Reliving the Wonder at the 2025 National Symposium for Classical Education
Great Hearts Institute March 25, 2025 -
The Great Hearts Institute recently welcomed over 850 educators from across the country to Tempe, Arizona, for the annual National Symposium for Classical Education. Held at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel, the event was alive with vibrant conversations and the exchange of ideas at the heart of classical education. Discussions unfolded in every breakout session and echoed across the hotel’s gardens and courtyard, reinforcing the shared mission of cultivating the minds and hearts of students through the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.
This year’s symposium centered around the theme of Cultivating Wonder, and at every turn, it was evident that classical educators are a community eager to inspire curiosity, nurture awe, and ignite a lifelong pursuit of learning. “Every child deserves that freedom to wonder,” declared Dr. Anika Prather, a returning speaker, during one of the symposiums workshops. Through presentations, panel discussions, and workshops, attendees deepened their understanding of classical education while strengthening their shared commitment to its principles.
“The National Symposium is a big tent gathering,” reflected Carol McNamara, Director of the Great Hearts Institute, on the Symposium’s role as a unifying event. “And we gather together from every corner on neutral ground.” This vision of unity and shared purpose demonstrates the Symposium’s role as a meeting place for educators from diverse backgrounds who are committed to the classical tradition.
“Classical school education consists in a confident claim about tomorrow,” shared Jay Heiler, Chief Executive Officer at Great Hearts. “That our prospects are brightest when we’re formed in a time-tested body of reason, experience, and insight, moral and practical, from age to age, and from place to place, from achievement and triumph. The holders of that stake are literally innumerable and of course most of them we can hope yet to be born. The cause is universal, and the inheritance holds a share for every soul.”
For those who could not attend or wish to revisit key moments, the 2025 National Symposium Program Archive is now available. LIVESTREAMED keynote sessions can be accessed immediately, with all recorded sessions coming soon. A great starting point is the keynote addresses, which can be viewed at Great Hearts Institute’s Symposium page.
Save the Date for the 2026 National Symposium for Classical Education. Mark your calendars for next year’s symposium, which will explore the theme of Classical Education and the American Experiment: The Declaration of Independence at 250. The symposium will be returning to the Tempe Mission Palms in Arizona, February 25-27, 2026
Each year, the Great Hearts Institute strives to elevate classical education to its highest form, with the hope that it will continue to shape the standard for education both nationally and beyond. As this event grows, so does the impact of its mission of guiding educators toward excellence and ensuring a future where classical education thrives.
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