About Us
Athina Education uses the power of dialogue to transform the world. As a private nonprofit corporation, it designs and facilitates engaging programs, events, and experiences that promote a sense of belonging and community.
Guiding Principles
Our work connects dialogue and the humanities and focuses on the following instructional principles:
Dialogue takes time and practice.
Dialogue provides the foundation of Athina's philosophy. We believe that dialogue can heal wounds, teach new skills, and connect people with one another. Dialogue also helps us gain a deeper understanding of the human condition. But to engage in real dialogue, people need tools to connect and engage. Athina provides these tools and facilitates the process.
Learning should be engaging.
At Athina, we encourage learning through doing. Experiential learning provides our participants with opportunities to learn and teach in a low-stakes and engaging manner.
Learning can happen outside of traditional school settings.
Athina believes that learning does not have to happen in a traditional classroom setting. Our focus on experiential learning allows us to turn just about any place--a museum, outdoors, a restaurant, etc.--into a learning environment.
Everyone can benefit from the humanities.
At Athina, we love the humanities. History, literature, art, etc., reflect who we were in the past and where we are now. Athina believes everyone can benefit from studying the humanities, even when that work is informal.
Civic engagement is about more than political activism.
At Athina, we view civic engagement as a tool for building community. Civic engagement, as we define it, is not about voting or political activism. It is instead about learning more about our communities, connecting with our neighbors, and finding ways to contribute.
Athina Education, Inc. is a private nonprofit corporation started in 2023 by Katina Fontes, Ph.D. It combines her academic expertise in instructional design and professional experience in the nonprofit sector.