CCO
XD
>>>CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSFORMATION
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
A Letter from the
DIRECTOR of CCO XD W
e know, as you do, that all experiences are not created equal. We believe that the most powerful experiences are the ones where “every square inch” is accounted for in its place in God’s world. We ground every experience in a robust understanding of what and who a person is in all of their complexity. In other words, we design experiences which recognize that everything—from the meals you eat to the reflection questions you ask—all contribute to the success of a transformative experience. We all have stories that describe how God transformed our lives through influential experiences. Our catalog represents our commitment to making as much space as possible for God to move in and through our collective efforts to create ministry experiences that transform us and our students. In light of the CCO’s commitment to transformational experiences, we invite you to the following: • Join us by sending your students to participate in one of our open enrollment programs. • Partner with us to sponsor a pre-packaged experience for you and your students. • Further develop your skills in designing and leading ministry experiences. • Contact us for ideas and/or assistance in the design and development of your ministry events, from ongoing activities such as Bible studies to your dream spring break trip to some exotic location. We look forward to serving you in this grand mission of transforming college students to transform the world.
Paul Harbison Director, CCO XD (Experiential Designs)
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www.ccojubilee.org/xd
Choose your EXPERIENCE... CCO XD Services for Your Campus
Custom Programs 6 Jump-start your group 7 Team Building 8 Retreats & Events 9 New Student Orientation
Professional Development 10 Core Communication 11 Working with Groups 12 Medical Certification 13 Outdoor Leadership 14 Design and Integration
Summer Opportunities 15 Experience Peru 16 Crossings 17 LDW (Leadership & Discipleship in the Wilderness)
Adventure, Service, Travel
18 Trip Locations 19 Components of an Experience
Fall Break & Weekend 20 Philadelphia 21 Pennsylvania: Allegheny National Forest 22 Pennsylvania: Laurel Highlands 23 West Virginia Winter & Spring Break 24 Washington, DC 25 Florida: Everglades National Park 26 Arkansas: Buffalo National River 27 California: Joshua Tree National Park 28 New Hampshire: White Mountains 29 New York: Adirondack Mountains 30 Utah: Coyote Gulch 31 Wyoming: Togwotee Pass International 32 Ecuador 33 France 34 Kenya 35 Mexico 36 Romania
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CCO XD Services for Your Campus >>> CUSTOM PROGRAMS
Jump-start your group
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s campus ministers, we are always in groups. But rarely do we think much about how the group is functioning until it is too late. We all have been part of a group that at one time or another ceased to function cohesively. This can be devastating to the overall success of a Bible study, fellowship group or project team. CCO XD specializes in group behavior and communication and can assist you in either responding to a group that is not working or starting a new group that will be on its way to functioning well. Vibrant CCO ministries matter to us. We can work with you and your leadership team to provide brainstorming and problem analysis, observation, evaluation, resources and activity designs. Cost: $
We had a positive experience using CCO XD. Our students got to know each other a lot better and felt more equipped to engage in this year of service as a group. They commented about how it opened their eyes to see how they could effectively work together as a team. They felt more confident and committed to the work ahead. —Chris Cooke, Executive Director of PULSE (Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience)
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CCO XD Services for Your Campus >>> CUSTOM PROGRAMS
Team Building
T
eam building is a common phrase used to refer to a group of individuals coming together through shared experiences. CCO XD creates team-building experiences to allow for groups to grow in knowledge of one another, in their communication skills and in their ability to function well as a group. Using our experiential-learning model as a foundation, we offer activities from ice breakers to challenge course elements to take your group to the next level of processing together. Taking your goals and expectations for your team, we design and choose activities specifically for your group. Location: On/off campus, indoor/outdoor, 3+ hours Activities: Various games and initiatives Cost: $
Sample Itinerary One-Day Event Morning: Ice breakers, warm-ups, energizers, deinhibitizers Afternoon: Initiatives, trust-building exercises, problem-solving exercises, goal-setting process
In my particular group there were several teachable moments where the students really ‘got it.’ I’m always impressed with XD’s professionalism and thoughtfulness. —Dan Hayner, CCO Staff at Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades. Williamson contracted CCO XD for team building in October of 2010.
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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CCO XD Services for Your Campus >>> CUSTOM PROGRAMS
Retreats & Events
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rom three hours to three weeks in length, we are available to help you design a program to meet the most specific needs of your group. Whether they are all new students who need to get acquainted, or graduating seniors with whom you’ve walked for years, we have ideas for a transformational experience.
Sample Custom Programs Bellefield Fall Retreat 100 students from a large fellowship group go car camping at peak fall foliage season in West Virginia for the weekend. Friday night is devoted to a big welcome and mingling activities. Saturday, students have the choice of canoeing, rafting, rock climbing, caving or hiking. In the evening, students enjoy large-group fun and a bonfire with s’mores. Sunday is a unique, full-participation worship service, taking advantage of the beautiful surroundings. Cost: $ Women’s Spring Break Trip Designed around the theme of body image, 10 women from Ohio Wesleyan University travel with their campus minister and CCO XD resource staff member Kelly Ozelski to Cumberland Island, Georgia. As they encounter the beauty of who they are and what their bodies are capable of through backpacking, they experience inner healing and learn to celebrate all the ways God has made them, fearfully and wonderfully. Cost: $
I brought in the CCO XD to work with the high school soccer team that I coached. My players not only loved the experience; but it helped them to think about what it is to be a team in a different way. They ask every year for XD to come back. —Vince Burens, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the CCO
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CCO XD Services for Your Campus >>> CUSTOM PROGRAMS
New Student Orientation
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ew Student Orientations are a key component of the transition to college for first-year students. In their first days away from home, they will build relationships that will last the rest of their lives and form habits that will shape their college experience. CCO XD designs and facilitates orientation experiences that give students opportunities to be thoughtful and intentional about those relationships and habits. From an afternoon of teambuilding activities to three days of outdoor adventures, these programs help to set students up for success in college. Location: On/off campus, indoor/outdoor, three hours or three days Activities: Kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, backpacking, hiking, service Cost: $
Sample Itinerary One-Day Event Morning: Team-building games and initiatives Lunch: Get to know new classmates over a meal Afternoon: Low ropes course and closing discussion/debrief groups Three-Day Event Day 1: Travel, set up base camp, games and initiatives Day 2: Day-long group activities: rock-climbing, hiking, canoeing; debrief and process the day over meals and in the evening Day 3: Another day of group activities and discussions
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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CCO XD Services for Your Campus >>> PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Core Communication
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he content of Core Communication is central to most human interactions. Its purpose is to enhance a person’s ability to communicate more effectively, resolve issues/conflicts better, and facilitate issue/conflict resolution within another person or between people. Using the nationally-recognized communications materials—Core Communications, Collaborative Team Skills and the I-Skills Zone—this workshop teaches individuals and groups the foundations and building blocks of talking, listening, decision-making and leadership. • Core Communication is an intrapersonal communication program that teaches six talking skills and five listening skills that aid in the resolution of conflict, decision-making and effective negotiation. • Collaborative Team Skills covers the first five modules of the I-Skills Zone—communication styles, think systems, the information wheel, listening cycles and mapping issues. • I-Skills Zone provides a comprehensive module program, including those in Collaborative Team Skills, plus two more—skilled communication and application guidelines. Location: Conference center (variety of locations available) Cost: $
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2:
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Communications Styles; Talking and Listening skills Mapping an Issue; Collaborative Team Skills; Managing Issues; Influence and Integrity
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CCO XD Services for Your Campus >>> PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Working with Groups
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orking with Groups is the essential seminar for staff members who facilitate groups. Through the integration of theory and practice, you will learn how to read, understand, evaluate, and effectively lead small groups. Much of our lives are spent in groups. Family, friends, churches, work, organizations, sports teams and musical ensembles are common examples. Typically, however, we don’t spend much time trying to understand what is going on in these groups at the interpersonal and group dynamics level. This workshop will give you opportunities to: • Raise your awareness of the breadth and depth of group dynamics. • Gain experience in diagnosing group needs, as well as designing and facilitating appropriate “interventions” to encourage positive change. • Become a more confident and competent “participant-observer” of group processes. • Receive feedback relative to your role in and impact on the group. Location: Conference center (variety of locations available) Cost: $$ Note: The Core Communication Workshop is recommended before, and is often offered prior to, Working with Groups.
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4:
Introductions, goal-setting, teaching, exercises Models of group process, exercises, designing experiences Designing experiences for group Designing experiences for group, final debrief
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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CCO XD Services for Your Campus >>> PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Medical Certification pic needed
Courses Offered American Heart Association (AHA) CPR • Eight-hour course • Two-year certification Description: This standard CPR course is required for any other medical course to be valid, with the exception of a First Aid course. SOLO Wilderness First Aid (WFA) • 16-hour course (two days) • Two-year certification Description: This course provides a basic foundation for those interested in backcountry medical care. SOLO Wilderness First Responder (WFR) • 72-80 hour course (7-10 days) • Three-year certification Description: This course is a comprehensive and in-depth foundation for standards and skills in backcountry medical care and emergencies. It is a recognized industry standard for any individual interested in guiding wilderness-related trips. Location: College campus, camp or conference center Cost: $
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CCO XD Services for Your Campus >>> PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Outdoor Leadership
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he CCO XD Team offers trainings and certifications for six different activity areas—wilderness living (backpacking), paddling (canoeing and kayaking), caving, mountaineering, rock climbing, winter wilderness living and backcountry skiing. Professional certifications are available through our affiliation with several national organizations. It is possible for you to become qualified to lead your own group in one or more adventure activities. We offer the training and mentoring you will need to become a capable leader for each activity. The preparation for leadership will include technical skill development, faith integration models and group facilitation experience. We will help you decide what specific adventure activities would fit best into the context where you are serving and how to integrate the necessary training to become competent. Once you become qualified, then you are authorized through CCO XD to begin leading student groups. Wilderness Education Association (WEA) Stonehearth Outdoor Learning Opportunities (SOLO) Christian Adventure Association (CAA) American Canoe Association (ACA) Professional Climbing Instructors Association (PCIA) Cost: $
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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CCO XD Services for Your Campus >>> PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Design & Integration
A
t the heart of CCO Experiential Designs is the confession that “All things belong to God.” In light of this, we believe that experiential ministry must recognize that every activity that we engage in and all of the various aspects that make up that activity, are under God’s reign. In God’s world, when we design educational experiences, we are not free to ignore this or that piece of the experience, because it is all God’s. In our approach, faith is not something of higher value that is “added” to an experience to lend value or meaning. Rather, faith is already there as an integral component of the experience, working to orient every piece and function. Approaching experiential education from this non-reductionistic framework shapes the unique history of CCO XD and differentiates it from other experiential programs. If you are interested in learning about and working from our unique framework for experiential education, CCO XD offers a week-long course where we explore the Biblical, philosophical, and educational theories behind our work. Throughout the training, the goal is to learn the theory while exploring and experimenting with the ideas by designing activities and testing those designs in the midst of course. You will leave this course with not only the theory behind what we do, but also a set of tools and designs that you can apply to various ministry experiences. Location: College campus or conference center Cost: $
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Summer Opportunities
Experience Peru
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xperience Peru is a 21-day service and adventure trip. Through serving in local villages, trekking through small farming and weaving communities, and visiting historic landmarks like Machu Picchu, you will encounter the culture, history, politics, economy and outdoor environments of Peru. As you experience life in Peru, you will explore God’s design for your relationships—your relationships with Him, with people of other cultures and races, with creation and with yourself. You will spend time learning about who God is, how He calls you to respond to issues of injustice, poverty, diversity and racial relations, and who you are as His beloved children, created in His image. Destination: Peru Activities: Backpacking, service Cost: $$$$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Arrive in Zelienople, PA, get to know your community, and make preparations for the trip. Day 2: Board a plane headed for Lima, Peru. Day 3: Become acquainted with the culture and language of Peru. Days 4–10: Serve in a village outside of Lima. Design events for children, help build a new school, work in an organic garden, help children with homework at an after-school program, all while spending a few nights in a home-stay. Days 11–14: Trek to weaving and herding communities and get to know the people who inhabit Peru’s Sacred Valley. End the trek at the ruins of Machu Picchu. Days 15-16: Serve in a village in the mountains of Peru, building cocinas mejoradas for families. These kitchens improve the quality of life and safety of the women and children of the village. Days 17–20: Hike around the beautiful snow-capped mountains and alpine lakes of this area, practicing spiritual disciplines and processing the experience. Day 21: Head back to the United States.
COST KEY:
$ 200 & under $$ 200-500 $$$ 500-1000 $$$$ 1000+
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Summer Opportunities
Crossings
C
rossings is a trip designed for those who are navigating the transition to life after college. Participants spend 10 days paddling through the Georgian Bay with other recent graduates who are making the same transition. As you learn to successfully navigate the waters of the Georgian Bay, you will also learn what it takes to successfully navigate calling, relationships, and possessions in the post-college world. Destination: Georgian Bay, Canada Activities: Sea kayaking Cost: $$$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Arrive in Zelienople PA, get to know your community, and learn how to practice safe sea kayaking. Day 2: Drive to Canada and camp for the night. Days 3-8: Kayak through the gorgeous Georgian Bay during the day and camp on one of its 10,000 islands at night. Spend the evenings in group discussions, activities, Bible studies or just enjoying the incredible sunsets. Day 9: Take out and begin the drive back to PA. Stop and enjoy a celebratory dinner together. Day 10: Clean up and head home with the encouragement, perspective and accountability needed to successfully transition to life after college.
Now that I am a full-time employee, I can most definitely see the benefits of my trip. Crossings taught me to be fearless. Learning to navigate on unsteady waters and sharing my personality and opening up to new people definitely prepared me to live with less fear in the future. Creating and discussing our future goals gave me a sense of accountability to accomplish these goals. —Anna Rivera, 2008 Crossings participant 16
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Summer Opportunities
LDW
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eadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness (LDW) is an extended wilderness trip that provides leadership development and a community living experience for college students. LDW participants are challenged to grow in their intimacy with God, embrace their identities as image-bearers of their Creator and develop character and leadership skills. You can choose to experience LDW through either six weeks of backpacking and mountaineering in Wyoming’s Wind River Mountain Range or through four weeks of sea kayaking on Ontario’s Georgian Bay. Either way, you will walk away from this experience with a deeper understanding of who you are as a beloved child of God and as a leader in His Kingdom. Destination: Wind River Range, Wyoming OR Georgian Bay, Ontario Activities: Backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing OR sea kayaking Cost: $$$$
Sample Day-to-Day Life • • • • • •
Learn all of the necessities for living and kayaking or hiking in the wilderness. Practice leadership by becoming Leader of the Day. Journal daily about decision-making, leadership, communication or any of the LDW character areas: servanthood, knowing, community, Christ-likeness, or spiritual disciplines. Practice disciplines like prayer, Scripture study, fasting and solitude. Spend 3-4 days at the end with only the other participants, putting everything you’ve learned into practice. Play, laugh and explore the beauty of God’s creation.
LDW helped me grow as a leader by producing situations and environments that varied every single day and that challenged me in a way things in everyday life had never done. —Linda Schirmeister, LDW Wyoming participant
COST KEY:
$ 200 & under $$ 200-500 $$$ 500-1000 $$$$ 1000+
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Adventure, Service, Travel
Trip
LOCATIONS Adirondack Mountains, NY
Togwotee Pass, WY
White Mountains, NH
Allegheny National Forest, PA
Philadelphia, PA Washington, DC West Virginia
Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Coyote Gulch, UT Buffalo National River, AR
France
Everglades National Park, FL
Romania
Mexico Ecuador Kenya
Peru
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Adventure, Service, Travel
Components of an
EXPERIENCE TRIP PA: Philadelphia PA: Allegheny National Forest PA: Laurel Highlands West Virginia Washington, DC FL: Everglades National Park AR: Buffalo National River CA: Joshua Tree National Park NH: White Mountains NY: Adirondack Mountains UT: Coyote Gulch WY: Togwotee Pass Ecuador
COMPONENTS BP, H, S $ BP, H $ BP, C, H $ BP, C, H, R $ BP, SS $$ P $$ BP, H, P, R $$ BP, H, R, SS $$ BP, CC, IC, W $$ BP, CC, H, IC, W $ BP, R $$ CC, WC $$ H, M, S, SS $$$$
France
H, SS $$$$
Kenya
BP, S, SS $$$$
Mexico
M, S, SS $$$$
Romania
M, S, SS $$$$
KEY BP: Backpacking
C: Caving
CC: Cross Country Skiing
H: Hiking
IC: Ice Climbing
M: Mountaineering
P: Paddling
R: Rock Climbing
S: Service
SS: Sight-Seeing
W: Winter Camping
COST KEY:
$ 200 & under $$ 200-500 $$$ 500-1000 $$$$ 1000+
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> FALL BREAK & WEEKEND
Philadelphia
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oday’s Christian art students face unique challenges. Often, they feel caught between the need to speak into the secular professional art world and yet also fear being labeled a “religious artist.” This experience invites art students to immerse themselves in the art world of Philadelphia and then process that experience in a group while camping in Michaux State Forest. Destination: Philadelphia, PA and Michaux State Forest or the Catskill Mountains Activities: Backpacking, hiking, touring Cost: $ or $$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2: Days 3: Day 3-4: Day 4-5:
Arrive at a guest house in Philadelphia and take the rest of the day to visit the historic Church of the Advocate to explore the role of communal art through 14 “impressive and often contentious” murals. Learn about Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program and how they turn graffiti vandals into artists who help tell a city’s story. Travel to Michaux State Forest or the Catskill Mountains for two days of backpacking. Play, explore and rest from city life and/or observe the need for interdependence and the power of life together in the woods. Create an artistic response to these observations. Return home.
God presented opportunities and situations that forced me to lean on the others around me, and at the same time, humbled me to fully trust in him and him alone.
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> FALL BREAK & WEEKEND
Pennsylvania
> Allegheny National Forest
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he Alleghenies are a wonderful space to enjoy a day, overnight, or weekend trip. Natural beauty abounds with open forests, carpets of ferns and moss-covered boulders. Idyllic camping spots and gentle trails offer space for moments of personal reflection and group interaction. If you’re up for it, go off trail for a map and compass excursion or spend part of a day rock climbing and rappelling. Destination: Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania Activities: Backpacking, hiking Cost: $
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2:
Arrive at campsite, set up for the evening. Spend the day hiking the trail and exploring what it looks like to travel in a group.
COST KEY:
$ 200 & under $$ 200-500 $$$ 500-1000 $$$$ 1000+
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> FALL BREAK & WEEKEND
Pennsylvania > Laurel Highlands
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eeling ambitious? Do you work with athletes and students who like to move? The 70-mile Laurel Highlands National Scenic Trail ranges from easy to strenuous and can be hiked in various section lengths. Bring your tent or stay in shelters and enjoy deep discussions around the campfire. Destination: Laurel Highlands, Pennsylvania Activities: Backpacking, hiking Cost: $
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4:
Warm up with a six-mile stretch from the southern tip to the Ohiopyle trail shelter. Enjoy the evening together and introduce your theme. Go big today with a beautiful 12-mile hike along the ridge. Skip the next shelter for a lengthy but less strenuous day, peaking at the highest point near Seven Springs Ski Resort and enjoying the view from Kooser Lookout Tower. Sleep in. Lounge. Savor a long, late breakfast. Journal and talk about selected readings on margin, life balance and Sabbath.
I look at these mountains now, and I know for sure that with all their grandeur and beauty, they are not as beautiful to God as I am because he has created me and adopted me as his child. God loves me and that truth supercedes all other truths in my life.
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> FALL BREAK & WEEKEND
West Virginia
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est Virginia is home to some of the most scenic and rugged wilderness in the eastern United States and is a prime destination for rock climbing and backpacking. With a total height of 1000 feet and a vertical climbing face of 300 feet, Seneca Rocks is one of the most popular climbing spots in the east. Or head up the road to the nearby Dolly Sods Wilderness for rewarding treks and spectacular vistas. Destination: Dolly Sods Wilderness, Seneca Rocks, New River Gorge, or Franklin Rocks Activities: Backpacking, hiking, rock climbing, caving Cost: $
Sample Rock Climbing Itinerary Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4:
Drive to Seneca Rocks and set up your base camp. Scope out the climbs and learn the basics; try a few easy climbs. Do a full day of climbing and take in the incredible views from the top. Go for a morning hike or climb before heading back to campus.
Sample Backpacking Itinerary Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4:
Drive to your trailhead and hike in to your first campsite. Spend the day on the trail stopping for lunch at one of many scenic lookouts. Continue your trek and include a side trip for bouldering or to find a waterfall. Hike out and travel back to campus.
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> WINTER & SPRING BREAK
Washington, DC
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ombining the city and wilderness in one trip opens the door for amazing dialog. Travel to Washington, DC, where you will learn about people searching for home through crime, politics, genealogy and community, and then backpack in Virginia to witness how campers create home in the woods. Destination: Washington, DC and Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness Area, Virginia Activities: Backpacking, touring Cost: $$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4:
Arrive at a hostel in Washington, DC. Head to the Superior Court to learn about the quest for home among juveniles on probation. Visit a DNA-based genealogy agency to discover why finding roots has become such a popular trend. Visit the people and museum of Anacostia, where gentrification and development have displaced so many DC residents. Days 4-5: Travel to Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness Area in Virginia for three days of backpacking. Days 5: Play, explore and rest from city life. Day 6: Hike to an overlook to reflect on observations and experiences from DC. Day 7: Discuss your own perception of home after three nights at a campsite and seven nights with the same people!
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> WINTER & SPRING BREAK
Florida > Everglades National Park
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en Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge/Everglade National Park, Florida is situated on the southwestern coast of Florida. This region is one of the largest expanses of mangrove forest in North America, holding a rich diversity of wildlife. Over 200 species of fish and 189 species of birds use the region at some time during the year. Common mammals found in the area include raccoons, river otters, and bottle-nosed dolphins. Several threatened and endangered species can be found along this coastal environment, including West Indian manatees, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, wood storks, and the Atlantic loggerhead, green and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles. Camp on white sandy beaches, kayak or canoe through the islands of mangrove trees and watch the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico: these are all staples of a trip to the Florida Everglades. The best time to visit is in the winter or early spring when average temperatures can range between a mild 70° and 80°F. Destination: Southern Gulf Coast of Florida Activities: Kayaking, canoeing Cost: $$
Sample Itinerary Day 1:
Meet your instructor(s) at a local indoor pool to learn how to safely get in and out of your boat and basic paddle strokes, then start the overnight drive down to Florida. Day 2: Arrive at an inland state campground, set up camp and cook dinner on your camp stoves for the first time. Days 3-8: Paddle! Set up camp on different islands along the coast, spend time exploring, swimming, and looking for manatees, dolphins, sting rays and egrets, and talk about faith and life. Day 9: Head back north. Day 10: Clean up and head home.
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> WINTER & SPRING BREAK
Arkansas > Buffalo National River
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uffalo National River is known for its bluffs, caves, and the tallest waterfall in the surrounding area. Backpacking, rock climbing, canoeing, fishing, and camping are all popular activities in this beautiful midwestern area. The area also preserves the pioneer homesteads of the past which are abundant along the over 100 miles of trail throughout the National River area. The Ponca Wilderness offers great seclusion and beautiful scenery with the turquoise river always in close view. In less than a 30-minute drive from the river, the Midwest’s premier rock climbing area, Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, entices the beginner to expert climber, with over 300 routes to choose from. Destination: Buffalo National River, Arkansas Activities: Backpacking, rock climbing, canoeing Cost: $$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4:
Day 5: Day 6: Day 7:
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Climbing at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, with over 300 routes and a Via Ferrata to choose from. Start hiking from the Erbie Campground, passing through Parker-Hickman Farmstead, to camp right on the Buffalo National River. Continue hiking past Kyle’s Landing, through four river crossings, and camp at Horseshoe Bend. Day hike into Hemmed-in Hollow to visit Hemmed-in Falls, one the tallest falls in the Midwest at over 200 feet tall, and have space for some solo time. When arriving back at camp, you can enjoy some cliff jumping and a fire to warm up. Hike up to the Slatey Place and on over to Beech Creek for one last night. Your final hike will drop down into the Steel Creek camping and boat launch area, with spectacular views of some of the tallest bluffs on the river. Rent canoes from a local vendor and paddle back to the vehicles at Erbie.
www.ccojubilee.org/xd
Adventure, Service, Travel >>> WINTER & SPRING BREAK
California > Joshua Tree National Park
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oshua Tree boasts a unique desert landscape with an even more unique variety of animal and plant life, such as the Joshua Tree, for which it was named. Tall granite outcrops make the park a perfect rock-climbing destination, especially during winter and early spring, when easterners are drawn to southern California’s yearround mild temperatures and sunshine. Destination: Joshua Tree National Park, California Activities: Backpacking, rock climbing, mountain biking Cost: $$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Arrive at the airport and board flight to California. Drive to Joshua Tree and set up camp. Days 2-7: Climb, hike or mountain bike through the park. For an alternative day, spend time bird-watching or checking out the wildflowers. Day 8: Board the plane and head back home.
Living in the community I experienced in these last six weeks, has left me truly astounded.
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> WINTER & SPRING BREAK
New Hampshire > White Mountains
need pic
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he White Mountains feature the Presidential Range, the Appalachian Trail, and the highest peak in New England. This area is ideal for winter camping and cross-country skiing. Stay overnight in a mountain hut or build your own snow shelter. A possible day of ice-climbing a frozen waterfall can add to the adventure. Destination: White Mountains National Forest, New Hampshire (near Boston, Massachusetts) Activities: Winter camping, cross-country skiing, ice climbing Cost: $ or $$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2: Day 3-9: Day 10:
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Pack gear and drive to the White Mountains. Ski in and set up camp or stay in a hut. Ski from hut to hut while enjoying the quiet snowy atmosphere and possibly spend a day learning to ice climb a frozen waterfall. Pack up gear and drive home.
www.ccojubilee.org/xd
Adventure, Service, Travel >>> WINTER & SPRING BREAK
New York > Adirondack Mountains
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he Adirondack Mountains represent the largest natural wilderness region in the eastern United States and holds possibilities for every kind of outdoor recreation. Hike to a summit for spectacular panoramic views, find isolated waterfalls and peaceful forest glades. Plan a trip that includes backpacking, ice climbing, winter camping or cross-country skiing. Destination: Adirondack Park, New York (near Lake Placid) Activities: Backpacking, ice climbing, winter camping, cross-country skiing Cost: $ or $$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Drive to Adirondack Park and set up camp in a campground. Days 2-8: Take some scenic hikes or cross-country ski to various waterfalls, where you can ice climb or try to swim in the pools below. Day 9: Enjoy a day of solo time in one of the peaceful glades within the park. Day 10: Break down camp, drive home and de-issue gear.
Here on the mountain, God has helped me to allow myself to be known by these people that I love and who love me. They have seen my ugliness and they still love me.
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> WINTER & SPRING BREAK
Utah > Coyote Gulch
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he canyons of Utah offer a unique opportunity to backpack in a desert environment like no other. Hike among red cliffs, sandy trails, and bright blue skies. Visit ancient ruins of the Anasazi people and try to interpret their rock art. Squeeze your way through slot canyons or camp in a vast plain that makes you wonder if you’re actually surrounded by cliffs at all. Spend your days at a much slower pace, which gives you time to contemplate the historical connections of a hunting/gathering society and our over-commercialized current society. Ponder the implications of why Jesus went into the desert and spend some solo time asking yourself those same hard questions. The majority of your time will be spent backpacking, with the option of an alternate day of rock climbing/rappelling. Destination: Coyote Gulch (tributary of the Escalante River), Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah Activities: Backpacking, rock climbing/rappelling Cost: $$
Sample Itinerary Day 1-2: Day 3: Days 4-7: Day 8: Day 9: Day 10:
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Pack gear and drive to Utah. Arrive at the trailhead and hike into the first campsite. Hike along the trails and a possible afternoon of rock climbing. Break down last campsite, head out to the trailhead, depart for home. Drive, with a possible stop at a hot spring for showers. Arrive home early morning, clean and de-issue gear.
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> WINTER & SPRING BREAK
Wyoming > Togwotee Pass
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ogwotee Pass (pronounced: toe-go-tee) lies at 9,658 feet on the continental divide in the Wind River Mountains. Heavy snowfall makes it a top destination for learning backcountry skiing and winter camping. Transport your gear on sleds and build a snow shelter. After a refreshing night’s sleep wake up and make fresh tracks down your own private “ski hill.” This challenging and unique environment will foster community, interdependence and playfulness. Destination: Togwotee Pass, Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming Activities: Backcountry skiing, winter camping, mountaineering Cost: $$
Sample Itinerary Day 1-2: Pack gear and drive to Wyoming. Day 3: Ski or hike in, set up snow shelter, learn basics of winter camping techniques. Days 4-7: Ski along trails in backcountry areas and practice reading snow and observing patterns of a winter environment. Day 8: Prepare to leave, break down campsite, hike out to the trailhead. Days 9-10: Drive back, clean and return gear.
As a result of the growth I experienced on the trip, I was able to come home and start almost immediately leading my own trips, as well as share the love I have for God’s Infinite beauty that can be found only in nature.
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> INTERNATIONAL
Ecuador
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uito, Ecuador’s capital of 1.5 million people, is nestled high in the Andes mountains. Views of towering volcanoes contrast with crowded urban landscapes. You will step out of your comfort zone physically and culturally through service and wilderness adventure. This experience combines opportunities to care for the urban poor with a climb up one of Ecuador’s highest peaks. Destination: Quito, Ecuador Activities: Hiking, touring, mountaineering, service Cost: $$$$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4: Day 5: Day 6: Day 7: Day 8: Day 9:
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Travel to Quito, Ecuador. Explore the city with your group and try out the food and language. Spend your first day of service with a local church. Do an acclimatization climb on nearby GuaGua Pichincha. Partner again with a local church in the city. Spend a final day of service with a local church. Travel to the climbers’ hut on one of Ecuador’s high peaks; learn mountaineering basics. Do a summit attempt then return to the city. Return to the United States.
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> INTERNATIONAL
France
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traddling the borders of France, Italy and Switzerland, the Mont Blanc massif offers some of the most outstanding mountain scenery on earth. Hike the famous 110-mile Tour du Mont Blanc, taking in jaw-dropping views of the Alps. Then travel to the monastic community of Taizé, which welcomes thousands of young world travelers every week. Join the rhythms of monastic life, discover the beauty of Taizé prayers, and connect with others who are seeking to know God more deeply. Destination: French Alps and Geneva, Switzerland Activities: Hiking, touring Cost: $$$$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Travel to Geneva, Switzerland. Days 2-14: Tour du Mont Blanc, backpack the TMB, lodge in mountain huts. Days 15-21: Experience the Taizé Community, an international, interdenominational gathering of thousands of youth and young adults.
The trip let me not only find my comfort zone as a leader, but allowed me to hone my skills to be able to adapt in many different situations.
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> INTERNATIONAL
Kenya
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egin this incredible trip with a week in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, where you will learn about its history and culture while working on several service projects. Then travel to the Mount Kenya National Park to backpack through a unique biodiversity that characterizes the slopes of the park’s mountains. While there, attempt to climb Point Lenana (16,355 feet). Wrap up this experience with a multi-day wildlife safari in the Masai Mara game preserve that sits in the shadows of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Destination: Nairobi, The Mara, and Mt. Kenya Activities: Backpacking, service and sight-seeing Cost: $$$$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Travel to Nairobi, Kenya. Day 2-7: Participate in a service project in and around Nairobi. Day 8-17: Trek Mount Kenya. Day 18-21: Safari to Masai Mara. Day 22: Travel to the United States.
I lead a very hectic life back at school and hope to let my Beloved be a more focal point of my life by creating space to just be with God during my days, and to not lead such a noisy, chaotic life that I lose sight of what God truly values in each of us.
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> INTERNATIONAL
Mexico
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his trip south of the border offers an opportunity to volunteer with several Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and try out some world-class mountaineering. After a week of service in Veracruz, you will acclimatize on local mountain hikes and then travel to the town of Tlachichuca to begin the ascent of North America’s third highest peak, El Pico de Orizaba (18,490 feet). We will provide you with the training necessary to safely traverse the alpine glaciers that lead to the summit of this majestic volcano. Destination: Veracruz and Tlachichuca Activities: Mountaineering, service Cost: $$$$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2-8: Day 9-20: Day 21:
Travel to Mexico. Participate in service projects. Trek through El Pico De Orizaba. Travel to the United States.
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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Adventure, Service, Travel >>> INTERNATIONAL
Romania
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fter 40 years of communist dictatorship, the world is rediscovering Romania. Join the New Horizons Foundation for a week of serving a youth adventure program and after-school clubs in the city of Lupeni. Then take a 10-day backpacking trip in Retezat National Park. Hike among one of Europe’s last old-growth forests and climb Peleaga peak. Finish your experience with a tour of historic Bucharest. Destination: Lupeni, Romania Activities: Backpacking, service, touring Cost: $$$$
Sample Itinerary Day 1: Day 2-9: Day 10-19: Day 20-21: Day 22:
Travel to Romania. Participate in service projects with New Horizons, Lupeni. Backpacking in Retezat National Park. Visit Bucharest. Travel to the United States.
We were faced with the challenge to love as Jesus did, in a real, tangible, visible, authentic way. It is that, more than anything else, that has had a lasting impact on my life.
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COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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www.ccojubilee.org/xd
COST KEY:
$ 199 & under $$ 200-499 $$$ 500-999 $$$$ 1,000+
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Let us plan your
Experience! Just contact us and we can make it happen. Call or email the XD administrator:
ccoxd@ccojubilee.org 412.363.3303 5912 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15206
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