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Local, Domestic, & International Ways to Serve Vol. 5, 2026-2027

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 first choice. Priority will be given to seniors who are not traveling to the Bahamas, followed by juniors, sophomores, and freshmen, with the intention of making each trip a mix of grades. (i.e., a sophomore may get placed above a junior in order to mix the grades of all trips.) 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 & Course Registration: 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 by 1 - 2 days, 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.

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.

Student Behavior: 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, 2027, 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, 2026. 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: Melinda Leake, Anna Kate Tanner, Kevin Shaw, Reem Shamma, and Kathy Flemming Estimated Cost: $150 Payments: $50 deposit due September 26; $75 due February 11 Trip Dates: March 8 - 12 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, Grace Works, Mercy Chefs, and more. We will end the week with a day of fun activities and lunch as a team.

Domestic Trips

St. Louis, Missouri Trip Leads: Macy Hurst and Haydn Tanner Estimated Cost: $750 Trip Dates: March 7 - 12 The team will connect with the people of St. Louis and partner with local ministries already serving the community. Service opportunities will include refugee ministry, community outreach, and youth ministry throughout the area. St. Louis is also the hometown of Mrs. Hurst, who is excited to lead a team back to her community and serve alongside ministry partners with whom she has been involved for many years. In addition to serving, the team will have opportunities to experience the rich history and culture of St. Louis by visiting several iconic historical sites and enjoying meals at local restaurants, providing an opportunity to further support the local community.

Camp Caleb with Joshua Expeditions Camp Caleb with Joshua Expeditions Trip Leads: Jessica Hilliard and Eric Carroll Estimated Cost: $1,450 Trip Dates: March 8 - 12 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.

Domestic Trips

San Diego, California, Indian Hills Camp Trip Leads: Anna Merritt and Bill McGee Estimated Cost: $1,450 Trip Dates: March 7 - 12 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.

Utah Missions Trip Leads: Crystal Tinnon and Justin Payne Estimated Cost: $1,600 Trip Dates: March 8 - 12 Empower local communities and partake in hands-on 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.

Domestic Trips

Puerto Rico

Trip Leads: Amalia Martin and Tim Riley Estimated Cost: $2,000 Trip Dates: March 5 - 12 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.

International Trips

Belize Trip Leads: Judy Barnette, Rick Barnette, and Whitney Taylor Estimated Cost: $1,850 Trip Dates: March 6 - 12 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 Macorís, Dominican Republic, Josiah's House Trip Leads: Jennifer Almon, Amy Finch, and Jeff Trigger Estimated Cost: $1,950 Trip Dates: March 6 - 12 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.

International Trips

Belmopan, Belize, Filter of Hope Trip Leads: Annie Jimenez and Craig Cummings Estimated Cost: $2,000 Trip Dates: March 6 - 12 Filter of Hope exists to bring the hope of Jesus to areas of the world by meeting a most basic need: clean water. Our group will partner with a local church and go into a village to bring a filter for a family and introduce the gospel at the same time. The Filter of Hope water filter is sustainable, durable, and can be installed in about 15 minutes, allowing the family to receive clean water almost immediately. The team will be trained on sharing the gospel and how to use the gift of water as a launching pad for conversations about the gift of Jesus.

Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, Mission of Hope Trip Leads: Grace Hooper and Bill Brandsma Estimated Cost: $2,000 Trip Dates: March 6 - 13 (Saturday return) Mission of Hope partners with local churches, schools, and communities to meet a variety of needs within the area. Projects may include construction, medical care and clinics, and ministry opportunities such as Vacation Bible School and sports camps, all with one goal in mind: to evangelize and share the gospel.

International Trips

Guatemala

Trip Leads: Amelia Moore, Mollie Bozarth, and Bobby Miller Estimated Cost: $2,000 Trip Dates: March 6 - 12 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 we 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.

Costa Rica Trip Leads: Daniel Spencer and Lindsey McKown Estimated Cost: $2,150 Trip Dates: March 6 - 12 On this mission in Costa Rica, the team will have the opportunity to serve alongside local ministry partners that work in the marginal communities on the outskirts of San Jose. We will serve with missionaries who are in the area long-term and will also be leading 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.

International Trips

Ecuador

Trip Leads: Bob Jordan, Haley Riggs Estimated Cost: $2,350 Trip Dates: March 6 - 12 The Lord had plans to bring our team to Ecuador long before we knew it. Students will become immersed in Ecuadorian culture and will be working with various organizations already planted in the community. The team will be working with street kids and orphans that are local to Quito, as well as refugees to the area from surrounding countries.

Kigali, Rwanda Trip Leads: Brian and Rochelle Ray Estimated Cost: $3,500 Trip Dates: March 4 - 13 (Saturday return) *Grades 10-12 only HopeHaven Christian School has been working to transform Rwanda through Christcentered education and discipleship. The goal is to empower vulnerable families and raise leaders for the future of the country and help break the cycle of poverty. While at HopeHaven, the team may work alongside the students and teachers in the classroom, lead worship or chapel, and help build or renovate a home for a HopeHaven family.

Trip Leaders

Jennifer Almon

Judy Barnette

Mollie Bozarth

Bill Brandsma

Eric Carroll

Craig Cummings

Amy Finch

Kathy Flemming

Jessica Hilliard

Grace Hooper

Macy Hurst

Annie Jimenez

Bob Jordan

Melinda Leake

Amalia Martin

Bill McGee

Trip Leaders

Lindsey McKown

Anna Merritt

Bobby Miller

Amelia Moore

Justin Payne

Haley Riggs

Tim Riley

Reem Shamma

Kevin Shaw

Dan Spencer

Brian Ray

Anna Kate Tanner

Haydn Tanner

Whitney Taylor

Crystal Tinnon

Jeff Trigger