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 and/or COVID-19 restrictions.
Bowling, Sledding, Cross Country Skiing, Skating, Downhill Skiing in Wisconsin, Laser Tag, Whirlyball, Indoor Rock Climbing, Badminton Tournament, Walking, Counting Steps for Fitness, Hot Yoga, Cycling Class, Bootcamp Exercise Class
Instructors: Ryan Chaney and Neal Roys
Class Fee: $75
Open to: All grades
Art of Competition (Registration Closed)
This class is structured around competition – what it means to be a competitor who loves and glorifies the Father. The whole class will be a competition, with the winner receiving a gift card to a place of their choosing. Each day we’ll have an individual competition so individuals can get points, and then we’ll have team competitions so the all members will get points. We’ll be discussing some pretty crucial and hidden aspects of being a competitor. Not all competitions will be physical, we’ll test knowledge, we’ll test cooking ability, we’ll attempt to cover a wide range of competing. We’ll also watch a few movies that deal and discuss with some hidden aspects of competition: Race, classroom, home life, upbringing etc.
The objective of this class is to learn how to worship through competition. We’ll never quite obtain it, but we’ll endlessly and relentlessly strive for it. This class is for men only. Come with an appetite to have fun, to grow, and to compete. My prayer for this class is that it’s just fuel to the fire.
Instructor: Elliot Thompson
Class Fee: None
Open to: Males only
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
Church: How Did We Get Here? (Regisration Closed)
This course will explore the birth, growth, and branching out of the Christian church . Students might wonder about the history of their own church branch and how it is both similar and distinct from other branches of Christianity. This course will address these questions. Possible field trips include visits to a Jewish synagogue, a Catholic church, and an Eastern Orthodox church.
Instructor: Chip Dykema
Course Fee: None
Open to: All Grades
Cooking for Girls (Registration Closed)
The course will help students learn the basics as well as some more advanced skills in cooking. We’ll look at meal planning options, nutrition consideration, and even take a trip to the grocery for hands-on experience cooking within a budget. Students will learn how to read and follow a recipe and will also be encouraged to branch out with some creating of their own. The girls will regularly be able to bring samples of their food home with them. We’ll end the class with a notebook of recipes from what we’ve made and relationships we’ve built together in the kitchen. Students will cook at Mrs. Marr’s house.
Instructor: Melanie Marr
Course Fee: $70
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
Cricut 101 (Registration Closed)
This course will teach students how to use a Cricut crafting machine. We will explore the design side of crafting by learning the Cricut software before bringing our creations to life. Students will design projects from custom Starbucks cold cups, to originally designed apparel. The main emphasis of this course will be to help students bring their Pinterest worthy ideas to life. Come prepared to design and create! Students will leave the class with an array of projects to keep!
Instructor: Autumn Ratliff
Course Fee: $25
Open to: Girls only
Cyber Security: Finding and Removing Evil (Registration Closed)
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
Dance: Musical Theater (Registration Closed)
Do you love musical theater? Do you love to dance? This class is for you! In this course, students will examine various Broadway shows and reflect on the dance styles that are present. All students are welcome regardless of prior dance experience. Students will learn and perform choreography while also getting to the chance to create their own musical number. This class is for students who love to be active and who are interested in learning more about the role of dance in musical theater. Additionally, this class will be beneficial for any students who are interested in auditioning for a future show at Wheaton Academy.
Instructor: Lissy Bailey
Course Fee: None
Open to: All Grades
Every Song Ever: The art of listening in the digital age of music
With an endless variety of music available via streaming services, too many people are stuck listening only to the music they feel most
comfortable with because they do not understand the way to listen to or appreciate the unfamiliar. This class will explore the wealth of musical genres from classical to metal, jazz to hip-hop, oldies to indie. Beginning with an exploration of the way music has been recorded and listened to for the past 100 years, students will learn the art of listening by learning to identify musical traits such as “timbre,” “texture,” “dynamics,” and “melody” that defy genre . It offers students an opportunity to become professional appreciators of music in all its diversity. Students will
also be able to share some of their favorite music artists and discuss the reason they enjoy listening to their music. Finally, we will discuss a biblical worldview on listening and engaging with the lyrical content of music .
Instructor: Joel Visker
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
Functional Ceramics (Registration Closed)
This two-week-long intermediate course will focus on wheel throwing and hand-building functional ceramic pieces. Students will design and create three projects:
- A container with a lid
- A set of four cups or mugs
- A pot for a plant
On the last day of this course, students will be given a plant to take home in their new pot.
Instructor: Josiah Johnson
Course Fee: $20
Open to: All Grades
The Gospel and Story
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. Some movies that will be discussed are:
-Beauty and the Beast (Original Animated Film)
-Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
-The Lion King (Original Animated Film)
-Hamilton the Musical
-The Fellowship of the Ring
-The Two Towers
-The Return of the King
Instructor: David Moran
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Harry Potter and the Seeker's Journey (Registration Closed)
We will explore the expansive and immersive world that JK Rowling built about a boy who lived. We will discuss and analyze the way the Harry Potter series mirrors the key aspects of the gospel. One of the overarching themes of the series is the idea of self-sacrificial love and conquering death so that others may live, just as Christ did for us on the cross. In addition, we will critically study the themes, individual characters, and the intentional parallels that connect the magic world to our world that JK Rowling expertly interweaves into the narrative of each book. We will also evaluate how well the movies bring Harry Potter to life and the ways different mediums can portray a story.
Instructor: Leah Rinker
Course Fee: None
Open to: All Grades
How to Play the Ukulele - A Beginner's Course (Registration Closed)
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
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
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: $20
Open to: All grades
Sports: More than a Game! (Registration Closed)
In the class “Sports: More than a Game” we will learn that the sports we love are so much more than a game. We will watch famous sports movies, such as Miracle, Remember the Titans, 42, The Rookie (to name a few) as well as ESPN 30 for 30’s to better understand what we can learn from sports and what biblical principles can be applied to our daily lives.
Classes will involve not only watching the films but also great discussions, as well as food because who can watch a movie without some kind of treat?
Instructor: Leah Dunlap
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Two Loaves and Five Fruit Snacks
Do you love working with children? Do you love God’s Word? Learn how to bring God’s Word to 1st-5th graders in Sunday School, VBS, AWANA, camp, etc.! We will learn how to use games, object lessons, snacks and other activities to communicate the love of Jesus through the Bible. Students will explore and discover ways in which everyday activities speak the truth about who God is and prepare to use those activities to evangelize and disciple children.
Instructor: Kiernan Mack
Course Fee: None
Open to: All grades
Videogame as Art (Registration Closed)
The course will introduce students to the world of game design and philosophy, from story to mechanics. We will focus on understanding the significance of video games historically and in contemporary art and culture, especially with regard to concept design, storytelling, and game
mechanics. We will discuss the reason people play games, the way games are made, the reason they are important, and what makes them fun. Anyone interested in playing video games, video game culture, storytelling, and puzzle solving should consider enrolling.
Instructor: Sean McCallum
Course Fee: None
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 in order to work in a woodshop in order to create. You will learn the way to safely use a jointer, planer, table saw, chop saw, sander, and domino machine in order to 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: Brad Musso
Course Fee: $75
Open to: All grades