A Room with a View

 

It all began last October when a group of grandmothers began meeting at Hillcrest Academy to pray. This group has met once a month to pray for the activities, chapels, faculty and staff, board of directors, and students; just to name a few items on their prayer list. They know the history of Hillcrest Academy and are interested in keeping Hillcrest a strong presence in the community. They pray for their grandchildren who are Hillcrest students as well as prospective students who come to visit Hillcrest and the decisions they will be making. This is not a closed group, it’s open to all grandparents who believe prayer can make a difference in the present and future of Hillcrest Academy. 

The room they met in to pray used to be the Directed Studies room, but has been empty as that program meets in a different room now. All that was left in the room for them to use were a few folding chairs they could make into a circle. Despite the emptiness, the space was still regarded as one of the nicest classrooms in the building. This is because of the fantastic view of the rolling countryside north of campus. As the group met in the space, the group’s facilitator, Cheryl Martin Miller (grandmother of junior, Eli Ours) had another idea. “When I saw this room sitting empty and not being used, I was saddened. I was given the opportunity to create a welcoming room. One used for small group meeting and gatherings. I am overjoyed at the way it has turned out.” With the help of Ron and Lorene Bender (Eli’s other grandparents), the room was restored to a space worthy of the view seen through its huge north-facing windows. 

The “Room with a View” is now being used as a welcoming place for school administrators to meet with prospective families and alumni and is a space where the school’s new branding can be showcased. And a comfortable place for our grandmothers to pray.