Last week in Leadership class, ATA College Prep students gathered to hear Humanities Lead Tommy Collins introduce the school’s 2025–26 annual theme: “Seeking Truth.” The launch of the theme has become a hallmark of the ATA College Prep experience, providing a unifying thread that weaves through Leadership, Humanities, and even our community-wide summer reading program.

“Each year, our theme is meant to shape not only how we learn, but how we live,” Collins told students. “It gives us direction for the conversations we’ll have in Leadership class, and it opens doors to meaningful connections across our reading, writing, and discussions in the Humanities.”

Past themes have included “Cultivating Curiosity” and “Integrity in Leadership.” This year’s theme, Seeking Truth, builds on that tradition by challenging students to go deeper:

• To ask harder questions.
• To notice when something doesn’t quite add up.
• To be willing to say, “I don’t know yet, but I’m excited to learn.”
• To slow down enough to think critically.
• To ask, “Am I really listening to other perspectives with an open mind?”
• To respect the truths of others while seeking their own.

The theme is already alive in the ATA College Prep group through this year’s community-wide reading selection, Unbroken. In the months ahead, the theme will continue to shape everything from all-school discussions to individual classroom assignments, providing continuity and depth across grade levels.

ATA College Prep Director Carol Hagar noted the importance of this tradition for the school’s culture: “Each year, the annual theme guides our community in contemplating and discussing big ideas together. Seeking Truth feels especially timely — it invites our students to grow not only as learners, but as thoughtful citizens who can ask deliberate questions and listen intently with open minds and an open hearts.”

As Collins reminded students, the theme is not about arriving at one “final answer.” It’s about cultivating a mindset. “Seeking truth means embracing the lifelong journey of learning,” he said. “It’s about shaping how we read, how we ask questions, and how we treat each other.”