Winterim 2026 Trips
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,
as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."
I Peter 4:10
Applications due Tuesday, April 15, 2025 by midnight.
FAQs
Wheaton Academy is using a new online portal called Managed Missions for all Winterim trips. Managed Missions usually works with tax-deductible travel opportunities, but has the capability to help support all of Wheaton Academy’s Winterim trips, including those that are educational and experiential. On the Managed Missions website, payments are referred to as “donations,” but please note that not all trips are tax deductible. If the trip the students signs up for is tax deductible, the student will receive instructions from trip leaders on how to solicit support for their trip.
Travel allows student to experience learning outside of the classroom, putting into practice the College Readiness skills they are equipped with in classes and co-curricular activities. Through travel, students experience the depth and breadth of the Kingdom of God by interacting with people and cultures from around the world. While traveling, students deepen relationships with each other, trip leaders, and God, and they often have the opportunity to serve. Winterim trips are amazing opportunities that impact students’ lives deeply in a way that is wholly aligned with the mission of the school.
Typically, Juniors and Seniors fill the majority of the spots available on trip rosters. Select trips each year are open to all grade levels. Sophomores – Seniors apply for trip in the Spring semester and Freshman learn of select open trip options in the Fall semester. Students and parents need to agree to the policies for travel that outline conditions and expectations for students before and during trips.
Each winter sport coach has established Winterim travel expectations. Often, Winter sports teams use Winterim as an opportunity to develop a trip for their team. Students are encouraged to be in contact with their coaches regarding travel opporunties and how they fit within the winter sports schedule. Contact the Athletic Director Brad Byrne at bbyrne@wheatonacademy.org with questions about a specific sport.
Students and their families are solely responsible for obtaining any necessary travel documents including passports and visas. Each passport needs to be valid 6 months after the date of travel.
Students will complete a general online trip application. Each application will be reviewed to determine travel eligibility by our administrative and student services team.
The application asks students to pick their first and second trip choice. Wheaton Academy tries to assign all students to one of their top two choices. In the event that there are more students applications than roster spots available on a specific trip, the Winterim trip coordinator considers factors such as age, total roster composition, and students services and administrator input.
We use an online payment system through our application for the initial deposit. Each trip leader is the budget manager for all following payments.
We offer 5 different types of trips:
- Faith in Action
- Service and Missions
- Educational
- Adventure
- Leadership Development
Missions Trips: Faith in Action
Scotland Missions: Heralds Trust
The story of Scotland as one of the preeminent missionary sending countries is well known across the Christian world. However, the last 50 years have seen Scotland and the UK move closer to becoming a post-Christian Society. Therefore, the opportunity to minister the light of the Gospel has never been more needed than today.
While staying outside of Edinburgh, students will have the opportunity to participate in the challenging task of working with a variety of local churches in the central belt of Scotland. It is our hope that the trip will impact your faith and give you a greater experience of personal growth in your walk with God. This trip will be best suited to those who are comfortable sharing their faith in all sorts of circumstances. Opportunities may include working with youth groups, schools, and street evangelism. As part of the trip, there will be an opportunity to visit some key historical sites and points of interest in the heart of London and Scotland.
Prerequisites: Students must be willing to lead chapels and services, must display an understanding of basic theological principles to help share the Gospel, must be able to articulate their faith in a public setting, must be able to write their testimony in writing, must be comfortable staying in host homes while also demonstrating appropriate manners and behavior, and must be able to walk long distances and on uneven pavement.
Trip Leaders: David Tollefsen
Support needed per student: $3500-3600
Length: 10 days
Open to: All Grades
Missions Trips: Service and Mission
Varsity Boy's Basketball Missions Trip to Houston, TX
Houston Basketball Experience: Compete, Serve, and Grow
This year, our team is heading to Houston, TX for an unforgettable basketball experience that goes beyond the court. Our mission is to grow as leaders, strengthen our bond, and make an impact by serving the local community as the hands and feet of Jesus.
On this trip, we will:
Compete at a high level, practicing and playing against some of Houston’s top high school teams.
Serve with purpose, giving back to the community through outreach and service projects.
Explore our future, visiting local colleges and getting a glimpse of the next level.
Experience high level hoops, catching live games and practices both college and pro.
Discover Houston, taking in the city’s culture, food, and iconic sights.
This trip is about more than basketball—it’s about growing as teammates, leaders, and men of character. Get ready for an experience that will challenge, inspire, and unite us on and off the court!
Trip Leaders: Coach Smith
Support needed per student: $1800-1900
Length: 7 days
Open to: All Varsity Boy’s Basketball Players
Kids Alive-Dominican Republic Missions Trip (2)
Come experience the amazing culture and beauty of the Dominican Republic by serving in the KidsAlive ministry. You will have the opportunity to meet students that we champion at Wheaton Academy through the work of ProjectLEAD Global.
We will play sports, participate in Awana-type activities, complete service projects, and build relationships with the kids and facility. We will also hike to a waterfall and enjoy the surrounding environment.
There are two teams serving in this group; one to Jarabacoa and the other to Santo Domingo East.
Trip Leaders: Phil Strzalka and Val Gregersen
Support needed per student: $2600-2800
Length: 7 days
Open to: 10, 11, and 12 grade
Students International-Nicaragua Missions Trip
Website for mission organization: Click here
Nicaragua is a tropical land of mountains, volcanos, lakes, rainforests, and beaches. It is located in Central America, between Honduras and Costa Rica, and is considered the poorest country in Latin America.
We will be partnering with an organization called Students International to meet the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of people in the town of Masaya, Nicaragua which is located about 40 miles from the capital city of Managua. Masaya is a city with an immense amount of poverty, like many cities in Nicaragua, but you will have the opportunity to work alongside national workers in the occupational field of your choice.
Are you passionate about medicine? Then explore the field of health care for the week. Are you interested in Physical Therapy? Then join a physical therapist for the week to see how s/he meets the physical needs of Nicaraguans. Other vocational areas include Agriculture, Social Work, Sports, and MicroFinance. Students will venture out to their individual sites during the day, and then debrief back at the SI base each night where they will stay in cabins.
Students must be at least 14 years of age, be able to walk/hike short distances, and have a sense of adventure and passion for reaching the poor! Though Spanish is not required, any knowledge and ability to use Spanish would be a huge help. An additional excursion to the beach or exploring a volcano will be included, along with exploring the culture, food, and communities of Nicaragua. ¡Vamos!
Trip Leaders: Mrs. Heavey
Support needed per student: $2500-2700
Length: 9 days
Open to: 10, 11, and 12 grade
Naomi's Village Mission in Kenya, Africa
Website for missions organization: Naomi’s Village
Naomi’s Village is a Kenyan children’s home, preschool, and K-12 academy serving children in the Great Rift Valley.
The Mission states ” we want to provide all that is necessary for every student we serve, at every age, so they will grow up to be world-changers.”
Our students will be serving in a variety of these areas and locations being the hands and feet of Jesus.
This could be going to a student’s home and building bunk beds and providing the family with the bed, mattresses, a mosquito net, blankets and a food hamper.
We also help the community with solar and clean water.
Our students are in school 6 days a week and each Saturday has a different focus. Our main areas we rotate through are sports, academics, discipleship, and community outreach. Depending on your visit, the kids will participate in one of those days at the school.
Trip Leader: Mrs. Hands
Support needed per student: $2900-3000
Length: 10 days
Open to: 10, 11, and 12 grade
El Ayudante-Honduras Missions Trip
We are partnering with an organization called El Ayudante. Here is their website
This is a trip where you will spend time getting to know families, evangelizing, and building relationships with people in the local community.
We are potentially going to do a VBS, lead a family church night, help facilitate a sports camp and work on a water filtration installation up in the mountains. There may also be opportunity to do various construction projects.
Trip Leader: Mr. Moran
Support needed per student: $2900-3000
Length: 7 days
Open to: 10, 11, and 12 grade
Adventure Trips
Go West Young Man Colorado Ski Experience
This is an adventure trip to Colorado for guys at Wheaton Academy that will challenge them in many areas of their life, including the physical and spiritual, as well as address some “coming of age” skills and issues that young men will be facing in the next couple years of their lives.
While spending time in God’s creation and taking the time to appreciate the world God created, there will also be many physically intense activities, such as skiing/ snowboarding at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone, and hiking in the mountains of Colorado. The boys will also be looking at character traits of a strong young Christian man and struggles that we all endure by studying Wild at Heart by John Eldredge.
Trip Leaders: Mr. Felinski and Mr. Swider
Student Cost: $2500-2600
Length: 7 days
Open to: 10, 11, and 12 grade, boys only
Costa Rica Girls: Surf, Science and Service
SURF the waves of COSTA RICA! The girls surf trip in Costa Rica will be an exciting adventure and a unique opportunity to learn the sport of surfing, and at the same time, gain knowledge about marine science. We will specifically target physical oceanography and explore how waves, weather, and currents affect the coastline.
Costa Rica means “Rich Coast” and once you see Playa Grande (“Big Beach”) you will know why. The beach is three miles long and nearly untouched because it is a national park created to protect the endangered leatherback turtles. Students will review the life cycles of sea turtles and the importance of maintaining beach conditions for nesting. Students also will immerse themselves in the culture and Spanish language through three service projects both on the beach and in the community. In addition to surfing, sea turtles, and service, the group will have the opportunity to relax, enjoy dinner at the Rip-Jack Inn, and bond through studying a book of the bible.
This trip will serve as a great platform for our girls to step out of their comfort zone and try some physical activities that will grow them in their courage, self-confidence, and trust in the Lord. They will also learn how to build others up through several service opportunities.
Experience Pura Vida (Pure Life) in Costa Rica!
Trip Leader: Miss Nelson and Mrs. Roberts
Student Cost: $4400-4500
Length: 7 days
Open to: 10, 11 and 12 grade, Girls Only
Educational Trips
Italy and Greece Cultural Immersion
If you love pizza, pasta, and gelato this is your trip.
We will be going to Italy and Greece for a cultural immersion experience.
If you have always wanted to see the Colloseum, the David statue, and sights of Florence and Rome, we will cover it all. After Italy we will taste the amazing Greek delicacies and visit Corinth and Athens. We will walk the same streets that Paul walked and preached. This trip is open to anyone that loves food, art, antiquities, and fun!! We will do a lot of walking on this trip, along with bus and train travel.
There is nothing more beautiful than the sites of Italy and Greece countryside!
Trip Leaders: Jim Holtrop
Student Cost: Approx $5000-$5200
Length: 11 days
Open to: 9, 10, 11 and 12 grade
Japan
Embark on an unforgettable journey through Japan, where history, culture, and adventure collide! Explore Tokyo’s vibrant streets, neon-lit arcades, and the iconic Senso-ji Temple before heading to majestic Mt. Fuji for breathtaking views. Step back in time at Odawara Castle, savor cultural food, and engage in a hands-on workshop with a local artistan. This immersive trip blends ancient traditions with modern excitement, providing a rich appreciation for Japan’s heritage and cutting-edge innovation. A once-in-a-lifetime experience awaits!
Trip Leaders: Mr Jasper
Student Cost: $5400-5600
Length: 9 days
Open to: 9, 10, 11, and 12 grades
Washington D.C.
This is a 1 week class and 1 week trip collaboration. Students will learn on campus from a WA teacher the first week and then travel to DC the second week to discover and explore many of the interesting and significant sites.
This counts towards government class credit.
Trip Leader: Ms. Rusthoven
Class teacher: Ms. Rusthoven
Student Cost: Approx $2400-2500
Length: 5 days
Open to: 10, 11 and 12 grade
Southern Spain Cultural Immersion
Winterim in Southern Spain!!
Tired of the cold weather in winter?? Travel with us to Southern Spain next January!
We’ll start out in beautiful Seville, exploring one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world, and enjoying churros and biking along the river. Next, we’ll head toward the coast where we’ll take in the white city of Cádiz and learn how to make traditional paella. From there we will travel even further south to the Rock of Gibraltar, an important Christian stronghold and medieval battle site. If that’s not enough adventure, we will also spend time in Málaga, Granada, and finally end up back to Madrid.
Join us for a bit of history, street art, flamenco, monkeys and food in Spain!
Trip Leaders: Mrs. Krohn and Mr. Ball
Student Cost: Approx. $4900-$5100
Length: 10 days
Open to: 10, 11, and 12 grade
Leadership Development
Faith in Action
Girl's Basketball Team Trip and Service
This trip is part travel and part local service. The team will travel to Madison, WI and Fort Wayne, IN. In these areas, they will play games against schools and visit various college campuses.
Compete at a high level, practicing and playing against teams outside of Illinois.
Serve with purpose, giving back to the community through local outreach and service projects.
Explore your future, visit local colleges, and get a glimpse of the next level.
This trip is about more than basketball—it’s about growing as teammates, leaders, and women of character. Get ready for an experience that will challenge, inspire, and unite us on and off the court!
Trip Leaders: Coach Vahle
Student Cost: $400-500
Length: 4 days of travel, 6 days of local service
Open to: Girls Varsity players only