Leaning Into Lifelong Learning

by Brilynn Martin, 2026 Susan K. Beatty Scholarship Recipient
June 29, 2026

Thank you so much for allowing me to be here today. I am honored to be the recipient of this scholarship. When my parents first announced that we would be switching to homeschool, my kindergarten self couldn’t be happier. I loved being around my siblings so the thought of doing everything alongside them with nowhere for them to go was thrilling. While my reasons for being grateful for homeschooling have shifted, my love for my educational journey has not. Homeschooling didn’t just give me an education; it gave me a lifestyle of curiosity and faithfulness that continues to guide my steps as I prepare for college. 

One of the greatest gifts of being homeschooled was the freedom to learn in a way that felt alive. My parents never treated learning as something that stopped when an assignment was finished. Sometimes that meant car ride discussions about the historical landmark we just passed. Other times it meant letting dinner table conversations wander into theology and politics. That rhythm of learning (unhurried, intentional, and rooted in real life) taught me to think deeply and ask questions boldly. 

Having Christ at the center of my education shaped my mindset even more. Faith wasn’t a separate subject. It was the lens through which every subject came into focus. Studying history meant tracing God’s faithfulness across generations. Reading literature meant exploring the complexity of human nature through a biblical worldview. Even math and science became reminders of the order and creativity woven into creation. I got to learn early on that faith and learning are not competing forces. That understanding has become foundational to how I approach both academics and life. 

My extracurricular activities grew out of that same environment of exploration. For the past eight years, I danced at a Christian studio where worship and artistry blended in a way that made movement feel like prayer. Dance taught me discipline, teamwork, and how to communicate without words. Speech and debate, which I have participated in for five years through Stoa, pushed me even further. It introduced me to students who challenged me, encouraged me, and helped me discover my love for communication. I learned how to think critically, speak confidently, and listen generously. Those experiences helped me understand the power of words and the responsibility that comes with using them well. 

All of these threads–my homeschool upbringing, my faith, and my extracurricular experiences–have woven together to guide me toward my chosen field of study. I plan to major in organizational communication with a double minor in Bible and pre-law. Communication fascinates me because it sits at the intersection of people, ideas, and purpose while shaping relationships, communities, and institutions. My years in speech and debate showed me how communication can build bridges or burn them, clarify truth or distort it. 

Homeschooling taught me that education is not confined to a classroom or a curriculum. It is the belief that God can use every experience, conversation, challenge, and opportunity to shape us into who we are meant to be. As I step into college at Biola University and beyond, I carry that mindset with me. Leaning into lifelong learning has been the anthem of my homeschool experience, and it will continue to guide me as I pursue my studies and the future God is preparing for me.

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Brilynn Martin has been homeschooled since 2014 and will attend Biola University this fall, where she plans to study organizational communication with minors in Bible and pre-law. Brilynn's family has been part of the CHEA community since before they began homeschooling, and years of attending CHEA conventions and reading the weekly blog have encouraged and strengthened their homeschool journey while surrounding them with a community of like-minded families. Passionate about lifelong learning, Brilynn hopes to use her communication skills to pursue truth, serve others, and honor Christ in whatever career God leads her to.