Planting for the Future: How an Arete Scholarship Helped Aida Flourish

In a world that often seems to lack order or predictability, those who stand in contrast to despair are the builders—ordinary people who, through ordinary effort, work to create a lasting future, even if they never experience its full impact or benefit from its rewards.

In his poem, "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front," Wendell Berry expresses this sentiment, writing:

Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias. Say that your main crop is the forest that you did not plant, that you will not live to harvest.

Berry invites the reader to invest in enduring, life-giving work whose full fruit we may not personally witness. In this spirit, Arete Scholars is, metaphorically, planting sequoias. Every scholarship awarded opens a door to opportunity for a child, allowing them to cultivate truth, goodness, and beauty—ultimately empowering them to reach their greatest, God-given potential.

Aida’s Journey: Flourishing Through Opportunity

For Aida, a senior attending The Stonehaven School in Marietta, Georgia, an Arete scholarship presents fertile ground for her growth. It has allowed her heart, mind, and body to germinate in a rich soil of opportunity. After four years of deep-rootedness in a nurturing, intellectually rich, and artistically stimulating community, she has overcome fear and insecurity, blossoming into a young woman of virtue and courage. 

Stonehaven is where Aida's mother, Kelly, has watched her thrive. The school fits Aida's interests and needs, allowing her to develop socially and artistically as she pursues quality academics and creative arts.

"Aida is the oldest of our five kids whom we’ve always homeschooled," Kelly shares. "When she was in eighth grade, we heard about The Stonehaven School, but we always assumed that private schools would be out of reach financially for us." 

"The school has a sliding tuition scale based on need, and we were approved for that, but we also asked if they knew of other scholarship opportunities," she adds. "They directed us to Arete Scholars, so we decided to apply to see what would happen. Aida has always loved art, and we thought attending Stonehaven might be a good fit for her."

Four years later, these hopes have proven true.

A Community That Cultivates Excellence

The Stonehaven School professes a unique vision for K-12 education. Its educational philosophy is rooted in not shaping a person who can do something, but rather who can be someone. It aims to form individuals equipped to serve God and others with their gifts and talents. In addition to offering a classical Christian education rooted in a vibrant community, it provides students with curriculum offerings that speak to their hearts. 

The school's Fine Arts program has helped Aida thrive through creative expression, allowing her to lean into her passions and nurture her artistic abilities. Her teachers have encouraged her creative skills, which have resulted in her winning several scholastic art awards. According to her mother, she has grown into a gifted artist and writer.

"We love the environment, the teachers, and the priority they place on community," Kelly says. "They don’t emphasize technology as much; instead, they read actual books and do most of their work with pen and paper. They believe a good education flourishes in a community of people who talk to each other rather than just staring at their devices."

Another unique offering at Stonehaven is its Nature Studies program, which includes a farm and garden curriculum. In addition to sharpening her artistic talents, Aida has deepened her interest in agriculture and scientific illustration—not a surprise given that her father, Tom, is a historian of agriculture, environment, and the modern United States at Kennesaw State University. 

Appreciation for the living world is an affection that runs in the family.

"Aida's passion for art has always been secondary to her passion for ornithology and botany," Kelly shares. "She loves birds, plants, and all things nature. She's kept a nature notebook from a young age and has always been attuned to the gardens, the seasons, and the natural world around her."

For her first two years at Stonehaven, Aida took all traditional art classes, including painting, drawing, ceramics, and photography. During her junior year, her teachers helped design a program tailored to her unique interests and future goals.

"The art teachers developed an independent study for Aida," Kelly recalls. "She met with them each week, and they discussed what projects she would work on based on what would be appropriate for her future plans. She's done this for the past three semesters. They also helped her develop an art portfolio that she needed to apply for art scholarships for college."

"These teachers have just provided her with so much great, individualized support," she adds.

Reflecting on the opportunities that an Arete scholarship has provided for her daughter, Kelly can't imagine Aida's high school journey without The Stonehaven School at the center.

"My husband and I felt like she needed some outside challenges to help grow her, and we have seen her flourish through all that she has been able to experience and accomplish," Kelly says. "This wouldn't have been possible without Arete Scholars. This scholarship has been a gift for Aida, and we are exceedingly grateful." 

A Future Rooted in Purpose

With graduation approaching, Aida is considering several colleges for next year. Though her immediate future is uncertain, she envisions a life rooted in the land and attuned to nature’s rhythms.

"Aida wants to major in ecology and environmental science,” Kelly shares. “Whatever she does after that, I know she desires to make the world more beautiful. She has eyes to see the beauty in God's creation and longs to translate that beauty to the broader world." 

Aida’s talent for interpreting the world around her was evident last summer when she won Arete's “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” essay contest. In her deeply personal piece, she reflected on her journey of overcoming anxiety and finding comfort in nature and creative expression. She recounted her struggle with stage fright and social anxiety, detailing her first attempt at presenting her work publicly and the progress she made in confronting her fears. Winning a school-wide poetry competition was a powerful testament to her growth and resilience. Her reflections reveal a deep admiration for the world's beauty and a longing to live harmoniously.

A Legacy of Hope and Beauty

In his poem, Wendell Berry continues his call to plant for the future, writing: 

Call that profit. Prophesy such returns. Put your faith in the two inches of humus that will build under the trees every thousand years.

A mere two inches over a millennium may seem insignificant, but this thin, nutrient-rich layer is vital for vegetative growth. Without it—and the thriving ecosystem it helps to sustain—life as we know it would suffer.

An investment in an Arete scholar contributes to a future of immeasurable potential. By awardingneed-based K-12 scholarships and empowering parents to place their children in private schools that best suit their unique gifts and learning needs, Arete is shaping students, transforming their lives, and opening the doors to a pursuit of excellence.

 Arete Scholars is investing in the millennium. We are planting sequoias.

The hallmarks of arete are a life of flourishing, integrity, and character that respects and recognizes the dignity in every person. This mission-driven life seeks to positively influence their community and the world. This person is driven, dependable, accountable, joyful, never stops learning, and isn't afraid to take risks. Arete is the desire not to be served but to live a life of faithfulness to the greater good. 

Whatever her place in the world, Aida's character has been formed in such a way that will lead her to tend to, invest in, and care for the well-being of others. The Stonehaven School has come alongside her family in teaching her to honor the divine by cultivating truth, goodness, and beauty and to serve with humility, gratitude, and grace. 

In her essay last year, Aida shared her desire to become a farmer, wanting to "dig deep into the fertile soil, and plant seeds, and watch them grow." 

She concludes by writing, "Another thing I am certain of: I truly believe the world is a glorious, divinely crafted place. Every blade of grass. Every bird. Every mosquito. All of it is beautiful. Whatever I do with my life, I want to remember and teach this truth."

Many of the seeds Aida sows in her lifetime will undoubtedly bloom into vibrant flowers or sources of nourishment. Others may take shape as gorgeous artistic creations. Perhaps the most enduring will be the seeds of hope and beauty that take root in the hearts of others—a rich legacy that may very well influence a generation of souls she may never herself know.

Is there a truth more worthy of cultivation?  

*Revisit Aida’s 2024 contest-winning "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" essay here.