interested in everything.

“There’s not a single thing I do that hasn’t been shaped by CCA, the way I look at everything that happens in the world, small or large. Lots of teenagers look at school as something that they have to do, but I love it. A scholar is someone who searches for truth, goodness and beauty in life, either through books or experience. That is a difficult mission, because we frequently get stuck in the routine of life. I often get lost, until I remind myself to be intentional in everything I do and to resist the current.”

Roberts feels that his education at CCA has prepared him for any career he may choose, because it has taught him that he can learn and grow in anything, not just a specific occupation.

He has competed in cross-country and track at Post Falls High School, and has an interesting perspective on competition and Christianity.

“I think that being competitive is only a bad thing if you make winning the only thing that you care about,” he said. “I love to win, but if I don’t, I’m still OK, because I always learn something from losing. You can always compete with yourself, and a healthy, competitive spirit is one that’s respectful of your fellow athletes.”

Roberts regularly serves the school behind the scenes, says CCA instructor Jenna Bailey, who added that he leads by example in everything from choir to the basketball court. He has also been involved in the school’s prize-winning robotics team.

This fall, Luke will attend Grove City College in Pennsylvania, a Classical Christian college that will help him to move forward on the educational path he has chosen, one which looks at all academic subjects through a Biblical lens. His cousin Gabrielle will also attend Grove City.

“It’s been nerve-wracking,” he said, “because I’ve been blessed to be at a small school where I know almost everybody.

“But I’m ready to move forward. Most education teaches you how to do things, but CCA has taught me how to think about things. Educating the mind and spirit is of great value, but so is educating the body. Growing and becoming better in everything is something I’ve been created to do.”