The History of Classical Conversations
The Future Is Bright in CC’s 20th Year
Today, more than 105,000 students from over 43,000 families participate in Classical Conversations programs in almost 2,500 communities. These communities are led by over 15,000 contracted directors and tutors and are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 15 foreign countries.
A Changing of the Guard
In 2012 Leigh stepped away from the leadership of the program she had created 15 years earlier, and it was Classical Conversations’ very first student, her oldest son, Robert, who became the new CEO.
God Blesses Classical Conversations with Rapid Growth
As Classical Conversations began to expand outside the central North Carolina area, Leigh developed the idea of local communities led by directors and tutors for the three programs: Foundations, Essentials and Challenge. The contract workers received extensive training and resources to better offer the Classical Conversations programs in their local communities.
Classical Conversations Develops into a Business
With the help of friends and family, Leigh developed a business plan for her fledgling business and entered it in the annual Piedmont Entrepreneurial Network’s new business competition.
Classical Conversations Gets Its Start
The growing Bortins family moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1989 when Rob accepted a job with USAir. Then Leigh began homeschooling in earnest.
An Idea Takes Form
Educated to be an aerospace engineer, Leigh Bortins decided to stay home to raise her sons, and when she couldn’t find a classical, Christian homeschool curriculum, she decided to develop her own.
