About

“It is worth great effort to organize the truth we gather to simple statements of principle,” says Elder Richard G. Scott. “Principles are concentrated truth, packaged for application.”

Rather than being acted upon in our lives, we need to act, leading out in action based on true principles. Core Leadership Class will be a place where youth of all ages and abilities can come together, to share, serve, teach, and inspire one another to lead out in righteous action!

In this class we are going to search out, study, and apply PRINCIPLES OF TRUTH, with a special emphasis this year on studying Principles of Scholarship.

To assist us in this pursuit, we will be reading the book “Thomas Jefferson Education for Teens” throughout the year. While ASA is not specifically a TJEd school (as we espouse principles found in other methodologies such as LEMI, Vanguard, and most certainly the Gospel of Jesus Christ) we have found this book to offer great foundational principles of scholarship.

Students will be asked to read the monthly assigned chapter(s) of “TJEd for Teens” and come fully prepared to discuss the things they’ve learned. Parents are encouraged to read the book as well, either on their own or as a read-aloud with their family. Parents will be pleased to note that while this book offers many terrific suggestions, the authors clearly state several times throughout the book that the youth’s parents are their greatest mentors and they should follow their counsel.

Some examples of True Principles we might study are:

• What it means to be a Scholar versus just getting homework done for classes
• Correct use of agency leads us to knowledge, understanding, and intelligence
• Family - The fundamental unit of society
• You have a purpose and individual mission in this life
• Being a Homesteader versus a Squatter in our education
• Vision – knowing how to “see” and having the hope to see in faith and keep moving toward our vision
• Ask and ye shall receive - What do you want? 3 Nephi 17
• Creation - The power of words, thoughts, beliefs
• Liberty is self-government through Christ

Students will experience these principles in Core Leadership Class through simulations, games, inspirational guest speakers, monthly discussions from the chapter(s) in the “TJEd for Teens” book, problem solving projects, break-out group activities, and from teaching each other what they have learned themselves in completing weekly “INSPIREMENT” assignments. Members of our ASA Scholar Society will also have monthly opportunities to teach in this class.


The work for this hour of study includes:

1. Read the assigned chapter(s) from “TJEd for Teens” and come fully prepared to discuss the readings and the principles found therein.

2. Memorize the month’s quote or scripture

3. Complete the Apprentice Inspirement for the week with the invitation to do any Journeyman or Master Inspirement that they choose to. They will come to class prepared to teach the class what they learned about that principle through that week’s principle study and inspirement work.

Examples of Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master Inspirements:

APPRENTICE – Learning activities to help students KNOW the principle, such as read an article, listen to a conference talk, watch a TED talk, etc.

JOURNEYMAN – Actions to help them UNDERSTAND the principle, such as making connections and taking knowledge and going deeper with it.

MASTER – A project where they apply the principle in their own lives, to make a positive change, impact the world, and do something that God would want them to do.

Homework: Students will be expected to dedicate at least 1 hour of study a week for Core Leadership Class.