Clear Vision: Every Student Fulfilling Their God-given Purpose

--

The excitement of a new school year can be felt in every hallway as students fill them during the first few days of school. Classmates are reunited, athletes are preparing for their upcoming seasons, teachers are settling into their classrooms, and everyone is happy to be back at Hartfield. With every new year comes a new school theme, and this year’s theme is special because it points us back to the very reason Hartfield was founded. Since 2012, Hartfield Academy has served the Jackson-Metro community as the only covenant Christian school serving grades K3–12th. With that in mind, we present this year's theme, Clear Vision. This theme is inspired by Matthew 22:37, which states, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind," and brings us back to our school's vision statement: Every Student Fulfilling Their God-given Purpose.

So what is God-given purpose? At Hartfield, we believe that every student's God-given purpose is to know God, discover who he created them to be, and serve him with their life, giftings, and passions. We believe that when students do these things, they are fulfilling Jesus' great commandment of loving God and neighbor. Clear Vision emphasizes that our students' God-given purpose is defined by God's standards - not our own. “The most important thing I’ve learned from Hartfield is that everyone has a purpose that God has specifically given to us. We can all use our unique gifts to glorify God in different ways." shared Garrett Jackson, a rising Hartfield senior. He is a perfect example of a student discovering who God has created him to be during his time in school. When asked about how the Lord used Hartfield to shape who he is today, he shared about his forever life change in a third-grade classroom and how Hartfield faculty members have continued to pour in and teach him Godly wisdom each day. "Hartfield has provided me with role models and mentors to help guide my walk with Jesus." shared Garrett.

As educators and leaders at Hartfield, we have every opportunity to prepare our students for life. We value preparing students to be Christian leaders who will leave our campus and go impact the world. That means we focus on not just the academic experiences but also the spiritual, emotional, and physical development of each student. It was once said, "We are preparing our students for a race we will not get to watch them run," and we wanted to connect with those students who are running their race.

Hartfield’s Class of 2015 Salutatorian and Hartfield Woman, Lee Catherine Collins, is currently a Public Relations Specialist at Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson, MS. Lee Catherine has a passion for storytelling and shared with me how the Lord used Hartfield to ignite her passion to write, design, and take photos-all the skills she uses daily! " Blakeney Hatcliff [Hartfield’s Director of Fine Arts] encouraged me, and when she said, "Go for it—you can do this," I believed her. " Lee Catherine went on to share, "Hartfield laid the foundation for my career, and then they pumped me full of confidence for the next chapter." Her journey to Hartfield required complete faith in the Lord and an ability to step out in that faith. "Every day leaving school, I would look at Joshua 1:9 on the back of that sign and think about all God had done for me—all because I decided to not be afraid." "[Hartfield] was the place for me. I would encourage anyone interested to put fear aside because finding your place is worth it. "

Kyndal White, a 2021 Hartfield graduate, will begin her sophomore year at the University of Mississippi this fall. Kyndal loves working with children as she is currently an Elementary Education major and works at Hartfield’s summer care program (Summer’s Nest). She shared two specific ways the Lord worked in her life during her time at Hartfield—through a Hartfield teacher and an open door to work at Hartfield’s after-school care program. Kyndal shared, "Mrs. Ingram [Hartfield’s Art Instructor] always listened and encouraged me through a tough season of my life. She truly modeled Christ's gentleness, kindness, and love to me in her classroom. Secondly, the Lord opened the door for me to be a Hawk's Nest teacher during my senior year. Little did I know, the Lord was giving me a taste of what He created me to do--teach. " As Kyndal pursues her career to one day become an elementary teacher, she shared ways in which Hartfield prepared her for academic excellence at Ole Miss. "The academic material at Hartfield did not just make me more intelligent, but the challenging coursework taught me to set aside time for my studies by managing my time more efficiently, which is essential for success in every area of my life." She went on to share, as well as her academic success, that the Lord used her years at Hartfield to teach her about trusting His plan. "In every season of attending Hartfield, Jesus has made it abundantly clear to me that He is trustworthy." "Trusting in Him hasn't always been easy, but the Lord has used my years at Hartfield to prove that He is worthy of my full trust."