Although Latin is often called a "dead language," its influence is very much alive in modern culture. From film and literature to science and law, Latin continues to shape the way we communicate and think. Latin Instructor Jake Bryan dives deep into the beauty behind the language and why it is still relevant today.

About Jake BryanJake started at Liberty Common in the fall of 2022. Before that, he taught Latin at a college preparatory school in Oklahoma City for five years. Originally from Dallas, Texas, he attended the University of Oklahoma, where he majored in Letters with a minor in Latin.

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This episode explores the origins and influence of jazz as America’s truly original art form. Guest Dave Lunn, a saxophonist and music educator, joins hosts Brett Harkey and Chris Reynolds to discuss jazz’s deep roots, key figures, and lasting impact on American culture and music.

About Dave Lunn

Dave Lunn is in his 25th year of teaching at Liberty Common School, where he teaches instrumental music, music theory and music history. He received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Colorado State University, and in 2018, he was a finalist for Colorado Teacher of the Year. In addition to his work at Liberty, he is involved in many other musical endeavors, including leading the Fort Collins Youth Jazz Project, working as a clinician, and performing with many ensembles around the area. He and his wife, Lori, live in Fort Collins and have 3 children and when not teaching or making music, he is an avid mountain biker and rock climber.

Mentioned In This Episode:

• Spyro Gyra
• Charlie Parker
• John Coltrane
• Tijuana Brass
• Thelonious Monk
• Louis Armstrong
• Benny Goodman
• Duke Ellington
• Dizzy Gillespie
• Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
• Cannonball Adderley
• Bill Evans - Sunday Night at the Village Vanguard
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Bing Crosby
• Frank Sinatra
• Nat King Cole
• Billy Holiday
• Robert Glasper
• Snarky Puppy
• Dave Brubeck - Time Out
• Esperanza Spalding
  

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This episode delves into the fascinating role of jewelry in sixteenth-century Anglo-Scottish diplomacy. Our guest, Cassie Auble, explores how Mary, Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I used jewelry as tools of political negotiation, self-representation, and material culture. About Cassie Auble

Cassie has been a Liberty Common School Latin instructor since 2018. She has an M.A. in history with a certification in Medieval and Renaissance Studies from the University of Nebraska Lincoln.

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About the Episode:

The episode explores what makes a book a "classic" and how books shape the moral and idyllic imaginations of young readers. Our guest, Paige Gowing, a librarian at Liberty Common School, shares insights on the value of classic literature and dispels common misconceptions, while broadening the definition of what makes a book timeless and enduring. About Paige Gowing:

Paige is a Librarian at Liberty Common School’s Plato Campus. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Concentration in Creative Writing from Colorado State University and has been working at Liberty since graduation. Before becoming an employee of Liberty Common School, Paige was once a student here. She began attending Liberty in 1997, the same year the school opened.

Referenced Books:

• Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
• Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• Invisible Man by Ralph Elison
• A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
• Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein
• Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
• Because of Win Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
• The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
• Climbing Parnassus: A New Apologia for Greek and Latin by Tracy Lee Simmons
• The Republic by Plato
• Stick Man by Julia Donaldson
• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
• Square by Mac Barnett
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong by William Kilpatrick
• To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

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In the late Middle Ages, the city-states of Italy witnessed the rebirth of an ancient form of government: the republic. These Italian republics provide the backdrop for the impressive cultural achievements of the Renaissance, and arguably made them possible. We will consider the conditions which led Italian cities to adopt republican governments, how their republican experiments managed to overcome the threat of warfare and social division, and why they ultimately fell. We will also consider the legacy of Italy’s Renaissance republics and how they might help us understand our own republic better. About Joel Penning

Dr. Penning started teaching history at Liberty in 2018. He received his B.A. in history at Clemson University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. In addition to Colorado, he has spent time living in Kansas, South Dakota, Illinois, South Carolina, Australia, and Italy. When not in the classroom, he can usually be found with his nose in a book.

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In this episode, we explore the deep classical roots of musical theater, an art form widely recognized for its collaborative nature. While today’s Broadway musicals might seem like a modern invention, they owe much to the traditions of ancient Greece, where music, poetry, dance, and dramatic storytelling first came together in public performances.

We’ll delve into the historical origins of musical theater, beginning with the grand theatrical festivals of Athens, where playwrights competed to create the best combination of music, drama, and spectacle. We’ll also discuss how many theatrical conventions—like the chorus, special effects, and the orchestra—find their roots in Greek theater and how these ancient practices continue to influence the musicals we know and love today.

About Becky Pollyea

Becky is a music and theater instructor at Liberty Common School where she directs the junior-high and high-school theatrical productions. Her career in theater education spans three decades, and her focus has been on facilitating transformational learning experiences for young people through the performing arts.

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In this episode, we dive deep into the world of mathematics as more than just numbers and equations. Our guest, a passionate math instructor, shares his journey of discovering Plato’s Republic and explores how ancient philosophy can transform our understanding of math today. Through rich discussions, he explains why math is essential to human flourishing, offering insights into its power to shape minds and nourish the soul. From the concept of zero and its unique historical roots to the role of calculus in the church and beyond, he reveals how math has always intertwined with humanity’s deepest questions. Join us as we explore why studying math can be a path to personal growth and fulfillment, and why, as Plato believed, mathematics is truly a pursuit for the human spirit.

About Torgun Lovely Torgun Lovely has been with Liberty Common School for 16 years, working in various teaching and leadership capacities. He started as the school’s mathematics specialist, teaching classes while overseeing the school’s k-9 mathematics program. In 2010, as the school was expanding to offer grades 10-12, he helped orchestrate what was to become the State of Colorado’s top-performing high-school mathematics program. In 2013 he was promoted to serve as the school’s first assistant principal, and then was promoted into the high-school principal position in January of 2018. More recently he has resumed his role as a mathematics instructor and as the chair of the mathematics department. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics as well as a master's degree in business administration, both from Colorado State University. He and his lovely wife of 23 years, Kathy, have raised two lovely children, Hannah (21), and Mathias (19) – both of whom are proud graduates of LCHS. Additional Resources

Math for English Majors by Ben Orlin

Math with Bad Drawings by Ben Orlin

Here's Looking at Euclid by Alex Bellos

Mathematical Mysteries by Calvin C Clawson

The Number Devil by Hans Magnus Enzensberger

Mathematics for Human Flourishing by Francis Su

A Most Elegant Equation by Stipp

Euclid in the Rainforest by Joseph Mazur

Zero by Charles Seife

The Republic by Plato

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LCHS Spanish Instructor Paulina Deitrick dives into the fascinating world of magical realism, a captivating genre that has profoundly influenced Latin American literature.

She will explore the works of celebrated authors such as Gabriel García Márquez, author of One Hundred Years of Solitude and how popular films like Disney's Encanto bring elements of magical realism to mainstream audiences.

Tune in to discover how magical realism transcends mere storytelling, offering a window into the soul of Latin America’s people and their complex relationship with reality, imagination, and history.

Additional Resources:

Authors:

• Gabriel García Márquez (One Hundred Years of Solitude, Love in the Times of Cholera, No One Writes to the Colonel)
• Isabel Allende (The House of the Spirits, Eva Luna, Tales from Eva Luna, The Sum of our Days, The Infinite Plan, The Wind Knows my Name)
• Jorge Luis Borges (especially Fictions, The Library of Babel, Borges and I)
• Julio Cortázar (Hopscotch, Letter to a Young Lady in Paris, Cronopios, Famas)
• Laura Esquivel (The Law of Love, Like Water for Chocolate, Malinche)

Movies:

• Encanto
• Big Fish
• Pan's Labyrinth
• Inception
• Edward Scissorhands
• Midnight in Paris
• Amelie
• Chocolat

Art:

• Gonzalo Endara Crow

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