Hillcrest Launches Club Electives to Awaken Restful Learning In Student Body

Ping pong balls ricochet across the table, and cheers rise as a foosball goal is scored. The Union is bustling with activity, where faculty stand shoulder-to-shoulder with students leaning in, focused on the game, but building mentorship and friendship that reach far beyond the tabletop.

The scene above is a snapshot of the game club at Hillcrest, one of many clubs in the new concerted effort to awaken passions and sharpen skills at Hillcrest through restful learning. Meeting on Thursday mornings, every student in the Upper School joins a group, whether it’s the Reading and Writing club, Chess and Board Games, Crafting, or Sports clubs. Some students strategize with fantasy football rosters, while others roll up their sleeves in the Builder Club and focus on 3D printing projects and Lego creations. Each club provides a different way for students to practice the discipline of Scholé, restful learning.

Science teacher Magen Riestenberg, one of the club organizers, explains, “We’re cultivating time for wonder, creativity, and joy…More than just ‘free time,’ these clubs are designed to give students a sense of balance.” The rigor of the academic program finds a grace-based, personal approach in student life at Hillcrest through the club electives. “We believe that by making space for exploration and creativity, students will come to see that education is not only about academic rigor but about becoming whole people, individuals who can work hard, rest well, and delight in the good gifts God has given them.”

The clubs meet for a 45-minute block once a week on Thursdays. Students have the opportunity to sign-up for the clubs that interest thatm and change clubs at specific breaks in the year to explore more restful learning opportunities. Faculty and staff lead the clubs, connecting with students in a mentor relationship that moves discipleship beyond textbooks and homework assignments into a love of exploration and learning around interests the student holds.

Where education can center around grades and rigor, Hillcrest is raising students to discover the richness of who God made them to be, loving learning and enjoying it, discovering their gifts in the delight of the Lord and to bless others.