Congratulations to the Well-Trained Mind Academy 2025 Class Cohort!
On May 16, 2025, faculty, family, and friends gathered together (virtually) to proudly cheer on the first-ever graduating class at the Well-Trained Mind Academy! We celebrated the 2025 Cohort, made up of 12 incredible learners, in a heartwarming online ceremony. These students weren’t just graduates; they were pioneers, charting the course for our pilot graduation track program that began in the 2021-2022 school year. To reach this important life milestone, our cohort students completed a rigorous program centered around classes at WTMA. Students (and parents) also received advising and support throughout their high school years.
Our graduates are truly exceptional. They are a creative, energetic, funny, driven, dynamic bunch who should make everyone feel better about our collective future. The students going off to college in the fall have their sights on careers in advertising, engineering, history, law, and medicine. A few students are embarking on a gap year, and one ambitious baker is jumping right into the workforce. Their futures are bright, and we are so proud of them!
The Graduation Ceremony
The ceremony started with an introduction by Dean Julia Collier, followed by words of wisdom from Academy founder Susan Wise Bauer. Dr. Bauer joined from South America, and, after a brief technical hiccup she playfully attributed to “a demonstration of solidarity with all those of you who have tried to take a class in the car and failed,” she was able to give the graduating class her advice: “Question what the establishment does, but don’t reject it out of hand. Be skeptical, but be open.”
Dr. Bauer noted that the students, as homeschoolers, took what some consider to be an unconventional educational path. Yet, by committing to an accredited institution, completing their classes, and fulfilling all program requirements, they also proved the enduring value of traditional educational standards. She encouraged the graduates to continue holding these two seemingly opposing ideas together: to be innovative and follow their passions, while also remaining open to the wisdom of established practices.
During the ceremony Dean Collier read words of praise about each of the graduates from their parents and teachers. Live, online classes lead to strong communities, but online education does have a distance component that means the support teams for each of these students may never have all been together at the same time in the same virtual space. It was all the more special, then, for so many of the people who care about our graduates to be together and to hear about how others view the accomplishments of their loved ones.
| Emaan Ashfaq Curious, Bright, Good-Hearted | Adelee Baird Confident, Optimistic, Insightful | Emily Barrett Smart, Brave, Thoughtful |
| Ayron Espino-Nardi Principled, Honest, Unshakeable | Blake Fowler Determined, Passionate, Keen | Bree Fowler Confident, Hardworking, Positive |
| Sophia Franco Strong-Willed, Enthusiastic, Helpful | Caryss Fraser Compassionate, Self-Assured, Joyful | Caroline Gilbert Driven, Steadfast, Remarkable |
| Logan Howerton Kind, Curious, Witty | Bryce Huntoon Adventurous, Observant, Resilient | Valentin Wunderlich Studious, Good-Humored, Meticulous |
To close the ceremony, Dean Collier asked the students to move their tassels from the left to the right side of their caps, signaling to the world the completion of their high school education. Joy filled the screens as families celebrated this pivotal moment! Even though their secondary school studies are complete, they’ll always be cherished members of the WTMA community. We can’t wait to witness the incredible journeys ahead for each of them!
Congrats to Our Graduates!
Middle Row, Left to Right: Ayron Espino-Nardi, Caryss Fraser, Valentin Wunderlich, Bryce Huntoon
Bottom Row, Left to Right: Emily Barrett, Caroline Gilbert, Sophia Franco, Blake Fowler