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By: Sarah Medlin
“He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” — Jeremiah 17:8
Each year at Christ Classical Academy, we choose a word that gives our school community a shared theme for the year ahead—a word that helps direct our attention toward the kind of people we are called to become. For the 2026–2027 school year, our word is Rooted.
A strong tree does not begin with what can be seen. Long before its branches stretch outward or its fruit appears, its roots grow deep beneath the surface. Those roots anchor the tree when winds come, sustain it through seasons of drought, and draw from the soil what is needed for continued growth.
In much the same way, a Christ-centered, classical education is concerned with far more than what is immediately visible. We are not simply preparing students to pass the next test, complete the next assignment, or reach the next academic milestone. We are cultivating hearts and minds that are deeply rooted in truth, goodness, and beauty—students who know what they believe, understand why they believe it, and possess the wisdom and courage to live faithfully in a changing world.
Deep Roots Before Wide Branches
Our culture often celebrates what can be seen: achievement, recognition, success, and influence. Classical, Christian education reminds us that formation begins much deeper. Before there can be lasting fruit, there must be strong roots.
We want our students to be rooted in Christ, recognizing Him as the source of truth and the foundation upon which everything else rests. We want them to be rooted in truth, learning to recognize what is true, reason carefully, communicate clearly, and resist ideas that are attractive but false. We want them to be rooted in wisdom, learning not merely what to think, but how to think—and ultimately how to order their lives toward what is good. And we want them to be rooted in community, understanding that we were not created to grow alone. Families, teachers, classmates, churches, and communities all play a role in shaping lives of faithfulness and purpose.
Four Virtues for a Rooted Life
Throughout this school year, we will focus especially on four virtues that reflect what it means to live a deeply rooted life: Love, Faithfulness, Perseverance, and Fortitude.
Love reminds us that our roots must ultimately be grounded in the love of God. True Christian love seeks the good of another. It shapes how we speak, serve, forgive, lead, and live alongside one another.
Faithfulness is the steady work of remaining true—to God, to our commitments, and to what is right—even when no one is watching. Like roots growing quietly beneath the soil, faithfulness is often formed through small acts of obedience repeated day after day.
Perseverance teaches us to continue when the work becomes difficult. Deep learning requires struggle. Character requires practice. Faith requires endurance. We want our students to understand that difficulty is not always a signal to stop; sometimes it is the very place where growth is occurring.
Fortitude gives us the courage to stand firm. A deeply rooted tree is not spared the wind; it is equipped to withstand it. Likewise, our goal is not to prepare students for a life without opposition or hardship, but to form young men and women who possess the courage to pursue what is true and good even when doing so is costly.
Rooted So That We May Bear Fruit
Roots, however, are not the final purpose of a tree. They make fruit possible.
Jesus reminds us that a tree is known by its fruit. The education and formation our students receive at CCA should eventually become visible in the lives they lead—in the way they think, speak, work, serve, lead, worship, and love others.
That is why our theme of Rooted connects so naturally to the mission of Christ Classical Academy: Joining Christian families in classically educating students to become the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
We want our graduates to leave CCA with more than knowledge. We want them to possess wisdom. More than achievement, we want virtue. More than the ability to succeed, we want the courage to remain faithful. And more than preparation for college or a career, we want them prepared for a lifetime of loving God, pursuing truth, serving others, and bearing good fruit wherever He plants them.
This year, our prayer is that every member of the CCA community—students, faculty, staff, and families—will grow deeper before reaching wider. May we be rooted in Christ, grounded in truth, strengthened in virtue, and prepared to bear fruit.
Deep roots. Strong faith. Lasting fruit.
