Our Shared Mission: At the core of IGNITE Leadership Academy is our clear mission statement that aligns with Leadership Education's goal of raising joyful leaders who love learning, pursue their missions, and positively impact society. Our mission emphasizes self-governance, family unity, and a God-centered, freedom-based education.

Commitment to Leadership Education Principles: We believe all families have the stewardship to structure education however best fits their family. However, in the context of the goals of our commonwealth, classes and programs at IGNITE Leadership Academy are structured remembering the core Leadership Education principles: 

• Inspire, Not Require

• Mentors, Not Professors 

• Classics, Not Textbooks

• Structure Time, Not Content 

• Quality, Not Conformity

• Simplicity, Not Complexity

• YOU, Not Them

Family-Centered: IGNITE Leadership Academy recognizes the family as the fundamental unit of society and the primary educational environment. We serve to support and enhance, not replace, the family's role in education. 

Volunteer-Driven: IGNITE Leadership Academy is run entirely by volunteers. There are no paid positions, reinforcing the idea of shared ownership and contribution among our member families.

Parental Participation and Mentorship: Parents are actively involved at IGNITE Leadership Academy, not just as facilitators, but as continuous learners and mentors themselves.

Parent Education: We provide regular parent mentor-led courses and discussions on Leadership Education principles. This ensures parents are continually learning and applying the philosophy in their homes and within our Commonwealth.

Parent as Mentor: Parents teach classes for children and youth at IGNITE Leadership Academy, acting as mentors rather than traditional teachers. The focus is on inspiring curiosity, facilitating discussion, and guiding students to engage with the classics.

Weekly Gatherings: IGNITE Leadership Academy meets once a week for our "common day" where families come together for classes, discussions, and shared activities. This provides a community aspect and opportunities for interaction with peers and mentors.

Age-Phased Learning: The activities and classes we offer align with the Leadership Education Phases of Learning:

• Junior Program (Core & Love of Learning Phases, roughly ages 3-11): We focus on teaching basic skills of self-government, communication, and cultivating a joy for life, learning, and the classics through play, stories, and engaging activities.

• Scholar Program (Scholar Phase, roughly ages 12-16+): We offer rigorous, mentor-led "Scholar Projects" where youth delve deeply into classic works, engage in critical discussions, and produce significant intellectual work.

Focus on the Classics: Our curriculum for all ages draws primarily from classic literature, history, philosophy, and other foundational works, rather than textbooks.

Discussion-Based Learning: At IGNITE Leadership Academy, we emphasize discussion over lectures. Students are encouraged to read, think, and articulate their ideas. The "3 Fundamental Actions" of Leadership Education (Read, Read, Read; Discuss a Lot; and Mentor) are central to every class.

Quality over Quantity: We focus on depth of understanding and mastery, rather than covering a vast amount of material superficially.

Culture of Excellence: IGNITE Leadership Academy fosters a culture that values hard work, responsibility, and the pursuit of excellence in all endeavors. 

Supportive Community: IGNITE Leadership Academy is a place where homeschooling families feel supported and strengthened. This includes fostering positive relationships, fellowship activities outside of class time, and mutual encouragement.

Self-Governance: Both adults and youth at IGNITE Leadership Academy are encouraged to develop self-governance. For youth, this means taking ownership of their education and learning to think for themselves. For adults, it means contributing to our Commonwealth's operation and upholding its principles.

Long-Term Vision: A distinguishing feature of IGNITE Leadership Academy, as a Leadership Education Commonwealth, is our intention to be a long-lasting institution, designed to endure, providing continuity and stability for multiple generations of families.

Inspiring Environment: We create an environment where curiosity is activated, learning is facilitated, and excellence is modeled by both mentors and peers.

By embodying these tenets, IGNITE Leadership Academy aims to be a vibrant, supportive community that helps families implement the Leadership Education philosophy and raise individuals who are capable, virtuous, and ready to lead and serve.