Experiencing Everest, Full-Day Course - FULL
Have you ever thought about being a teacher? Do you have a passion for kids coming from challenging backgrounds? Do you want to be a part of a school that is making a difference in the city of Chicago? Then this class is for you! Through this class students will have the opportunity to observe and serve at the Moving Everest Charter school in the Austin neighborhood. Students will experience the blessings and challenges of teaching as they get to know their own class of elementary or middle school students. Activities such as tutoring, lesson planning, putting together crafts, taking students to gym, and read aloud will all be a part of a typical day throughout this course. Students will also spend a couple of days reflecting on teaching and sharing experiences with one another. By the end of the two weeks, students will have a clear picture of what it looks like to teach in an urban setting at a school committed to helping all students thrive.
Instructor: Annika Yoder
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
The Ancient Game of Go (囲碁)
The world’s oldest board game: the game of Go!
Invented in China about 4,000 years ago by the first emperor, this game paved the way for strategy board games before chess was even in diapers. Not only is it the oldest board game, but it is often known also as the world’s hardest board game. The rules are easy; the strategy is hard!
If you are someone who loves critical thinking and mind-melting fun, this is a wonderful outlet for you to be able to push your brain in a way you have never done before. You will learn to play, acquire a rank, learn good strategy, learn valuable life lessons and proverbs that are imbued in the game, see some of how this game has shaped culture in Asia, learn about how this game has been the standard for pushing artificial intelligence, and more! This game will deliver and has boundless unexplored worlds of value. Will you come explore the depths of beauty within?
Instructors: Tom Findysz
Class Fee: none
Open to: All grades
Animals 101 - FULL
In this class, we will explore God’s creation, creatures, and dive into scripture each day. You will get to clean, enrich, and train the animals in the WaZoo. We will go on local adventures to forest preserves and animal facilities to serve, learn, and enjoy new places. We will integrate the joy of God’s creatures and creation with scripture. We will take time to meditate on it and see the beauty of getting out into nature and serving others. We will end class with hot chocolate and reflection. Come in comfy clothes, lots of layers (we will go outside), and an adventurous spirit to learn all about God’s creatures.
Instructor: Ashley Holtrop
Course Fee: $10
Open to: All grades
Channel Your Inner Rocky - FULL
Ding, Ding, Ding!
Rocky Balboa is an American icon whose grit and determination bypasses movies and into the heart of every underdog. We will explore the wisdom and mindset of Rocky through the Rocky movies to learn how we can enhance our own performance. Through film, discussion and hands-on experiences we will come alongside Rocky as he goes from unknown to world champion.
Come join me with your popcorn and boxing gloves ready to be challenged and inspired to develop our mental approach to performance. This class will be part movie-goer and part active participant to put into practice the lessons learned to help us reach our peak performance.
Instructors: Grant Tillotson
Class Fee: none
Open to: All grades
Animated Storytelling
Welcome to the world of 2D animation! In this hands-on course, you’ll dive into the core techniques that bring drawings to life and learn how to craft animations that captivate and engage. Whether you’re new to animation or have a spark of creativity waiting to ignite, this class will guide you step-by-step through the basics of Adobe After Effects, an essential tool in the animation industry. We’ll break down the legendary 12 principles of animation, revealing their secrets through examples from your favorite games, movies, and TV shows. From mastering smooth motion to creating dramatic effects, you’ll see firsthand how these principles transform static images into mesmerizing motion.
By the end of the course, you’ll not only have a solid grasp of After Effects but also the ability to design, compile, and animate your own original projects. No animation experience? No problem! This is your chance to turn your creative vision into reality, one frame at a time.
Instructor: Luke Fritz
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Culinary Creations
Are you interested in learning how to cook (and eat) some of your favorite foods? Join me this Winterim as we prepare foods and desserts featuring recipes passed down from my Italian grandma. We will discover how food can bring people together and create connection between people of all ages and backgrounds. I am excited to roll up our sleeves together and enjoy some homemade dishes.
Instructor: Olivia Harrington
Course Fee: $75
Open to: All
Children's Story Book Illustration
This Winterim we will be diving into your favorite children’s book classics and conceptualizing your own story. We will focus on finding a storyline you are excited about and learning how to craft it into a book. Focusing on studio time in the classroom and studying from life, by the end of two weeks you will walk away with the knowledge of how to turn an idea into a story through thoughtful imagery.
Instructor: Naomi Economou
Course Fee: None
Open to: All
Christian Witness in Time of War: WWII and the Holocaust
The class uses feature films and documentaries to tell the story of WWII and the Holocaust and the lives of heroic Christians who took a stand for their faith.
Students will view parts of the well-known films Pearly Harbor, Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, and Hacksaw Ridge. Other films include Amen, Nanking, John Rabe, To End all Wars, Empire of the Sun, Memory of the Camps, Sophie Scholl, and many others.
The class also provides the rare opportunity to talk with, in person, some of the few remaining WWII veterans and Holocaust survivors.
Students will discover how they can apply what they’ve learned to issues in our world today and to our faith as followers of Christ.
Instructor: Scott Young
Course Fee: None
Open to: All Grades
Creative Coffee Connoisseurs
Looking around and noticing the world around you is one of the best ways to deepen your appreciation for the world and it’s Maker. Observational/Urban sketching taps into that skill and also helps the sketcher develop as an artist. And what better way to accomplish this than with a warm, yummy beverage? This two-week course takes students into local coffee shops to practice urban sketching. Students will focus on observing and capturing the people, atmosphere, and unique energy of each location through their sketches. By the end of the course, students will have a sketchbook filled with diverse drawings that highlight their ability to quickly and accurately portray life in different urban environments.
Instructor: Hannah Nelson
Course Fee: None
Open to: All
Discovering Photographic Styles
Discovering Photographic Styles is a fun and hands-on class for students who want to explore the art and technique of photography. We’ll start by learning the basics—how to use a camera, work with light, and do simple editing. From there, you’ll get to experiment with a wide range of styles, from portrait and landscape photography to street, abstract, and even experimental techniques. You’ll discover how photography can be more than just capturing an image—it’s a powerful way to tell stories and connect with the world on a deeper level.
Together, we’ll also study famous photographers’ work, learn their unique styles, and see how they use light, color, and composition to evoke emotions. By the end of the course, you’ll have a personalized photo portfolio that shows off your creative style, interests, and expressive vision!
Instructor: Varya Bazalev
Course Fee: None
Class Requirements/prerequisites: DSLR camera (any brand) with at least one of the following lenses: 50mm, 35mm, 18-55mm (standard kit lens)
Open to: All grades
Exploring Star Wars
From the mind of George Lucas came a story that changed the course of pop culture, cinema and filmmaking history. We will watch the original six films of the Star Wars saga, analyzing the filmmaking, storytelling, and how the Gospel of Jesus Christ permeates each of the films.
The 1977 phenomenon changed the way films are made through revolutionary visual effects. From a filmmaking perspective these techniques are ones that still inspire us to this day. The storytelling utilized by George Lucas in the original Skywalker Story is one that mirrors clear Biblical themes, especially the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Between the themes of good vs evil, light and darkness, and the path of the Jedi, it is clear that there is more to the story that George Lucas intended to tell. We look forward to discussing these revolutionary filmmaking techniques as well as storytelling that points us towards the ultimate hope that is found in Jesus alone. May the force be with us.
Instructor: Matt Cozzi & Skylar Pearcy
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Faith and Film
In this class, we will be thinking about how all stories point to the true story of the Gospel by watching, reading, and recounting some of the great stories that have been told. As we do so, we will have lots of discussion as a class about what aspects of the Gospel we can see in the stories we watch, and why these stories cause us to cherish the Gospel more fully.
In addition, we will unpack the Gospel as a story and think deeply about the power in seeing the Gospel as the true story. The class will be heavily conversational and reflective as we respond to what we are watching, reading, and listening to in light of our understanding of story and the Gospel.
Instructor: Frank DellaTorre
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Fake Fights for Real People
This class is for anyone who has ever watched a fight scene and thought it looked cool or wondered how they pulled off the fight without any of the actors getting hurt. It’s your turn to learn all the tricks! In a supportive, compassion based classroom, students can learn how to do things that look dangerous while keeping everyone in the room safe.
By the end of class, everyone will have their own stage combat fight they can record to show off their newly acquired skills! Note: this is a movement class, so come in comfy clothes ready to move!
Instructor: Angela Rak
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
The Great WA Bake Off! FULL
If you like to bake and you like the show “The Great British Baking Show”, then join me for our own version, “The Great WA Baking Show”. There will be 5 rounds. Each round will have a signature bake (where I will be helping you through the basic recipe), a technical bake (where you are on your own) and the next day will be the showstopper bake to show off what you have learned. You will be judged on a point system at the end of each round and a prize at the very end for the one with the most points.
So, if you enjoy baking and love a challenge, come and join me in the mornings during Winterim.
Instructor: Jenn Sezonov
Course Fee: $75
Open to: All grades
Hispanic Culture and Immersion
This course will immerse you into Hispanic culture ! We will explore Hispanic holidays, learn about famous Hispanic people and try our hand at making some crafts from Spanish-speaking countries. We will also play some games, taste Hispanic foods, and listen to Hispanic music. On one special class day-we will explore the music of “Zumba” ! We will have a Brazilian Zumba instructor teach us special dances from all different Spanish- speaking countries. (Please only sign up if you are willing to learn to dance with us- this portion isn’t optional) Students will finish class with a new appreciation for Hispanic culture and traditions. You do not need to be taking Spanish to take this course.
Instructor: Kelly Laschinski
Course Fee: None
Open to: Female Students
Holistic Health and Fitness Exploration - FULL
Join us for an energizing two-week journey into the world of physical activity and holistic health! In this dynamic class, you’ll engage in a variety of workouts designed to strengthen your body, increase mental fortitude, and uplift your spirit. From the discipline of weightlifting and the intentionality of functional mobility training to the high-energy challenges of CrossFit and endurance training, you’ll discover how diverse physical activities contribute to overall wellness.
Throughout our sessions, we’ll explore the biblical principles of caring for our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the importance of stewardship in all aspects of life. You’ll learn practical skills, gain valuable insights into fitness, and experience the joy of movement in a supportive, faith-centered environment.
Prepare to sweat, laugh, and grow as you build strength, flexibility, and endurance while cultivating a holistic approach to health. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your physical fitness and spiritual well-being! Sign up today and embark on a path to a healthier, more vibrant life!
Instructor: Kegan Babick
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
How to Build a Start-Up
This course will be designed to help students build confidence in the specific tactics needed to build a successful business or non-profit. The instructor will be explaining 20 critical concepts/skills involved in building any business from scratch, and giving students the opportunity to apply it to their own idea or a brand/product they already love (pretending they were the founder). By the end of the course, each student should be able to speak the language of business being used today. And even better, when they have that idea to build that business, start that non-profit, or help someone start something – they’ll have the foundational tools to do it.
Instructor: Casey Bankord
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
How to Play the Ukulele
Are you interested in learning a new instrument? If so, this course is for you! The ukulele is a versatile instrument that is easy to learn and fun to play. In this course, students will learn the basics of tuning, strumming, and playing chords. Students will explore the history of the ukulele, the various types and sizes, as well as the genres where the ukulele is most often heard. Together we will learn and play several well-known ukulele tunes including Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Hey, Soul Sister. No prior experience with the ukulele is necessary to take this course. We will start with the basics and build from there.
Instructor: Kyra Cozzi
Course Fee: $35 towards the purchase of Ukulele for each student (We have a few gently used ukuleles at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Jenn Trott if you are interested).
Open to: All grades
Hunter Safety
This course will promote responsible ethical hunter conduct, emphasize the importance of wildlife management, laws, and regulations, and encourage the safe handling of firearms and ammunition. Through this hunter education program, students will obtain a better understanding of their obligations to the resource, the landowner, other hunters, and themselves. Students will be shooting at a range under the supervision of a trained instructor.
Instructor: Ken Ellis
Course Fee: None
Class Requirements/prerequisites: None
Open to: All students over the age of 14
Intro to Voiceover
In “The Art of Voiceover,” students will explore the exciting world of audio production.
We will work on our own commercial spots, book narration and make an audio drama. You will develop your own voice, learn some editing skills, and be creative in group projects.
We may have some exciting special guests in the industry and go on a field trip to a real recording studio.
Instructor: Simon Guevera
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grade
Just Pickled - FULL
Ever wonder what all this talk about pickleball is? Or do you play every day? This course is for you. You will learn all things pickleball from how to play, drills, ways to get better, how it all got started and more. Students will get to play every day along with learning about the sport. We will end each week with a tournament. I hope you are just pickled to come and play!
Instructor: Stephen Zawicki
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Lacrosse: Technique and Tradition
This course will cover the history of North America’s original sport, from the Native American game to the current day version played by over one million people worldwide. We will cover the rules and strategies used to be successful in today’s game. The second part of the class will focus on learning the stick skills and techniques needed to play the game at a high level. The class will spend half of our time in the classroom and half of our time in the field house.
Instructor: Geof Weisenborn
Course Fee: None
Class Requirements/prerequisites: None
Open to: Freshmen and Sophomores
Missions and Musicians
This class is for students who want to experience the power of music in a missions setting. Through a partnership with a Christian school in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, our goal is to learn and share music with our brothers and sisters there. Not only will we learn and share music that we typically learn, but in an effort to both teach, learn, and get to know each other’s cultures, we hope to share music and worship, rhythm and dances, and hopefully perform a piece together through the wonder of technology!
Wheaton-area music teacher Kathy Cathey will be joining us for this class, as she has partnered with and traveled to this school in Kenya for over twenty years.
Note: this class is open to current WA Instrumental students or by Mr. Willemssen’s permission.
Instructor: Steve Willemssen
Course Fee: None
Class Requirements/prerequisites: WA Instrumental student
Open to: All Grades
Needlepoint, Embroidery, and Felting 101
In this class, we will learn needle crafts such as needlepoint, needle felting, and embroidery—a creative journey into the timeless art of working with needle and thread.
Together, we’ll explore some of the history of these crafts, from their practical roots in mending and decoration to their role as cherished forms of artistic expression across cultures. You’ll gain hands-on experience with a variety of techniques, spending plenty of time practicing stitches, patterns, and felted designs, while also learning essential life skills such as sewing on buttons and making simple clothing repairs.
By blending tradition, artistry, and practicality, this class will give you the confidence to create beautiful pieces that celebrate both craftsmanship and creativity.
Instructor: Effie Damianidou
Course Fee: None
Class Requirements/prerequisites: None
Open to: All Grades
Project CRAFTING - FULL
In an online and app dominated world, hand crafts get lost in the flow of daily life. In an effort to keep this art form thriving as well as provide the creative space for students to put their hands to work, we are offering Project CRAFTING this Winterim season. In this class we will combine learning and friendly competition. Taking on the spirit of a competitive tv show like Project Runway or Making IT, you will be taking on daily craft challenges that will incorporate techniques like water coloring, mixed media, rubber stamping, and more! We will learn to be resourceful and creative as we take on these craft challenges. Challenges will include a Quickie Craft and a Mega Craft. A Quickie Craft is where a proposed craft challenge must be completed in 60 minutes or less. Then we have our Mega Craft that will take on a new level when it comes to time and challenge! No prior crafting experience is needed. We will learn together, compete together, and most importantly have a lot of fun together!
Instructor: Rachael Burick
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Storytelling in Video Games
If you’ve ever been intrigued by the plot of a video game or wondered about the unique ways that game developers craft compelling stories, this is the place for you! We’ll be spending time exploring a variety of games, from choice-driven to linear to open-world video games, and studying the ways their awesome stories are told through this medium.
Students will need to bring a device capable of downloading and playing these games.
Instructor: Xander Park
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Stranger Than Fiction
We all have a story to tell. But for some of us, those stories look like fantastical adventures, historical dramas, or epic spy thrillers. Whatever stories you love to write, this course will help you flex your creative muscles and develop all the essential story-telling skills essential for fiction writing. We’ll talk about crafting compelling scenes, designing worlds your readers will want to get lost in, developing characters who walk right off the page, and more.
And, of course, there will be plenty of time to try out those skills with some writing games and prompts. All experience levels welcome!
Instructor: Jade Strong
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Ticket to Ride Around the World
Come explore the world “by train” from the comfort of Wheaton Academy!
Ticket to Ride (TTR) is an award-winning board game that introduces its players to numerous countries and regions of the globe through map boards on which you claim train routes between cities while striving to outmaneuver your opponents and complete the most connections. TTR has many expansion maps and you will have the chance to learn and play up to 10 of these, from the simple, “base model” USA map, to Asia, Africa, Europe, and even trek and sail around the world.
As we play a game per day, we will also use the time to learn about the different countries we visit, through music, food, and videos.
No passport needed, but come along for an enjoyable ride!
Instructor: Jennifer Kang
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
War Games: An Exploration of World Wars through Tabletop Gaming - FULL
War Games: An Exploration of World Wars through Tabletop Gaming will take students on a hands-on exploration of different scales and perspectives of World Wars I and II through a variety of games about the time period: from large-scale games on diplomatic negotiations and global strategy like Diplomacy or War Room (the magnum opus of the designer of Axis and Allies) to trench life and platoon-level games like The Grizzled and Undaunted: Normandy.
Students will learn about the complexity of war and how “play” can lead to a greater understanding of our world and human interactions in it.
Instructor: David Rivera
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Women's Self-Defense - FULL
In this class, we will teach proven self-defense techniques and strategies derived from martial arts, Krav Maga and Kickboxing. Each day, there will be a cardio kickboxing lesson and exercise to help develop your striking power, balance, and movement, as well as increase stamina. You will learn how to use kicks, punches, elbows, and knees to defend yourself and others you care about. You will also learn how to get out of an attacker’s grasp – such as releases from chokes, bear hugs etc. In addition, you will learn about situational awareness, skills related to stretching for flexibility, and self-care. There will be three main goals for the class:
- To increase your knowledge and mindfulness of and to avoid potentially dangerous situations.
- Gain confidence of basic self-protection, ending the class with an opportunity to use those newfound techniques and confidence to break wooden boards.
- To develop better relationships with others in the class and strengthen your walk with Jesus. We will then end each day with a 15-minute Bible study will where we will explore what the bible has to say about self-defense and protecting those weaker than us.
My hope is that this will be a class where you leave feeling more educated, prepared, and confident to handle yourself in many different circumstances.
Instructor: Kermit Ellison
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Worship Leading and Beginner Guitar
Do you have a passion for leading worship? In this course, we will discover and develop the basics of worship leading.
Students will receive practical instruction in guitar, vocals, songwriting and the use of technology in worship leading. In addition, we will look at Biblical foundations for worship, historical practices of worship, and current conversations regarding worship leading in the local church.
Instructor: Mat Camerer
Course Fee: None, however students will need a guitar (acoustic preferred) and capo
Open to Grades: All Grades