True North Foundation
NEWSLETTER
April 2021 Vol. 1 Issue 7
True North’s 1st Student Symposium on Friendship On April 29, 2021, True North Classical Academy hosted its first, annual, student symposium for its high school students. The theme chosen was “friendship.” The day included a welcome address by President and Founder Michael Bileca, seminar discussions led by our faculty, a moderated panel discussion which included Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega, a keynote address on friendship by Executive Director of Great Hearts Andrew Ellison, food, fellowship, and fun. Students were tasked with reading an excerpt from Aristotle’s Ethics on friendship (Ch. 8, 1-6) and a short story by O’Henry called After Twenty Years. In Aristotle’s Ethics, students talked about three different kinds of friendship. Friendships based on: a) utility; b) pleasure; and c) the good of the other. Faculty led students through questions, such as: Is friendhsip neccessary for happiness? Does each type of friendship point to a good? If yes, what does this tell us about the world / human beings? Why does goodness bind together true friends, and how does that change the character of friendship? In O’Henry’s story After Twenty Years, students read and talked about Jimmy Wells and Silky Bob. Jimmy and Bob were childhood friends who hadn’t seen each other in twenty years. Jimmy became a police officer and Bob a wanted felon. After meeting up (after twenty years), and learning that Bob was a wanted felon, Jimmy was faced with the question: “Do I turn in my friend, or not?” Jimmy did, in fact, turn in his friend, but couldn’t arrest Bob himself. He got another officer to do it. Students were faced with the question of duty vs. loyalty. Is Jimmy Wells still a good friend to Silky Bob? Was Silky Bob a good friend to Jimmy Wells? How should Silky Bob understand Jimmy Wells’s decision? According to Aristotle, what kind of friendship did Bob and Jimmy have? It was wonderful watching the students wrestle with these very important questions on friendship from the two seminar discussions. The discussions were led, not only by Humane Letters teachers, but by mathematics, Latin, and middle school teachers as well. Other teachers (not leading the seminars)
joined the discussions. Students got to see the true meaning of a classical education; i.e., friends pursuing truth, beauty, and goodness in community (teachers and students alike). In addition to the seminar discussions, students were treated to a panel discussion on friendship. The panel was oderated by Mr. Finlay and composed of key figures in the world of education, business, and the military. Panel members were asked to give their definition of friendship, identify a moment in time where they had to be a mirror to a friend, or make a difficult decision as it relates to being a friend. Panel members were asked who was their “best friend” and why. It was great for the students to see that friendship is a universal idea that hits home for everyone, regardless of person or profession. The seminal event was a keynote address on friendship by Andrew Ellison (pictured on the left). Andrew made it clear that friendship of utility and pleasure are important (they each hold a proper place of importance in our lives). However, the highest form of friendship, the friendship we should all strive for, is the Aristotelian form of friendship in which there is a reciprocated seeking of the good of the other. And sometimes this means having difficult conversations with your friends, espcially when the “truth” is on the line. We could not be more proud of our students who embraced the proposal of a day set apart to explore “friendship” in community. What better way to go to school (“schole”) than to spend a day of “leisure” as a community of friends (faculty and students) in pursuit of true and noble things? We want to thank the faculty who helped organize the day and lead seminars. It is a day that will live on as one of those “high points’’ / “cultural moments” that helps define who we are as a school - TRUE NORTH. We are already beginning to think about next year’s symposium.Any ideas?
Student Symposium
2nd Annual Talent Show
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e did it again! The 2nd annual True North talent show was a great success. The talent show took place in our brand new indoor gymnasium. It was the hottest ticket in town. I mean, where else can you go to see Zachariah Buonassi, our resident 3rd Grade B-boy throw down an amazing performance, Selbe Laferre deliver a beautiful rendition of Speechless, Lucas Harmond and Jacob Claro rock the house with Anthem, and so many more all on the same stage. Every single act was incredible in its own way. We want to thank Lynn Davis, all those who helped organize the event, and each and every one of our students for showing us how talented, and brave, they really are. And so if you are thinking about signing up again, or you haven’t participated yet, don’t wait, start practicing now! See you next year!
8th-Grade Gradventure
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rue North 8th-graders celebrated their 2nd annual trip to Universal Studios Gradventure. Students boarded the bus early in the morning, spent the day with their classmates, braved the roaring roller coasters, and ventured home with enough time to get a little bit of sleep and return to school the next day. The Gradventure trip has become a rite of passage for our 8th-grade students, as they begin to prepare to “Move Up” to High School. It is an incredible day where friendships are further built upon and solidified. It comes at the perfect time (right before state-testing and EOCs). The perfect break they need. Next up - 8th-grade formal! Theme - A Night in Venice!
Dadeland Campus Update!
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s this very unusual school year draws to a close, it is amazing to see what wonderful things have happened around campus. In a matter of a few short months we have watched our new academic building evolve from a rendering to a two-story building. The final beam was placed over the weekend and concrete is being poured to tie in the roof. The weather has just been amazing and progress has been happening at a fast pace. We are looking forward to our big expansion as a K-5 campus in August. The new building will allow our Dadeland Campus to grow up to 750 students! If you haven’t had the chance to stop by, make sure to come say hi!
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4th Order of Bricks Placed!
ur 4th order of bricks was just placed!
Bricks will be installed shortly. Once they are installed, communication will go out for you to come and see and your “Build a Dream” brick. The exciting news is that we are still just beginning to lay down our bricks in front of our brand new gym. There is still plenty of time and plenty of space to leave your legacy. However, we will place only one more order before the end of the 2020-21 school year. So, if you would like to see you brick included in the inaugural year campaign, please your order today. https://brickmarkersusa.com/donors/ tnca.html Thank you, Gilday Family! 16x16 array (right).
16x16 Array
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Build a Dream True North would like to say “THANK YOU” to its generous donors to our “Build a Dream” Brick Campaign (*list represents bricks purchased through May 3, 2021) Please consider giving to our 2020-21 Brick Campaign https://brickmarkersusa.com/donors/tnca.html Abbas Family Abreu Family Aguerrebere Family Aguiar Family Alaya Family Aleman Family Alfonso Family Amador Family Amato Family Ammon Family Anguin Family Aragon Family Arce Family Arencebia Family Arencibia Family Arguello Family Ariola Family Arrojo Family Ayala Family Baez Family Balleste Family Barrenechea Family Bejel Family Bell Family Benetiz Family Bileca Family Bishop Family Blaya Family Blissett Family Bolanos Family Bryan Family Buonassi Family Cabrera Family Caderon Family Camacho Family Cardwell Family Carmona Family Carothers Family Carrazana Family Carreno Family Cartaya Family Castenada Family Castrillon Family Catlette Family Cecchi Family Centeno Family Chin-You Family Chirini Family Chang Family Chavez Family
Christian Family Claro Family Coffey-Garcia Family Collazo Family Crane Family Crespi Family Cruz Family Davis Family D’Aquin Family De Guzman Family De La Cruz Family Desme Family DeSousa Family Diaz Family Diez Family Eguizabal Family Espinosa Family Fabian Family Farres Family Ferguson Family Fermin Family Fernandez Family Ferrari Family Fiallo Family Flores Gomez Family Foster Family Foti Family Galindo Family Ganovsky Family Garcia Family Gerber Family Gil Family Gilday Family Golburgh Family Gomez Family Gomez-Suarez Family Gonzalez Family Grassbaugh Family Harmond Family Hernandez Family Hartsook Family Hendricks Family Henry Family Hickson Family Hoadley Family Hoyos Family Hsu Family Hubbs Family Huillca Family Infante Family Izaguirre Family
Izquierdo Family James Family Jimenez Family Johanson Family Jue Family Kaczmarek Family Keil Family Kepner Family Kercher Family Khawly Family Lazarus Family Lange Family Lazo Family Leibow Family Leon Family Locke Family Lopez Family Lowe Family Lufbery Family Macias Family Mallas Family Marin Family Marti Family Martinex Family Matijevic Family Mesa Family McMillan Family Morales Family Morrison Family Moyano Family Moyssidis Family Nodal Family Nunez Family Olsen Family Ortega-Gonzalez Family Ortiz Family Pacetti Family Pages Family Parker Family Parra Family Paster Family Penabad Family Pendray Family Perez Family Peterson Family Pezoldt Family Piedrahita Family Pinks Family Pino Family
Posada Family Quincosa Family Quinones Family Radillo Family Ramirez Family Ramon Family Rende Family Reyes Family Rivera Family Rodriguez Family Ronguillo Family Roque Family Ruiz Family Sakari Family Salgueiro Family Sallas Family Sanchez Family Santiago Family Santos Family Sarmiento Family Scantlebury Family Selman Family Sepulveda Family Serio Family Serrano Family Sharp Family Sirulnik Family Smith Family Soriano Family Soto Family Sparaga Family Suarez Family Sullivan Family Tapias Family Thadhani Family Tirse Family Tix Family Toledo Family Trane Family Travis Family Triana Family Tsninev Family Undorfer Family Vargas Family Vega Family Veres Family Viego Family Wilson Family Yague Family Zeledon Family Zinn Family
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Annual Fund True North would like to say “THANK YOU” to its generous donors to our Annual Fund Campaign (*list represents donations made through May 3, 2021) This list does not include those who donated through Give Miami Day on Novermber 16-19, 2020
Please consider giving to our 2020-21 Annual Fund Campaign https://truenorthclassicalfoundation.givingfuel.com/annual-fund
Abreu Family Amato Family Ameida Family Aragon Family Aranguren Family Ariola Family Assis Family Ayala Family Ayats Family Bello Family Bernard Thorn Family Bernard-Zeledon Family Bernal Family BarrenecheaFamily Cabrera Family Camacho Family Candanedo Family Carothers Family Castillo Family Cata Family Cecchi Family Chen Family Davis Family De Guzman Family De La Grana Family Desme Family Dominguez Family Echeverria Family Escofet Family Fabian Family Fatemian Family Felipe Family Flores Gomez Family Foti Family Gajardo Family Gomez Family Gomez-Suarez Family Gonzalez Family
Gonzalez-Diaz Family Grassbaugh Family Harmond Family Harris Family Henry Family Hernandez Family Hoadley Family Hoyos Family Hubbs Family Jaimot Family Jimeno Family Jue Family Keil Family Khawly Family Lange Family Locke Family Lopez Family Lowe Family Madrid Family Maurer Family Molina Family Morrison Family Moyano Family Munoz Family Nodarse Family Olsen Family Ortega-Gonzalez Family Otten Family Pacetti Family Pages Family Panne Family Pasteris Family Paz Family Pena Family Penabad Family Perez Family Perozo Family Pezoldt Family
Pino Family Poli Family Ramirez Family Ramon Family Reina Family Rodriguez Family Ruiz Family Sacks Family Santos Family Scantlebury Family Sirulnik Family Sintes Family Snyder Family Suarez-Wolfe Family Tamayo Family Tirse Family Toirac Perdomo Family (Ramirez) Toirac Perdomo Family (Romero) Toledo Family Tolley Family Torres Family Torres Matijevic Family Tsinev Family Underwood Family Zapata Family Zinn Family