Mission X 2025-26 by Grace Christian Academy

MissionX

The goal of MissionX is to provide opportunities for students to serve the Lord, grow closer in relationship with each other, and use their gifts and talents to bless others. Students will spend one week with GCA faculty and staff who have prayerfully created engaging experiences that are mission-oriented, while also allowing for some downtime to relax and have fun together.

This program builds on a curriculum that focuses on equipping students both academically and spiritually, and it is our sincere hope that this time opens the doors for students to spread the hope and love of Jesus in our community, our nation, and our world while acting as His hands and feet.

MissionX

Policies&Procedures:

Before registering for an activity, please discuss as a family all available opportunities and understand the expectations, fees, and commitments for each course or trip.

Guidelines and Expectations:

All High School students must participate in MissionX. Attendance is mandatory. MissionX days are considered academic days in our school calendar; thus, the absentee policy is the same as any normal school day. Any absence from MissionX requires a doctor’s note to be excused. Once a student has been placed in a course or trip, the student may NOT switch to another MissionX trip. In the case of extenuating circumstances, changes may be requested by emailing Haley Riggs. It is imperative that students and parents discuss cost options for MissionX courses before registering. Please do not sign up for a course if all course requirements, including cost and passport, cannot be met.

Individual MissionX courses will not be allowed, as this does not meet the goal of small-group interaction. All students must choose a MissionX activity from the provided list. Due to grade-level priority, course popularity, and size limits, students may not receive their firstchoice course. Priority will be given to seniors, followed by juniors, sophomores, and freshmen. Safety is our utmost priority, and we will choose trips that we believe will fulfill the service mission and also be safe for our students. If, however, a location becomes unsafe between the planning and departure for the trip, we will make every effort to find a comparable trip. This will be an administrative decision.

We have chosen trips that we believe are safe and are typically with organizations that have local people in the area year-round who are on staff, which we believe increases our safety. Any travel, both domestic and international, does include risks as political climates change. Please understand that travel advisories may be issued between now and the trip dates, and we will make decisions regarding travel based on safety information, travel advisories, and local information at the time of travel.

MissionX Communication&CourseRegistration:

COMMUNICATION:

Once the students have been placed in MissionX activities, parents will receive an email from Haley Riggs, MissionX Coordinator, which will include the student’s assigned MissionX activity, along with any information pertinent to the activity. After this initial email, the Group Leader for each course or trip will communicate directly with parents about the details and logistics for each activity.

Due to the numbers and participation, some of the plans for MissionX, including travel dates to locations, may change slightly from what is listed on the course catalog. Group Leaders will inform parents of any necessary changes as soon as final plans are made. Trip departure dates for trips that fly to the destination may fluctuate slightly based on flight costs and schedules. We will be purchasing tickets by the end of September, so we will let you know flight plans as soon as possible. All trips will return on Friday, March 6, except for Nicaragua, which will return on March 7.

COURSE REGISTRATION:

Registration for MissionX activities will be conducted via a Google Form. Parents will receive a separate email with a link for registration. Please only register once. Parents will select their top four MissionX activities. If a course or trip is full, the student will automatically be considered for his or her second choice, and so on Do NOT select the same option twice.

Every freshman and sophomore student MUST choose at least ONE Domestic trip. This does not mean that International trips are not open to those grades, but rather that we have the best chance to place students in his/her preferred trip.

StudentBehavior:

Students must abide by the expectations and standards outlined in the Student Handbook both before and during MissionX. Failure to abide by these policies at any time may affect roster decisions. GCA reserves the right to remove a student from a trip before or during the trip for failing to meet these expectations. Each student will be required to submit the proper paperwork, which will include expected student behavior.

Deposits,Payments,&Costs:

All MissionX activities must be paid IN FULL by April 11, 2026, and will be automatically paid via FACTS.

You may choose to make payments with the monthly payment schedule outlined in the trip placement email, or with one complete payment to be billed on October 1, 2025.

All deposits are non-refundable. If a student is placed in a course or trip and decides to withdraw, the deposit will not be refunded. If a student is approved to change his or her course trip due to extenuating circumstances, refunds or deposits will be evaluated on an individual basis. Therefore, it is imperative that students and parents discuss options for MissionX before registering.

The cost of group travel is largely affected by the total number of participants. Once rosters are determined, Group Leaders will contact parents with the final price. We have done our best to estimate the trip cost, and we believe our approximate price is within $100 or less of the actual trip price. If the cost of a trip ends up being less than the estimated amount, the final payment will be adjusted accordingly.

Financial assistance may be available for select MissionX activities. Please contact Haley Riggs at hriggs@gcalions.com with questions.

Local

Local Trip

Serving our Community

Trip Leads - Amy Finch, Katie Baatenburg

Estimated cost - $125

Payments - $50 deposit due September 26; $75 due February 11

Trip dates - March 2 - 6

Do you have a heart to help people in our community? Join us as we spend the week serving in Franklin and the surrounding area! Possible service locations include Saddle Up, Deer Run, Freedom Reigns, One Gen Away, and more. We will end the week with a day of fun activities and lunch as a team.

DomesticTrips

Camp Caleb with Joshua Expeditions

Trip Lead - Annie Jimenez, Braxton Bonds

Estimated cost - $1,300

Trip dates - March 2 - 6

Camp Caleb is a ministry that works directly with the children of local migrant workers in South Florida. This trip will have ministry opportunities that focus on arts and crafts, Vacation Bible School activities, prayer time, and light construction The team will also have a chance to experience the local sights with snorkeling, a gator farm, and an airboat ride.

Missions in Utah

Trip Lead - Justin Payne, Macy Schelp

Estimated cost - $1,500

Trip dates - March 2 - 6

Empower local communities and partake in handson service learning opportunities on the Missions in Utah tour! Throughout this trip, the group will have the unique opportunity to come alongside and serve ex-members of the FLDS religion seeking recovery and healing from their abuse In addition, students will also be able to journey through the beautiful landscape that makes up the incomparable Zion National Park.

DomesticTrips

Big Creek Missions in Kentucky

Trip Leads - Grace Hooper, Haydn Tanner

Estimated cost - $600

Trip dates - March 2 - 6

Big Creek Missions is an organization that serves the area of Appalachia, an area considered one of the poorest in the United States. Students will travel to southeast Kentucky and serve in areas of light construction, community ministries, or student programs. Throughout the week, we’ll also have time to zip-line and explore the beauty that is in the area.

North Carolina Rebuild with Experience Mission

Trip Lead - Kristi VanDrunen, Ken Landers

Estimated cost - $800

Trip dates - March 1 - 6

The team will work with Experience Mission, an organization that provides disaster relief in areas that have been affected by natural disasters. They are currently serving in North Carolina and Tennessee, working with families that were impacted by Hurricane Helene in 2024. Work projects might include home rebuilds and community cleanup. We will end the trip with a fun day in Gatlinburg.

DomesticTrips

Urban Missions in Denver

Trip Lead - Bill Brandsma, Anna Merritt

Estimated Cost - $1,200

Trip Dates - March 2 - March 6

Experience the mission field in Denver, Colorado. Open Door Ministries exists to provide practical assistance to individuals in urban Denver who are homeless or struggling with poverty. Our team will have the chance to serve at organizations in the downtown area and learn about urban issues through a Christian worldview. We will end the week with a fun day in the area. Plans will be weather-dependent, but may include activities such as skiing, ziplining, or hiking.

Indian Hills Camp in San Diego, California

Trip Lead - Ashley Powell, Bill McGee

Estimated cost - $1,300

Trip dates - March 1 - March 6

Indian Hills Camp is a Christian camp that serves children in the San Diego area. We will be serving the camp to prepare for the upcoming season and helping support their mission of reaching kids for Jesus Christ through camp. Work projects will include preparing supplies and the campgrounds, as well as beautification projects on the camp property. We will spend a day working in the San Diego area with a local mission organization and will also enjoy a day at the beach and a trip to the famous San Diego Zoo.

DomesticTrips

Puerto Rico

Trip Lead - Megan Gautsche, Tim Riley

Estimated cost - $1,950

Trip dates - March 1 - March 6

The Lord is doing big things in Puerto Rico, and Youth For Christ is actively working to pursue the hearts of youth on the island. We will be working with ministry partners to connect with youth and help both with construction projects and community outreach in the local schools. The trip will end with snorkeling and a beach day.

InternationalTrips

Belize

Trip Lead - Judy Barnette, Rick Barnette, Sheri Harrington

Estimated cost - $1,750

Trip Dates - February 28 - March 6

Come to Belize, where you will not only meet wonderful people but also see the beautiful country and experience a different culture! Belize is a short flight away and the only country in Central America where English is the official language. You will love playing with the children during VBS and walking through the village, meeting new people while praying and sharing the gospel with them We will minister during the day and have fun in the afternoons! Our main goal is to show God’s love wherever we go. Aren’t you ready to get out of your comfort zone? What better way than serving God together?! It will be a life-changing trip... you'd better Belize it!

San Pedro De Macoris, Dominican Republic

Josiah's House

Trip Lead - Jennifer Almon, Kelly Rogers, Jeff Trigger

Estimated Cost - $1,750

Trip Dates - February 28 - March 6

Join us for the week at Josiah’s House, a family-style orphanage for over 25 boys and girls ages 3-17. We will stay on Josiah’s House property and spend time playing with the kids and helping with some landscaping projects around Josiah’s House. We will visit an impoverished village in the area that Josiah’s House has been connected with for many years, ministering to the families in the village. Many of the children at Josiah’s House speak English, so don’t let language be a barrier to experiencing an amazing place that is giving hope to so many children. We will finish our week with a special excursion as a team. Our prayer is that you will not only grow closer to the Lord through this experience, but that you will also grow closer to each other and come home with a love for the extended body of Christ.

InternationalTrips

Guatemala

Trip Leads - Amelia Moore, Mollie Bozarth, Bobby Miller

Estimated Cost - $1,950

Trip Dates - February 28 - March 6

Ecuador

Trip Lead - Bob Jordan, Haley Riggs

Estimated cost - $2,250

Trip dates - February 28 - March 6

Traveling to Guatemala offers a captivating journey through a tapestry of rich heritage, breathtaking landscapes, and vibrant traditions. Among this beauty, though, is extreme poverty, abuse, and loneliness. Our team will work with Athentikos, the non-profit organization founded by GCA teacher Amelia Moore, to facilitate a creative arts camp at an elementary school. Athentikos partners with a variety of under-resourced organizations in Guatemala to offer art programs to build self-confidence and communicate the gospel. We will be working with translators if you don’t know Spanish. We would love students with artistic skills like music, dance, and art, but also need students with lots of energy to play with the kids. We will be staying in the scenic town of Antigua, surrounded by volcanoes, markets, and cultural activities. During the week, we will also explore Antigua and go on a one-day adventure excursion. Students will enjoy engaging with the culture, making art, and building relationships with one another and our Guatemalan friends.

The Lord had plans to bring our team to Ecuador long before we knew it. Students will become immersed in Ecuadorian culture and work with various organizations already established in the community. The team will work with street kids and orphans who are local to Quito, as well as refugees to the area from surrounding countries. Local ministry partners are working to protect children by empowering parents and families through education, while bringing the love of Jesus Christ to the commuity. They are in areas of deep generational poverty and are working to bring the light of hope to Ecuador.

InternationalTrips

Costa Rica

Trip Lead - Lindsey McKown, Amalia Martin, Dan Spencer

Estimated cost - $2,150

Trip dates - March 1 - March 6

On this Mission in Costa Rica journey, the team will have the opportunity to serve alongside local ministry partners who work in the marginal communities on the outskirts of San Jose. We will serve alongside missionaries who are in the area long-term and will also lead a VBS program for local children. We will also have the opportunity to explore parts of the country with hiking, kayaking, swimming, and a boat ride.

Nicaragua

Trip Lead - Ashley Clarke, Jonathan Clarke, and Alicia Jordan

Estimated cost - $2,150

Trip dates - February 28 - March 7 (THIS IS A SATURDAY RETURN)

Chosen Children is an organization that is making Christ known and bringing life-changing transformation to men, women, and children in Nicaragua. They partner with communities to work to break the chains of multi-generational physical, emotional, and spiritual poverty by sharing the hope of Jesus Christ.

InternationalTrips

CANADA

Trip Lead - Mandi Thompson, Ryan Thompson

Estimated cost - $1,300

Trip dates - February 28 - March 6

Urban immersion and evangelism through worship will be the focus of the MissionX experience in Canada. Students will partner with a local church to serve, spread the good news, and express their faith through music throughout Toronto, Canada. Our guide through the city is a pastor and Christian singer/songwriter, and he is looking forward to our MissionX group joining him.

Impressio FromStud

As a 9th grader, I did the local missions for MissionX. I realized that you did not have to travel out of the country or even out of the state to do mission work. God put me locally to show me that a few days of work in our very own community can change lives Not only did we share the love of God to the organizations we went to, like Saddle Up and Brightstone, but we also had people come up to us curious why a group of kids were serving on a regular school day. God gave us the chance to explain to those people GCA’s purpose and our mission based on the biblical calling to go out into the world to spread the gospel. Not only was this a way to bond with organizations, we also bonded as a GCA group, students and leaders. MissionX was a special time, and there was no doubt God had His hand on every group and mission sent out

EllaGraceFua,Classof2026

The Dominican Republic MissionX trip was the most eyeopening experience for me, as well as for other students on the trip. It gave us a new perspective on life and how we should live as Christians while also evangelizing to those around us It taught us to be servant-hearted, grateful, appreciative, and to live life knowing that God is in control of all things, all the time.

AudreyGeorge,Classof2025

The Camp Caleb Trip is such a special opportunity and truly changed my life and outlook on the world. The communitybased work and connections that I made with not only the people there but also my peers are some that I will never forget I myself can say without a doubt that it was, to this day, the best week of my life, and it's definitely something I think everyone should experience

JadeThrasher,Classof2027