The Story of White Horse
Our History
Our journey began in 2022 with a group of five families who came together as a book club exploring and discussing classical Christian education. Inspired by visits to established classical schools, we envisioned bringing this ancient yet relevant approach to Bloomington Normal.
After prayerful consideration we took a bold step of faith in the Lord and founded White Horse Academy. We dedicated the next year to careful preparation, ensuring every detail of our school reflected our shared values and vision.
In the fall of 2024, we proudly opened our doors, welcoming our first sixteen students in grades K-3 into a community built on academic excellence and spiritual growth, with the vision of expanding to a full K-12 program in the years to come.
Our Emblem
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Looking to the Past
The establishment, secular education of the last century is morally and academically failing our children. We believe the answer lies in the Classical model of the past, because the present is built upon the legacy of the past. We study the best of those who came before us, gleaning insights and time-tested truths in order to lay solid groundwork for the future.
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All Things are Held Together in Christ
Paul preaches the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ (Col 2:3). Solomon tells us the fear of the Lord is the beginning of not just wisdom, but also of knowledge (Prov. 1:7). All aspects of life, but more specifically all academic subjects, are interconnected in Christ, and truth is true because Jesus is Lord and Creator.
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The Great Books
Mankind seeks meaning through narrative, so the stories, philosophies, and poetry we engage with shape our mind and character. The Western Tradition of the Great Books reach across the ages and invite the modern reader to join in the timeless tales, ideas, and conversations of history’s greatest men and women. We study the best to emulate and imitate the the heroes who shaped our world.
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The Seven Liberal Arts
A certain level of knowledge and wisdom are required to be truly educated and free. To study the Seven Liberal Arts is to become wise in the art of language and trained in the art of number, enabling us to walk boldly into the public square of ideas.
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The True, Good, & Beautiful
These are knowable realities we discover in God, through his word, and his creation. God is Truth. He is Good. And to worship Him is Beautiful. When a child is taught these realities, their soul is truly filled and nourished.
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Looking to the Future
Our hope is students will leave our doors prepared not just for college or a career, but a life of godliness. We pray our graduates will eagerly anticipate the triumphant return of King Jesus, riding in on a White Horse, to create a new Heaven and a new Earth.
The epic tale that inspired our name
A divided land in chaos, a hopeless people plundered and oppressed by viking invaders, a defeated king hiding in the marshes - it was one of the darkest periods in the history of the British Isles. But against all odds, Alfred the Great, the White Horse King, drove out the pagan barbarians and established the Kingdom of England on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. Culturally, he turned the hearts and minds of the people back to God by codifying the Scriptures as the basis for political law, built churches to preach the Gospel, and founded schools which taught Latin and studied Aristotle.
Our school is named in remembrance of Alfred, as we seek to inspire and form the hearts and minds of our children in the instruction of the Lord, until the King of Kings returns on his white horse.