Mars Hill Academy’s Worldview Summit is a unique, five-day event that brings learning to life beyond the classroom – each year students and outstanding speakers from academia, advocacy organizations, public policy institutions, and Congress address pressing topics of our day. Since 2014, each of the annual Summits has focused on matters of controversy between our cultural status quo and our Christian commitment.
The foundational presupposition of the Worldview Summit is that God's wisdom and vision for human life and relationships will promote both personal and public flourishing. At past Summits, this foundational principle has been applied to the issues of identity, human dignity, life, marriage, the role of media in our lives, religious freedom in a pluralistic society, and issues of foreign policy and immigration.
Through past experiences, MHA students have gained a clearer, Biblical understanding of important worldview issues and a passion for putting their faith into action. As one of MHA's annual curricular opportunities to apply classroom learning in a "real-world" setting, the Summit is unique among other classical and Christian schools. More than an academic exercise, it is an experience that equips students to engage the world with both conviction and compassion.
While the Summit is powerful in the moment, its lasting impact is best told through the experiences of those who have lived it. Below, we share perspectives from a current student and several alumni from over the years.
Current Student Perspective
Rachel Schatz ('27)
For the past 13 years, Mars Hill Academy students have had the incredible opportunity to travel to our nation’s capital to participate in MHA’s Worldview Summit. The Summit is an educational travel experience that shapes students’ minds and hearts. I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in and lead this event. Worldview Summit has grown my relationship with my peers, my teachers, and the Lord.
Worldview Summit 2026—Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Health—was the third Summit I have attended. The speakers were a highlight, with voices ranging from professors to policymakers. I especially enjoyed hearing from Grove City College’s Dr. Dana Ault on physical health and Gwen Anderson from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, who encouraged leaders to create policy in favor of life. The Worldview Summit Speaker Team seeks to find presenters from diverse backgrounds and opinions, enabling students to process, reflect, think, and reason for themselves.
Beyond the speakers, the Summit encourages students to step outside their comfort zones. Walking throughout D.C. creates opportunities for meaningful conversations and deeper connections, especially with students we may not know well.
Serving has also been a meaningful part of my experience. For the past two years, I have been part of—and now lead—the Worldview Summit Leadership Team. This trip is the culmination of many months of planning and preparation. When we serve, we are drawn closer to Christ, because Christ was the ultimate servant. Through serving others, I am learning to be more like Him.
Worldview Summit is a week of opportunities: new places, meeting new people, and new experiences. Looking back, I am so grateful for the incredible opportunity to be part of it.
Alumni Perspectives
The following reflections highlight the long-term impact of the Worldview Summit, as former students carry their experiences into college, career, and calling.
Anna Hand ('17)
When I was in high school, I did not see myself stepping into full-time pro-life ministry. However, the Lord has a way of working in our lives to bring us where He would have us. I do not know where I will be in five or ten years, but I am confident I will remain connected to the pro-life movement.
My journey toward this field began my freshman year of high school through trips to Washington, D.C. for the Mars Hill Academy Worldview Summit. There was so much I did not know and so much to take in. Sitting in classes and learning about the realities facing unborn children and their mothers often brought me to tears, and a desire began to grow in my heart to help. The March for Life was both electrifying and somber—an encouragement, yet a reminder of the work still ahead.
That desire continued to grow in college at Cedarville University. Attending the March for Life again and participating in the Students for Life of America conference re-instilled the passion I had felt in high school. I became involved in my university’s Students for Life organization, serving in initiatives, pregnancy resource center support, and advocacy for life.
After graduating with a degree in Psychology, the Lord provided an opportunity for me to work at the Miami Valley Women’s Center, where I met with women in crisis and worked to empower them to choose life for their unborn children. Looking back, I see clearly how the Lord led me step by step. My experiences in high school and college shaped my passion and prepared me for this work.
“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; Maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the poor and the needy; Deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3–4
Pro-life ministry is often difficult, but it is a joy and privilege to see the Lord change hearts. It is His work—we are simply vessels He uses for His purposes. All praise and glory are His.
Bradley Braxton ('21)
I have now had the opportunity to experience the amazing Worldview Summit from both a student’s perspective and an alumni’s perspective. Both have been integral in shaping my faith and understanding of how to integrate my walk with Christ into my life on this earth. As a student, I got to hear many different topics, ranging from the biblical role of marriage to the identity crisis our modern world is experiencing. These topics highlighted worldviews outside of my Mars Hill bubble and the importance of engaging them with a biblical framework. Little did I know, these conversations would later shape discussions I would have with unbelieving coworkers who hold secular views on the same topics. I believe my experience at four Worldview Summits has played a significant role in preparing me for those conversations, helping me gain an understanding of other perspectives before responding with the truth.
Andrew Scott ('25)
The Worldview Summit is the highlight of the year for every high school student and leaves memories that last a lifetime. It challenges students and adults alike to think critically about the topics they encounter, especially when they involve viewpoints they may not agree with. The speeches we hear inspire thought and discussion, something that is often lacking in today’s world. These conversations continue before, during, and long after the Summit.
For students, the trip is also a time of fellowship and connection—not only within the student body, but also with faculty and other adults. These relationships often last well beyond high school and strengthen the broader Mars Hill community. The Summit also gives students the opportunity to engage with others, build relationships with speakers and venues, and gain valuable experience organizing a large-scale trip. For parents and adults, it is a chance to step back and trust that students have thoughtfully prepared a meaningful experience for all involved.
What begins as a week of travel and learning becomes something far more lasting—shaping how students think, how they engage with the world, and how they discern their calling long after graduation. Whether through convictions formed in high school or vocations pursued years later, the Summit continues to bear fruit in the lives of those who have experienced it.