Experiencing Everest (Full-Day Course) - Registration Closed
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: Anna Joy Setran
Class Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Activities for Lifetime Fitness - Registration Closed
Physical fitness is an essential component of everyone’s life . For too many high school students, the only physical fitness activities they experience are those that are part of the traditional P.E. curriculum or co-curricular activities . This course is designed to provide the students with the opportunity to participate in a wide range of non-traditional physical fitness activities, as well as provide a different twist on traditional physical fitness activities. Proper clothes for each day’s activity are needed.
Planned activities are subject to change based on weather.
Bowling, Sledding, Skating, Downhill Skiing in Wisconsin, Laser Tag, Indoor Rock Climbing, Badminton Tournament, Snow Football, Snow Ultimate Frisbee, Scavenger Hunt in Downtown Wheaton.
Instructors: Ryan Chaney
Class Fee: $75
Open to: All grades
American Sign Language
In a this class, you will learn the foundation of a beautiful, useful language. Although ASL takes a lifetime to master, the basics of conversation will be introduced in this Winterim class. Fingerspelling and numbers, greetings, food, home, clothing, idioms, history, culture, media representation and ministry will all be presented, with time for hands-on practice and discussion. God is calling individuals of this generation to extend their hands to an unreached people group who live among us and across the world. Will you respond?
Instructors: Alta Johnson
Class Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Animation and 3D Design
Whether its Game Design, Animation, or VFX, studios all across the world need talented 3D artists to create the amazing visuals we love to watch and play. In this course, we will learn how to create, move, and render amazing 3D scenes using industry standard software to create animations that will be reviewed by industry professionals. We’ll cover the basics of interface, modeling, lighting, texturing, and rendering in a comprehensive overview of the Cinema 4D software. We will also seek to understand more about what makes an animation great through a look at some of our favorite shots in games, movies, and more.
Instructors: Luke Fritz
Class Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Astronomy
“The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” So the psalmist writes about the wonders of the heavens. This Winterim we will explore the knowledge of our night sky in the classical study of astronomy. You will be introduced to the basics of observational astronomy and the inner workings of our created universe. Bring your warm jackets for outside activities and I’ll provide the hot chocolate!
Instructors: Stephen Zawicki
Class Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Aviation - Registration Closed
Are you interested in the aviation field? If so, this class is for you! This class will be an introduction to the amazing world of aviation. We will take a look at the basics of flight, including aerodynamics, aircraft systems, weight and balance, charts, navigation, flight planning, regulations, and weather. Offered with the help of the LeTourneau University Aviation Program, Wheaton Academy is excited about once again reaching for the sky!
Instructor: Lee Wilkinson
Course Fee: None; however, if weather permits, we will try
to schedule discovery flights with students. The cost of this flight is an additional $100 per student should a student choose to participate.
Open to: All Grades
Ceramics, Tea, and Tolkien - Registration Closed
This class is open to those who wish to learn about ceramics and the power of stories.
Over our two weeks together, we will further our skills in ceramics, drink tea and coffee, and study stories and authors like J.R.R. Tolkien. In particular, we will be looking at how stories can provide windows into the truths of Christianity.
We will spend most of our time in the studio practicing wheel throwing and other forms of pottery, even examining how a ceramic mug creates an intriguing parable of following Christ. The other few days will be spent on field trips and class discussion.
Instructor: Luke Holwerda
Course Fee: $25
Open to: All Grades
Cooking For Guys - Registration Closed
The course will help students learn the basics of cooking, from making something as simple as brownies from a box mix to fixing a complete meal. We will cover lots of “guy friendly” foods. Students will learn the way to read and follow a recipe and will also have the chance to create on their own. The main emphasis will be quick and easy recipes. Come prepared to eat! Learn to prepare a range of foods: steak, eggs, chili, chicken, potatoes, quick snacks, desserts, pizza, pasta, cookies, etc. Students will leave the class with a notebook of recipes they have mastered.
Instructor: Ruth Lindstedt
Course Fee: $70
Open to: All Grades
Cyber Security: Finding and Removing Evil
Learn about one of the fastest-growing careers, Cyber Security, in a hands-on environment under the guidance of an industry expert! In this course, you’ll learn how hackers, cyber criminals, and nation-state attackers compromise computer systems, how to find them, and how to stop them dead in their tracks.
Students will dive into the common tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that threat actors use to compromise computer systems and networks. You’ll learn the intricate details of Microsoft Windows and understand what a good system looks like and the places where attackers like to hide. You’ll apply this knowledge to learn how to hunt for and eradicate evil on live compromised systems.
Students will use their Surface Pros to connect to an environment created specifically for this class. This course will be highly interactive, and students will have the opportunity to apply knowledge and concepts as they are introduced.
Instructor: Greg Blaum
Course Fee: None
Open to: All Grades
Food Around the World - Registration Closed
This class is designed to help you develop an incredible and adventurous palate. You will experience eight different types of foods from around the world and visit various restaurants in the Chicagoland area. You will pose as a food critic and be given the opportunity to write about each food experience. You may need to be brave at times and go outside your comfort zone. Being a food critic is not for the faint-hearted. You will try many different types of foods and record your impressions as descriptively as you can . If you are the kind of person who has a tremendous zest for life and is willing to take many adventures and risks, this course is for you.
Instructor: Cassie Prempas
Course Fee: $ 70
Open to: All Grades
Food, Film, & Forgiveness - Registration Closed
The world of film—Spiderman, The Prestige, The Spitfire Grill, and others—focuses on a theme of forgiveness and the possible consequences of refusing to forgive. This class will study the biblical texts that address forgiveness, watch several movies about forgiveness—while eating food–and compare the messages of the movies with the truths of scripture.
Instructor: Kat Sezonov
Course Fee: None
Open to: All Grades, Females Only
Game Design Lab
Do you enjoy playing and creating games? Are you interested in how theme, story, and mechanics work together to create an engaging and fun experience? Want to learn more about game design? What about the artwork that brings a game to life?
In this Winterim design lab, we’ll learn how games work and about their basic elements, how designers create an experience for the player, and how to prototype and iterate your own game design. You’ll also have an opportunity to design the visual look and feel for a game you or another team is creating.
You’ll be playing and evaluating games to learn more about how they work before choosing known mechanics to craft your own games with an emphasis on collaboration. Designers and artists will work together to hone the look and feel of the game and its components.
In this class, you’ll learn…
- How to unpack the term “game,” incorporating different concepts and multiple perspectives.
- How to analyze the mechanics of paper and digital games, considering how these mechanics affect gameplay and player experiences.
- How to design, develop, and test paper and digital prototype games using an iterative design process and incorporating user feedback.
- How to craft a visual identity that enhances gameplay.
Instructor: Sean McCallum
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Girl's Gainz and Glory
We played college athletics and love staying in shape. This experience is for those students who have an above average love for staying in shape and being healthy. We’ll take a field trip for a cycling class/ boot camp. We’ll learn how to program workouts, talk about diet/ nutrition for the athlete, and see what Jesus has to say about the disciplined athlete. It’s a class for the hard working, but also fun loving student. It’s open to all girls, not just athletes. We hope you can join us!
Instructor: Autumn Ratliff & ET Thompson
Course Fee: None
Open to: All Grades
How to Play the Ukulele - A Beginner's Course
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 Patterson
Course Fee: $25 towards the purchase of Ukulele for each student
Open to: All Grades
Intro to Improv
This Improv class is an introductory course to the fundamentals of improv. It is designed for those who have the desire to get more performance experience under their feet as well as to risk trying new things! Whether Improv is something that you’ve been doing for a long time, or if it’s something that you’ve never tried before, this class is open to all levels of experience! Each day we will have a hands-on rehearsal where everybody will be able to participate in improv warmups, exercises, and games! As we go through these exercises we will focus on the art of collaboration and listening, as well as learning how to make/understand universal humor for audiences that invites all people into the experience of Improv. We’ll finish off the course with an Improv performance that is open to all families of the students in the class, where students can take what they have learned from the class and put it into action!
Instructor: Steven Mantel
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 and Cort Miller
Course Fee: None
Open to: Freshmen and sophomores only
Military Intelligence Operations - Registration Closed
Technology is stolen, terrorism targets a world superpower, countries go to war, war is prevented. Why and what does it mean? Come behind the scenes to explore the mysterious world of intelligence operations. You will study the concepts of intelligence collection and its role in national security objectives and become educated on the blurred lines between civil liberties versus national security Want to visit rarely seen intelligence centers and hear from intelligence experts in the field? Join us as we go behind those secret doors.
Instructor: Cory Roberts
Course Fee: None
Open to: All Grades
Rock Climbing - Registration Closed
Rock climbing is an awesome and often overlooked sport . Regardless of your skill level, join this class for a challenging and chill experience spent in the gym climbing with friends. In this class, we will be traveling to Vertical Endeavors, a nearby rock climbing gym almost every day . This class is open to all levels of climbers. If you are completely new to the sport, this class will teach you the basics of climbing, including how to belay climbers so that you can take on any top rope routes . Rock on!
Instructor: Maddie Urban
Course Fee: $100
Open to: All grades
Short. Sharp. Script
Learn the craft of script writing by examining and discussing plays, television, comic books and short films. Bring your story ideas and turn them into scripts as we write everyday.
Instructor: Joe Jones
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Soccer and Culture - Registration Closed
Soccer is a universal language . If you understand the world of soccer, you will have a better understanding of the way the world works. In this class, we will look at the history of soccer while also studying different cultures around the world. We will look at the way different cultures approach soccer and ways major events around the world over the past century have been reflected through the world of soccer. If you love soccer, different cultures, or even both, this is a great class for you .
Instructor: Christian Rivera
Course Fee: $30
Open to: All grades
Video Editing: Theory and Technique
| Editing is the craft of taking video footage and sculpting it into a story. In Video Editing: Theory and Technique, we’ll be exploring the reasoning behind why certain edits work, the early history of film editing, and how to use modern-day editing apps like Final Cut Pro and Premiere. We’ll shoot and edit our own footage in class and discuss our work together. By the end of this class, you’ll see videos, shows, and movies through a brand new lens, and will be able to take your footage in new potential directions. |
Instructor: Chris Yiesla
Course Fee: None, need a phone with camera
Open to: All grades
Woodworking - Registration Closed
Genesis 1:26 says that God made humankind in His image. We are made to reflect God, and one of the ways that we do that is by creating. When we make things that are well done, we bring glory to God. This class is an opportunity to learn all the fundamental skills you need to work in a woodshop and create. You will learn the way to safely use a jointer, planer, table saw, chop saw, sander. You will build two projects; one project will be completed in groups, and one project will be completed individually. Whether you are just looking for a fun new experience, a hobby, or a potential vocation, this class could be a fun chance to work with your hands to make something!
Instructor: David Moran
Course Fee: $50
Open to: All grades