Unto Dawn

Visions of a Better Future

Aurelia seeks to manifest a new world through faith and education, one in which families are born of happy marriages and thrive with no need to fall in debt for the land they own, the food they grow, or the children they raise; a world of clean rivers and golden fields, of bullet trains and earthen homesteads powered by the sun; a world of diverse communities, independent yet interrelated, built by local artisans, fed by local farmers, led by men grown from the lands they lead.

Roots in the Soil

From Rod Dreher’s The Benedict Option:

“Stability. Along those lines, a tree that is repeatedly uprooted and transplanted will be hard pressed to produce healthy fruit. So it is with people [and their spiritual lives].

“If you are going to put down spiritual roots, taught St. Benedict, you need to stay in one place long enough for them to go deep. The Rule requires monks to take a vow of “stability”—meaning that barring unusual circumstances, including being sent out as a missionary, the monk will remain for the rest of his life in the monastery where he took his vows.”

In the face of Modernity’s global reach, which homogenizes all who partake in international trade, finance, industry, and education, the ability for communities to retain local youth, wealth, and culture has become urgent. Thus, Aurelia seeks to embed students in an intellectual tradition and fulfilling career at home rather than “abroad”. When healthy communities begin to develop around these, Aurelia will have satisfied its purpose. For, like a graft over healing wounds, Aurelia will ultimately become the very thing it seeks to save.

Beyond the Classroom Walls

Community Development as Education

  • B.A.S.E.

    Building Autonomy through Skills and Experience
    Inspired by the Eagle Scouts, B.A.S.E. seeks to form real-life networks of friends, mentors, parents, and studen sto develop skills by participating in holistic learning experiences outside traditional classroom settings.

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  • R.O.O.T.

    Restoration of Organized Trades
    To restore the health of local communities, R.O.O.T. seeks to develop a network of public and private institutions to provide the education, mentorship, and careers necessary for a thriving regional economy.

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A Life Worth Learning

Elements of Holistic Education

  • Personalized Learning

    Learning model that allows students to choose what books to read, what subjects to specialize in, and what pace is appropriate for proving competency in every course

  • Affordable Curriculum

    Cheap or free texts, assignments, assessments, and lesson plans provide access to a customizable model of learning for students to engage in a classical education at their own pace

  • Social Learning Centers

    Community centers encourage the restoration of the local social fabric while providing space for libraries, study groups, health care, family support, maker spaces, and testing sites

  • Local Trade Programs

    Hands-on classes that teach trade skills to generations by providing tools in maker spaces, developing mentorship opportunities in crucial careers for local economies

  • Spiritual Infrastructure

    All humans have faith in something, but in modern times this is often rejected; in this vacuum, Aurelia seeks to rebuild the socio-economic networks necessary to renew faith in God

  • Family Preparation

    The natural desire to form family has been increasingly discouraged in post-industrial societies; thus, Aurelia offers free materials to prepare for and maintain this sacred act

  • Local Beautification

    Beautiful communities reflect and encourage beautiful lives, with restored, long-lasting architecture acting as a vessel for continued human love, faith, comradery, and heritage

  • Nature Conservation

    To learn one must act; thus, Aurelia seeks to create a land trust by which property owners with no heirs can provide land for education in agriculture and resource management

Aurelian Hours

A New Way to Work, Volunteer, Earn, and Engage

Running after the sun is difficult work, especially when the dawn has not arrived yet. Thus, Aurelia, recognizes that an hour’s work deserves an hour’s reward