Family Groups Use Hot Chocolate, Bible Study, and Christmas Lights to Prepare Students for Their Future
The transition from home can be daunting for maturing students. At some point in a young adult’s journey, they take the giant leap from home to the world. Hillcrest makes this move immensely easier, giving families confidence kids are cared for and building habits for students that will last a lifetime. Dorm Family Groups is one program at Hillcrest that prepares kids to launch and guides them in strong habits for faith and life.
The girls shuffled into the ten-passenger van to the airy voice of Bing Crosby. I’ll Be Home For Christmas pricked at the heart of a few of the girls, thinking about what Christmas is like in New York. 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. This trip is one of many the resident life staff engage to drive relationships and teach kids how to belong in a community.
One key issue as students look to venture on their own is the crippling fear of loneliness. Many adults fear that when kids experience loneliness, it can lead to anxiety that results in depression, so facing the waning years of high school feels daunting. That’s why many families worldwide look to Hillcrest as a support and guide for them and their teens as they move into adulthood.
Hillcrest’s family group program is one of many ways adults intentionally mentor students through the uncertainty surrounding “growing up.” Through planned activities, the resident life staff builds shared experiences, teaching students to actively engage in the community as people who participate and support each other. Routine Bible studies guide students to a focused time in the Word, with regular time to share insights and inspirations in a small group setting. These settings teach students to build deeper than surface-level bonds, building affinity to expressing meaningful ideas about character, the purpose of life, inspiration, and how to resolve and find the courage to face uncertainties. The Bible studies build a bond between students that fosters a hunger for a rich faith community founded in Jesus Christ.
Honing these loves early in a student’s adult journey is imperative. The habits and rhythms students build during their teenage years are often hunger they strive to satiate into adulthood. The community at Hillcrest drives connected faith relationships that build expectations for students to pursue a rich Christian community later in life.
While some families may struggle with a boarding school environment for their son or daughter in the final years they’re at home, other families have developed a long-range vision. It is common for parents to say they assumed they would lose the final years of their child’s high school experience at Hillcrest, but found they received their daughter back. Many comment that the struggle to retain a Christian influence in their child’s life meant sheilding their child from growth opportunities, but at Hillcrest they found their teen was able to grow, thrive, and foster a passion that honors the Lord and them as parents.
The family group tradition has taken many shapes over Hillcrest’s 100 years. What was once a time of mentorship with teachers living on campus turned into dormitory staff who were passionate to guide young people through the adolescent stage with faith formation at the core. Today, the practice provides incredible support for young people who face a world trying to incite anxiety and fear. The family group rhythm provides regular mentor meetings with peers and adults sharing insights, inspirations, and providing places to build courage that is habit forming to know Christ and make Him known into the future.