Lower School Focuses on Joy, a Genius Quality, in Chapel

Students spilled back onto campus after Christmas break this week, eyes bright and voices excited to be back with friends, their teachers, and chapel. Playful chatter followed students to their seats; a reverent hush fell over them as they settled into their chapel seats. Chapel captures the heart of Hillcrest and our classical model, where education goes beyond memorizing facts—it connects knowledge, faith, and virtue to shape kids to live lives of eternal significance.

Lower School Academic Dean Mrs. Julie Stender introduced Joyfulness as our January character quality in chapel this week. She started by asking students what makes them happy. Her question triggered a flurry of answers about new shoes, gadgets, and fun family outings. Then, she highlighted a key distinction between happiness (temporary, tied to circumstances) and joy (deep, abiding, rooted in Christ). Through a simple “cup demonstration,” Mrs. Julie showed how “Stuff,” “Fun,” and even “Sin” fail to fill the empty jars of our life; only Jesus makes lives overflow with satisfaction and joy. She noted Biblical examples, like Job, inspiring students to see that joy can remain unshaken even in life’s hardest moments.

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 recognized 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 the imagination and the heart. This is one reason chapel matters so deeply at Hillcrest. It reinforces that real knowledge is not just intellectual but transformational, guiding kids to integrate faith and wisdom.

Before wrapping up, Mrs. Julie introduced “Joy Jars,” where students can drop in notes about moments they sense true joy. It’s a tangible practice to take joy from something students hear about to a practiced virtue that is exercised, strong, and resilient.