To know God and to make Him known

Challenge IV

Age 17+

Understanding Consequences Defines Leadership

Students pore over renowned classic and contemporary literary works; they create, consider, and converse; they debate, discuss, and digest the true, the good, and the beautiful.

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Students laughing at a Classical Conversations community

Embrace Potential

Challenge IV students sink their teeth into ancient writings of Homer, Virgil, and Hesiod, as well as modern writings of Lewis and Leithart. Students survey the Old Testament and highlight the poetry of Scripture through a study of the Psalms. They translate the Aeneid from Latin into English through Henle Latin, while translating creation into number through math and physics. Challenge IV crowns the Challenge years by contemplating duty, honor, and leadership across the ages and into our own day.

In this, their final year of homeschooling while prepping for their next steps, whether it be college, a trade, or jumping right into a career field, parents will see their child flourish and reap the rewards of their investment into educating at home. These high school-aged students and their parents will continue to homeschool with the support and accountability of their local community group. Additionally, students will be able to earn college credits toward higher education through our CC Plus program.

Walk Confidently into the Future

The Six Strands of Challenge IV

Take the natural next step towards mathematical aptitude. Students further their math understanding and facilitate learning the assigned concepts from precalculus and calculus. Conversations synthesize the ideas of relationships, shapes, higher order equations, variables, Euclidean proofs, trigonometry functions—and, in some cases, limits, derivatives, and integrals.

Even the abstract can be explained. The main goals of this homeschool math-based physics seminar are to provide a good foundation for understanding the mechanics of natural science and to develop a solid mathematical foundation for explaining the abstract ideas of work, energy, motion, and more. Lessons are targeted, concepts are explored, vocabulary is defined, and problems are practiced both at home and in community.

Genuine faith is not blind. In the first semester, students complete a study of the Psalms, along with a survey of the Old Testament. Understanding the stylistic devices that are used in the poetry of the Psalms, students gain an appreciation of the theology of this book of Scripture. The second semester changes its focus to the New Testament ideals of the Christian faith and the Christian response reflected in behavior and actions.

Unexamined history is bound to repeat itself. World History focuses on various scientific discoveries that have impacted and changed the course of nations. In this homeschool strand, students read the text, record pertinent facts, and create a timeline to organize the discoveries in a linear context. Six oral presentations of different scope and focus exercise students’ knowledge and raise their rhetorical and public speaking skills to new heights.

Have you often longed to read a document in the original language? It is not as difficult as you might imagine. Challenge IV’s Virgil and Assorted Translations seminar will explore and translate everything from hymns, to the Latin Vulgate Bible, to poetry. In the second semester, students uncover the literal meaning of Virgil’s Aeneid in the ancient Latin, while studying this epic poem in the Exposition strand.

Every text is an opportunity to learn. Ancient literature of Greek and Roman poets is the prime focus of the literature seminars. Students analyze, discuss, and examine each epic work through a biblical lens. The students translate the Aeneid in the Grammar seminar from Latin to English, while reading the Aeneid in a poetic English form. Students practice rhetorical skills by leading community group seminar discussions and performing dramatic interpretations.

We embrace a real-world approach in all aspects of our education. Local directors can choose to offer a yearly formal event for Challenge students to better learn how to interact with their communities and each other.

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We asked our student how she would rate NMM and she said 10/10. After the competition we asked her if she could travel back in time one year, knowing everything about NMM that she knows now, would she encourage or discourage herself to participate in NMM. She said she would still encourage herself to do it because she knows it is helping her grow and trust in the Lord.

Stacey
NMM Parent

I can’t think of a more significant experience to capstone F/E. This was probably the biggest, most memorable event of my student’s young life and it has highly impacted mine too! It seems silly but this was so much more than just memorizing and money, it was so God-filled!

Gina
NMM Parent

For me it was a final celebration of the memory work of Foundations and Essentials and a welcoming shift into the Challenge years and deeper learning. The competition was filled with laughter, celebration, and meaningful friendships. It wasn’t about winning, it was about glorifying God.

Evangeline
2025 NMM champion

Our family had a magical experience at NMM. The kids bonded in a very special way and the event gave us a deeper appreciation for the goodness and beauty of CC. It truly was special for us to see the large community of CC and realize what an incredible group of families we are a part of. It was a taste of the heavenliness! We are so grateful for this very special once in a lifetime moment our family got to experience.

2025
NMM parent

Having both graduated from the CLC, we have appreciated the transformative influence in our marriage, family, and local community relationships. We practice hospitable assessment when mentoring others or solving problems at work and home.

John and Rebecca

Completing the CLC was the best thing I have done in terms of taking my skills as a classical educator to the next level… it deepened my understanding of the classical skills of learning and more clearly revealed to me the connection between education and discipleship.

Lauren

When parents and tutors invest time, talent and treasure into the CLC as mentees, they find they come away refined as human beings in how they live and lead at home and in community, CC and otherwise.

Abby

By far, the single best thing that has helped me direct and talk with parents, has been the CLC. It has helped me be a better director, a better parent, and a better leader.

Jennifer

The CLC points us to the Lord and guides us to find truth, beauty and goodness in the subjects we study, but also the relationships within our group, with our families, and with our CC communities.

Kristin

As I have attended the CLC and CLC practicums, I have found fellowship with others…the Mentors in particular, who have poured into my life and understanding the balm of gentle and kind assessment, leading me to even more faith and good works.

Charity

CLC was the perfect amount of time: every other week for two hours, with six meetings. It was manageable and the cost was well worth it! The lessons my mentor presented each time were great, and it was a growing experience.

Kristen

CLC has been great in helping me follow a form in preparing my lessons at home . . . I think through the lessons . . . and how to relate them to the students and create a desire to learn the material. The questions have been very helpful in assessing that the students are following the lessons, too.

Angela

The CLC has had the single largest positive impact on my growth as a classical educator. It is the reason my class feels successful on community day, and it has changed how I give assessment.

Laura G

My Essentials classes are far more engaging, and I am able to clearly see the important pieces of the lesson . . . with the specific students I am walking with, and I’m better able to bring those two elements together in a meaningful way.

Cheree
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