ResponsiveEd Alumni Stories: Brittany Lawrence

Teachers at ResponsiveEd’s classical schools lead students through the same curriculum that has long bolstered the enduring values and intellectual traditions of Western Civilization: objective standards of truth, beauty expressed through the arts, personal responsibility, liberty and civic virtue. An education rooted in classical principles provides students with the tools they need to become well-rounded human beings and contributing members of society.

Brittany Lawrence graduated from ResponsiveEd’s Founders Classical Academy of Lewisville in 2015, and is now continuing her education at the University of Dallas. This semester she is studying abroad in Rome. Brittany looks back with gratitude on the education she received during her three years on this ResponsiveEd campus.

“Founders was a place of spiritual growth and personal improvement for me. My core values and moral principles were both tested by exploring texts written from differing views and strengthened by the discovery of and participation in a larger conversation among the philosophers, theologians and authors of history,” she explains. “By the time I graduated, I was firm in my beliefs and convictions and that shaped my character, preparing me for college and the real world.”

Brittany was motivated to attend Founders by her father, who was impressed with ResponsiveEd’s relationship with Hillsdale College, an institution known for its grounding in American civics and virtue education. Her mother was sold on the fact that Brittany would be attending a school alongside peers with the same dedication to their studies.

“Founders placed an emphasis on virtus (excellence) in all areas, not just academics. My Founders experience truly motivated me to live a life of excellence,” Brittany recalls. “At Founders, we often discussed the soul. The soul was something that I never really heard discussed in public school. At Founders, though, consideration of the soul was an important part of classroom conversation, and it made the subjects we were learning much more human and engaging to me.”

Studying with teachers who lived out these same principles and values provided Brittany with great mentors and examples to follow. A teacher who particularly influenced her was Kerry Frost, a math instructor who also served as her cross country and track coach.

“Ms. Frost’s enthusiasm for the beauty of math taught me to appreciate beauty in all things. She was a tough but compassionate coach, and she cultivated perseverance and endurance in me — not only in competition but in life as well. Her general encouragement, natural grace and positive attitude always uplifted me and gave me an example of how to conduct myself as both a young woman and a person of faith,” Brittany says. “Ms. Frost was also always there for me to talk when I needed her. I could confide in her and trust her to give honest advice. Her emotional support meant more to me than I can say.”

Beyond great teachers,  Brittany’s favorite aspect of Founders was the exposure to Greek and Roman culture that allowed her to appreciate what it means to live a good life.

“At Founders, I learned by having a conversation with philosophers. I learned by entering the worlds of literature. I learned by becoming acquainted with historical personalities,” Brittany observes. “Every subject spoke to the other subjects in an integrated approach.”

With great books to study and great teachers to guide that study, Brittany learned to value great conversations that continue and develop throughout history. It shaped how she views herself and her connection to others.

From her current vantage point as a college sophomore, Brittany appreciates the great foundation Founders built for her.

“Founders educates every aspect of the human being. The academics are rigorous but are completely worth the work and discipline, the teachers are the best in the world, and the lessons you will learn will carry you through life,” Brittany attests. “I truly cannot recommend the school enough.”

For Brittany, Founders was not just memorizing facts and passing tests, but a life-changing experience that shaped her perspective of life.

“The little I have said here cannot do the school justice or paint a full picture, but I hope that many more students can have the experience that I had and join me in pursuit of the Good, the True, and the Beautiful,” concludes Brittany.

Whatever career path Brittany follows beyond college, the education she received at Founders Classical Academy is sure to play an important role in her future success.