Programs
CERA is a licensee of Classical Conversations®, Inc., whose curriculum programs are intentionally designed to align with the classical model of education. These programs equip parents and students to learn using the trivium while fostering a Christ-centered approach to knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.
Each community is led by trained directors who model classical teaching methods in the classroom so parents can confidently replicate them at home. Through this partnership, families receive structure, accountability, and support as they progress through the stages of classical learning.
Learn more about Classical Conversations® on their website:
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Foundations
Students ages 4-12
Young children are naturally curious – constantly asking questions and absorbing the world around them. The Foundations program harnesses this early eagerness by focusing on the art of grammar: the foundational knowledge of each subject. During these formative years, children’s brains are rapidly gathering and organizing information, making memorization both enjoyable and effective.
Essentials
Students ages 9-12
The Essentials program builds on the Foundations years by engaging both the grammar and dialectic arts. Students continue to memorize foundational knowledge – particularly in grammar, composition, and mathematics – while also beginning to wrestle with how language works and why it matters. This stage helps students transition from simply absorbing information to analyzing and applying it.
Challenge A
Students ages 12-13
As students enter the dialectic stage of learning, they become increasingly ready to engage through discussion, debate, and hands-on application. The theme of Challenge A is “attention leads to ownership,” reflecting the programs focus on helping students take meaningful responsibility for their own education.
Challenge B
Students ages 13-14
Challenge B serves as a bridge between the dialectic-rich learning of Challenge A and the increasingly rigorous coursework of high school. Students continue to engage deeply with ideas through discussion, debate, and hands-on application. The theme of Challenge B is “ownership builds discipline,” emphasizing the importance of perseverance, responsibility, and consistent effort as students grow academically and personally.
Challenge I
Students ages 14-15
Challenge I marks the beginning of the high-school years within the Classical Conversations program. Students dive more deeply into dialectic learning through substantial reading, analytical writing, and continued development of rhetorical skills. The theme of Challenge I is “discipline in the cornerstone of freedom,” emphasizing that true freedom – intellectual, spiritual, and personal – is gained and sustained through diligence and perseverance.
Challenge II
Students ages 15-16
Challenge II continues the journey into the origins and development of Western thought guiding students more fully into the rhetorical stage of learning. The theme of Challenge II is “freedom provides opportunities for noble choices,” inviting students to consider how freedom shapes responsibility. Throughout the year, they evaluate the choices made by literary characters, historical leaders, artists, philosophers, and other influential figures – learning to discern wisdom and virtue in the process.
Challenge III
Students ages 16-17
By Challenge III, students are fully immersed in the rhetoric stage of learning. They are eager to create, articulate, and defend their own ideas, and the program leans into this readiness through rich opportunities for expression - poetry, essays, debates, dramatic interpretation, and thoughtful conversation. The theme of Challenge III is “all choices bring consequences,” guiding students to consider decisions shape both their own lives and the world around them.
Challenge IV
Students ages 17-18
In Challenge IV, students on the threshold of adulthood. They are ready to step into leadership, to innovate, and to share their ideas with confidence. This final year provides opportunities for students to refine their leadership abilities and communication skills as they discuss and debate the good, the true, and the beautiful. The theme of Challenge IV is “understanding consequences defines leadership,” encouraging students to prepare for the many leadership roles they will encounter after graduation.