From Journals to Journeys: How Author Visits Spark Imagination and Purpose in Hillcrest’s Lower School

It’s one thing to read a book. It’s another to meet the person who wrote it.

This week, Hillcrest Academy’s Lower School students experienced that rare connection. The visit from author Kevin Lovegreen wasn’t just about hearing stories—it was about unlocking something already alive inside the students: imagination, purpose, and the joy of learning. Lovegreen, an avid outdoorsman and storyteller, shared how his adventures with his children in the woods inspired his Lucky Luke’s Hunting Adventures book series. But his deeper message to the young learners was this: Words matter. Experiences matter. And today’s stories could be the ones that inspire someone else someday.

That message fits beautifully within the classical Christian framework these students are growing up in.

At Hillcrest’s Lower School, students don’t just consume information—they interact with it. Through memory work, narration, and early composition, they continually engage with the “tools of learning.” They read deeply, comprehend thoughtfully, and communicate clearly. These are the same tools authors like Kevin Lovegreen use to craft compelling stories.

Lovegreen’s visit helped students see a real-world example of where these tools could take them. By connecting his word-smart and picture-smart talents with his passion for the outdoors, he brought to life the idea that stories are everywhere—even in the tree stand, even in a walk through the woods.

One of Lovegreen’s strongest encouragements to the students was simple: start journaling. “Write it down,” he said, echoing the habits of great minds before him.

In fact, figures like John Quincy Adams—sixth President of the United States—kept meticulous journals, many of which historians still draw from today. These personal writings weren’t just record-keeping. They were reflections, observations, and dreams. They were the seeds of leadership, insight, and influence.

Journaling, in a classical education, is more than a writing exercise. It’s a formative habit. It teaches students to reflect on truth, beauty, and goodness—not just to observe the world, but to engage it. It cultivates gratitude, clarity, and creativity. And it helps kids process what they are learning, seeing, and feeling in ways that can form their character for a lifetime.

When students see that their day-to-day experiences—whether in nature, music, art, or friendship—can become the beginnings of books, songs, or sermons, something shifts. They begin to understand that the study of literature and history isn’t just about the past. It’s training ground for their future. Creative opportunities abound for those who are equipped to see them.

Author visits like Lovegreen’s are essential to the formation of these connections. They bridge the gap between theory and practice, inspiring students to think about the "why" behind their studies—and more importantly, the "what if" of their own lives.

What if their love of drawing became illustrated stories that teach truth?

What if their musical creativity could express worship and joy?

What if their quiet observations, written down in a notebook, became the next chapter in someone else’s journey?

At Hillcrest, we believe God made each child to reflect His image—to be a creative, truth-telling, life-shaping influence in the world. Author visits, journaling, art, music—these are not electives to the classical learner. They are essential practices that awaken the soul, deepen connections, and give students the tools to express what God is doing in their lives.

So whether it’s the hum of a pencil across a journal page or the quiet wonder of a book being read aloud, Hillcrest's lower school is laying the groundwork for something bigger. Because when young students begin to believe that their learning today can turn into impact tomorrow, they don’t just study for tests—they prepare for a life of purpose.

And who knows? Maybe one of those journals being started today will become the book that inspires the next generation.