Episode Overview

Podcast: Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Education Podcast
Episode: From Hillsdale K-12 to Hillsdale College: Vivian Stewart and Atlanta Classical Academy
Date: January 26, 2026
Host: Scott Bertram
Guest: Vivian Stewart, Freshman at Hillsdale College, graduate of Atlanta Classical Academy (ACA)

This episode features an engaging conversation with Vivian Stewart, a Hillsdale freshman who spent her K-12 years at Atlanta Classical Academy, one of Hillsdale’s affiliated K-12 schools. The discussion explores Vivian’s experience transitioning from ACA’s classical curriculum to college life at Hillsdale, the formation of tight-knit academic and social communities, and the personal impact of a classical education. Vivian also compares her journey with peers who chose other post-secondary paths.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

K-12 Educational Journey: From Montessori to Atlanta Classical Academy

• Vivian’s Early Schooling:

  • Attended Montessori preschool and kindergarten, then spent first grade in public school.
  • Joined Atlanta Classical Academy (ACA) as a second grader in 2014, the school’s inaugural year.

    "I got in on the lottery for second grade and was there second through my senior year in high school." (02:17)

• Transition from Public School to Classical Education:

  • Struggled to read using sight words at the public school; excelled after switching to a phonics-based approach at ACA.

    "I had a really hard time learning how to read in first grade because they were using sight words at the public school. ... When I switched into second grade [at ACA], I was already kind of used to [phonics], but I flew through reading grades after that." (02:47)

  • Noted the greater effectiveness and rigor of ACA’s curriculum compared to her public school experience.

The ACA Experience: Academics, Community, and Capstone Moments

• Curriculum and Traditions:
  • ACA emphasized deep reading, memorization, and building strong connections among students.

    "All through elementary school... we were reading so many books and we were memorizing poems. I still remember the first poem that I memorized in second grade—'Bed in Summer' by Robert Louis Stevenson." (03:49)

  • Small class sizes led to enduring relationships and meaningful classroom discussions.

    "My graduating class was 35, and I knew all of them since they were at least 12. ... Growing up with all of these kids and growing up in the same educational tradition." (04:08)

• Senior Year Capstone:
  • Senior thesis was a defining academic experience—writing, defending, and showcasing a decade of learning.
  • Shared a memorable moment reading Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov together.

    "Our literature teacher had waited. He told us not to read the last three pages. And we read it together as a class, and people were crying. ... It was one of the best book discussions I've ever had in my life." (05:24)

Curriculum Design: The Classical Spiral

• "Spiraling" the Curriculum:

  • Students revisit major historical topics (e.g., Ancient Greece/Rome, Renaissance, World Wars) at increasing levels of depth.

    "The curriculum spiral[s], so it circles back. ... You're repeating the same things over and over again... in a new light and a new lens." (05:59)

  • This enables deeper conversations in upper grades, as everyone shares common background knowledge.

• Impact on Critical Thinking:

  • ACA’s classical education encouraged students to grapple with complex philosophical questions as teens—contrasted with what peers at public schools encounter.

Transition to Hillsdale College

• Choosing Hillsdale:

  • Familiarity with Hillsdale came via ACA’s large contingent of Hillsdale alumni on staff and through summer study programs in Italy and England.

    "About half of my teachers... are Hillsdale alums. ... I ended up going to Italy after my freshman year, which was an amazing experience." (08:05)

  • Hillsdale was Vivian’s first and only college application—she applied early decision.

    "My senior year was my one school. I was just—if I got in, I was going to go." (08:54)

• Academic Preparedness and the First Term:

  • Felt well-prepared, especially for writing and reading-intensive courses.

    "I'm fairly confident in my writing already... I'm prepared to handle the reading load. I'm prepared to handle writing papers and taking exams." (09:41)

  • The main challenge was adapting to a different structure, broader scope of material, and managing increased personal responsibility and time.

    "Time management is not my absolute strength... I don't have a problem getting work done, but I definitely have a problem being consistent." (11:11)

Social Life & Community at Hillsdale

• Residence and Involvement:

  • Lives in Olds Residence, known for strong community among freshman girls.

    "It's always talked about as the one with the strongest community or one of the best communities on campus. And I definitely feel that." (12:33)

  • Has joined clubs (sailing team, plans for creative writing club, Humane Society volunteering).

    "It's really nice here to be able to reach out to pretty much anyone... Oh, I'm on the sailing team, too." (12:33, 13:54)

• Friendships:

  • Acknowledges friendships at college are still new compared to ACA but sees them growing.

    "It's hard to tell, because I've only known most of these people for 13 weeks." (14:36)

  • The tight-knit community at ACA set her up well for creating new bonds at Hillsdale.

Perspectives on Different College Experiences

• Comparing Choices with ACA Peers:

  • Some classmates chose larger public schools, others liberal arts colleges, and some felt constrained by ACA’s small size.

    "Some people are absolutely thriving in college. ... My younger sisters... feel a little bit constrained by how small the school is and definitely want to be at a bigger school with more opportunities." (15:39)

• ACA as Preparation for College Life:

  • ACA graduates feel confident and prepared to engage with diverse perspectives and larger communities.

Reflections, Advice, and Notable Teachers

• What She Wishes She'd Known:

  • The Michigan cold!

    "It's cold. I'm finding that out now." (17:11)

  • Social life is more active and accessible than expected—but initially overwhelming.

• Hillsdale in a Nutshell:

  "It's both a very serious campus and a very fun campus. ... Not necessarily treated as a stranger, even if you've never met a person before, you're treated as a potential new friend." (18:59)

• Influential Teachers:

  • Shoutout to high school math teacher and Hillsdale alum Sam Clausen.

    "He had a great math class—wonderful... But it's so funny to see him in a different context... He loved that [Lessons in Wonder] class so much and it was so chaotic and so fun." (20:22)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On finding her academic stride at ACA:

  "Once I switched into [the phonics] way of education, I flew through reading grades after that. I was multiple grade levels ahead." (02:47)

• On the sense of community:

  "The friends that I made there, I'm still friends with to this day. I grew up with these kids. ... It was really a capstone in high school ... all of the pieces were coming together." (03:49)

• On culminating classroom experiences:

  "We read [the end of The Brothers Karamazov] together as a class, and people were crying. ... It was one of the best book discussions I've ever had in my life." (05:34)

• On preparedness for college:

  "I'm used to the ideas already... I am not blown away by the workload at college. I think that I'm very comfortable in my ability as a student and a writer to handle it well." (09:41)

• On building new relationships:

  "It has been a little bit hard, I think, to leave such a strong community that you've known for so long and you know them so well. But I think I've been set up really well to find a new place here and to do just as well." (14:58)

• On collegiate community:

  "...you're not necessarily treated as a stranger, even if you've never met a person before, you're treated as a potential new friend, I think is so nice. And the campus is very welcoming." (19:09)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• [02:17] Vivian’s K-12 school background and transition to ACA
• [03:49] Life and traditions at ACA, tight-knit class, senior thesis
• [05:59] The spiraling curriculum and its impact on depth of conversation
• [08:05] How Vivian heard about and chose Hillsdale College
• [09:41] Transition and academic preparedness at Hillsdale
• [11:11] Time management and the structure of college life
• [12:33] Social/community experiences and extracurricular activities at Hillsdale
• [14:36] Comparison of ACA and college friendships
• [15:39] ACA classmates at other schools and reflections on size/preparedness
• [17:11] Surprises about life at Hillsdale (the climate and social scene)
• [18:59] Describing the essence of Hillsdale in a few lines
• [20:22] Influential ACA teacher and the broader Hillsdale alumni network

Tone & Style

Vivian’s tone throughout is warm, reflective, and humorous, giving listeners a sense of both gratitude and realism. She’s candid about her strengths and weaknesses, especially when it comes to time management and adjusting to Michigan winters. The conversation is personal and relatable, providing both uplifting moments and honest assessments of transition and growth.

This episode offers a vivid, detailed picture of the classical education experience from K-12 through college, illustrating how habits of reading, thinking, and community-building foster lifelong intellectual curiosity and personal strength.