In Mrs. Moline’s classroom, learning is never just about the lesson. It is about forming the kind of student who trusts the environment, understands their place in it, connects with others, sees meaning in their work, and develops the skill to carry it forward.

Cold mountain air rushed through the field alive with movement. Feet were striking the ground in rhythm, voices rising in unfamiliar songs, laughter breaking through every barrier that language could have built as young people from Tirana joined Hillcrest seniors in the mountains for a retreat. Circles tightened, hands locked, and under a bright Albanian sky, a group of students who had never met hours earlier moved like lifelong friends. No hesitation. No distance. Just loud, unfiltered, and contagious laughter. This is where the Hillcrest students will lead a weekend getaway focused on identity, reality, and the good news of the Gospel.

It would be easy to measure this trip by what it costs. A week away from the final stretch of senior year. The financial weight of international travel. The disruption of routine. In a culture that values efficiency above almost everything, this kind of decision can feel impractical. But day two makes something unmistakably clear: this is not a break from education. This is its fulfillment.

If the first day is any indication, what lies ahead will not simply be a series of planned moments, but a continuation of something God has already been orchestrating. Because the Gospel does not wait for perfect conditions, it moves through willing people. People who will go. People who will sit. People who will listen. People who will love.

Backpacks shuffled, laughter echoed, and then Mr. Peterson’s voice cut clean through the noise:

“Pick up a Bible. We have one for each of you to bring with you to share with a person you meet in Albania.”

And just like that… everything shifted.

This isn’t just a trip. It’s a sending.

Jesus sang before the cross. The early church sang through persecution. Hillcrest students sing on the road and bring those songs home. And now, it’s our turn. Because the story of Easter has always been sung.

In a culture that often tells students their worth is tied to how “full” their lives appear, Hunter Pinke offered a countercultural truth: your hope is not in the level of your cup, but in the God who fills it.

The call to missions has been forming in the hallways of Hillcrest for generations of students. And as students gather for conversations like the recent lunch with Dave Narvesen, it is clear that the tradition continues.

When children are truly known by their parents, their teachers, and their school, they don’t just learn more effectively. They live more faithfully.

Each month at Hillcrest, students are invited into something deeper than a lesson or a theme. Through a unified and intentional virtue program, the Lower School is being shaped in how students think, respond, forgive, and love. This January, that focus is Grace: loving others despite their faults.

There are moments in a student’s life when faith moves from something heard to something seen, from abstraction to encounter. Hillcrest students experienced one of those moments in chapel as Pastor Dave Foss and Michele Foss led the community through their recent journey to Israel, inviting students to step into the places where Scripture unfolded in real time, among real people, under real skies.

For those gathered, it was more than an event, it was a reminder. A reminder that God’s work at Hillcrest spans decades and continues in the lives of staff young and old. As alumni, parents, and students left the Castle that evening, one truth was clear: Hillcrest’s legacy isn’t a building, it’s a people. Generations of believers, worshiping together, bearing witness to the same faithful God who continues to write new stories of grace in this sacred place.

President Luke Fiskness offered three principles that act like anchors to steady the classroom in Monday’s inservice. The first is to make room for rest; the pace of modern schooling can feel like a factory conveyor belt, but scholé insists on space to savor ideas. The second is to aim every lesson at what is truly worthwhile: the goodness of creation, the beauty of art, the truth of Scripture, and the wisdom of history. The third is to remember that people are not machines; we are created to worship and to wonder, not merely to produce. Those principles are simple enough to write on a sticky note and profound enough to change a culture.

In a classical education, students progress from absorbing concrete truths (grammar), to grasping their deeper meanings (logic), to applying them in real life (rhetoric). Joy, commonly recogized as a “genius quality,” is especially vital for students to explore and develop. Joy fuels curiosity, resilience, and a love of learning—a spark that ignites both the imagination and the heart. This is one reason chapel matters so deeply at Hillcrest. It reinforces that real knowledge is never just intellectual—it’s transformational, guiding kids to integrate faith and wisdom.

Against the backdrop of proposed legislation in Minnesota that would permit abortion to the point of birth, the Comets for Life club gathered in St. Paul to join the March for Life.

Hillcrest Academy's fusion of classical education with focused mentorship and discipleship is a testament to the transformative power of employing a classical approach to learning in a disciplined discipleship environment. It's an approach to education that doesn't just impart knowledge but shapes character, sharpens intellect, and prepares students for the complexities of life. It is both timeless and timely, traditional and transformative, academic and life-affirming.

The smell of hot chocolate was wafting through the air as the girls settled in with hot chocolate cups premade in the cupholders of the van. The girls were on a family group excursion, where they would drive around town to look at Christmas lights, listen to music, and reminisce on the things they love about Christmas.

Jeremy’s message is a testament to the transformative power of mentorship and gratitude in shaping the worldview of young students.

In an era where education is evolving rapidly, the timeless principles of classical education continue to prove their value. One such activity that seamlessly aligns with the classical education model is the game of chess. Chess isn't just a game; it's a character formation event that intertwines with classical education principles, providing students with a holistic and enriching experience.