Trinitas Blog

Rhetoric is a key component of any complete classical education. Unfortunately, the term “rhetoric” has taken on a negative connotation in recent decades because politicians sometimes use it as a term of derision to describe what their opponents are saying. We hear, for example, phrases such as “empty rhetoric,” “mere rhetoric,” and “cut through the rhetoric.” Rhetoric, however, defined as the art of persuasive speaking or writing, is a necessary tool for convincing anyone anywhere of anything at any time. Whether in the classroom, the office, the halls of congress, the courtroom, or just the family dinner table, if you want to make your point, you’re going to use rhetoric. In fact, the aforementioned politicians are also using rhetoric, albeit in a dishonest way, when they criticize their opponents for using rhetoric.

One question parents should ask themselves is, “What do I really want from my child’s education?” This question is the first one parents should ask when enrolling their children in school for the first time, but it is also a good question to come back to each year. It is easy to think that we have to follow the same educational pattern that we grew up in or that everyone around us accepts as normal, but the truth is, we have options. In fact, never before have we had so many options in education, so parents are in the driver’s seat like never before. With so many options available, a few clarifying questions are in order:

If you have stumbled upon this blog, there is a good chance you are trying to make a decision about your child’s education. Should you send her to a public school like most everyone else you know, or should you spring for a Christian school? Make no mistake, this is one of the two or three most important decisions you will ever make. No pressure, right? If you are a Christian, there are a lot of reasons you should consider a Christian education over a secular one. Here are three that top my list.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Trinitas alumna Mekenzie Petersen ('20) to discuss her recent academic accomplishments. By the end of our conversation, I clearly understood that she has her sights set on something greater than attending medical school this fall. A transcription of our conversation is below so you can decide for yourself.

The end of the first quarter of the school year is upon us and our students have settled into the rhythm and routines of the school year. For many, this is a season of growing intellectually in their classrooms while also pursuing various co-curriculars available to Trinitas students. I am always a little in awe of Trinitas students as I consider how many wonderful and various things they are able to accomplish over the course of a single year. Surely this reflection holds true for any hardworking student in any school—it is not reserved for Trinitas students. I am, however, always amazed at the number of Trinitas students who do so very well over the year in such a wide variety of activities. What I have found is that classical education exposes students to a broad range of experiences and then provides opportunities for students to learn, perform and compete in activities as different as baseball and drama. By encouraging students to drink deeply from many fountains of knowledge rather than specializing in one, classical education creates Renaissance men and women. 

I met a student recently who was about to graduate high school and the first two years of college all in the same day! Not only is that an impressive accomplishment, but also it is an accomplishment that has become increasingly common over the past decade or so. The rise of dual enrollment opportunities that allow high school students to take college courses has made it possible for thousands of American teens to graduate high school with an AA degree from a local college or university. Again, that is a pretty amazing accomplishment!

Kurt Vonnegut gave a commencement speech towards the later end of his career, and he advised that all such speeches should begin with a joke. I toyed around with possibilities for this venue, including the much beloved green ping pong ball joke, the always-appreciated purple kingdom joke, and the new-to-many-of-you story about lil’ Johnny and the Noodle Man. However, none of them seemed quite right for the occasion, so I thought I’d do something completely different: let’s start tonight by defining our terms. I promise if you’ll bear with me, that this will be over quickly.

This week we celebrated the retirement of one of Trinitas’s most beloved teachers of all time. After twenty years of teaching in the Grammar School, Mrs. Wendy Phillips is retiring from that role. Many alumni, parents of alumni, students, and faculty members gathered for a time of remembering, gift-giving, and neck-hugging to send Mrs. Phillips out in style.