Hillcrest Academy Teachers Go To Harvard

While many teachers used their summer vacations to relax and re-energize away from the classroom, two teachers from Hillcrest Academy in Temecula headed back to school – at Harvard University. 

Hillcrest teachers Lindy Liptak and Barbara Martin went to Harvard through grants awarded by the “Silk Road Project”, an internationally minded, non-profit arts, cultural and educational organization that promotes innovation and learning through the arts.  The two were selected to travel to the Harvard Graduate School of Education from August 7 – 9 for a seminar entitled “Arts and Passion-driven Learning”. 

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma founded the Silk Road Project with a vision of bringing together artists and audiences around the globe. Yo-Yo Ma was the opening speaker for the Harvard seminar, and he performed with the Silk Road Ensemble. “The impact of sharing a one-on-one conversation with YoYo Ma, arguably the best cellist in the world, in which he asked my opinion on the tone and validity of the conference was second only to hearing his performance with the Silk Road Ensemble at the opening concert,” says Liptak. “I sincerely wish every teacher could have the opportunity to have an experience like this that fuels a life-long love of learning and ignites a passion for excellence in students and teachers alike.”

Liptak and Martin attended workshops led by Harvard professors and Silk Road Ensemble professionals on topics such as excellence in education and the transfer of music and culture between countries.  The Silk Road Project takes inspiration from the historical Silk Road trading routes, employing the Silk Road as a modern metaphor for sharing and learning across cultures, art forms and disciplines. 

“Barbara and I were absolutely jazzed about being selected to attend,” says Liptak.  “We feel it will fit in beautifully with what we do at Hillcrest.  This kind of shared learning across academic disciplines is exactly what we are working towards as part of becoming an International Baccalaureate (IB) school,” she says.  “I’m excited to bring back what I learned at Harvard to the students at Hillcrest.”

Hillcrest Academy is a K – 8th, non-profit, private independent school located in Temecula at 29275 Santiago Road.   Spaces are still available for enrollment in the fall semester.  For more information, contact the Hillcrest Academy office at (951) 676-4754 or visit www.hillcrestacademy.org.