minimester - Southwest Christian School

MINIMESTER
southwest christian school
An adventure of a lifetime . . . Minimester 2016.
The Minimester week March 7-11, 2016, has been established to support a wide range of
travel, enrichment, and service opportunities for our students. This program and these unique
experiences are unlike any other school-based travel opportunities throughout the Metroplex.
The SCS Minimester Abroad is currently in its eighth year and has offered travel to over twenty
countries on six continents.
The Minimester offerings support the educational mission of Southwest Christian School.
We are excited about the Minimester program this year, especially. This catalog outlines the
Minimester Abroad offerings. Please look through the e-catalog as a family and follow the
specific registration procedure for the offering that works best for you. Contact me if you have
any questions or comments regarding Minimester Abroad. Our goal is to make the people and
cultures of the world available to our students.
Thank you for partnering with Southwest Christian School as we work together to equip young
adults as Christian leaders in the world!
Coby Bird
High School Dean of Students/Minimester Program Coordinator
Southwest Christian School
Mr. Coby Bird
>> costa Rica
Join us for 10 fun-filled days in Costa Rica.
Our adventures will include kayaking, ziplining in the cloud forest, a crocodile jungle
safari cruise, and possible whitewater rafting in addition to a trip to a volcano, a trip
to the hot springs and a trip to a waterfall.
We will visit a Pacific Ocean beach, a local
school in Monteverde, and plant a tree in a
nature reserve. Much more is included in this
>> China – Shanghai,
Beijing, Xi’an
China really does have it all: tranquil
countryside offering jaw-dropping natural
scenery and neon cities with historical,
artistic, and cultural interest at every
turn. Get acquainted with this country’s
complexities and contrasts on this fascinating
9-day adventure that will have you walking
the Great Wall, touring the Forbidden
City, and experiencing the history of
wonderful experience of Costa Rica. Parents
are welcome to join us as we journey to this
beautiful country in Central America.
Dates: March 5-14, 2016
Cost: $ 3300
Maximum: 20
For more information, please contact
Mrs. Stormy Powell
the Terracotta Warriors. Visit a school in
Shanghai, ride a rickshaw, and learn Taiji.
From ancient to modern, this trip has it all.
Jam-packed with color, culture, and zeal,
China will astonish you.
Dates: March 7-15
Cost: $4200
Group Minimum: 15
For more information, please contact
Mrs. Kathy Neill
>> SOUTH AFRICA
For the last 7 years SCS has headed to Kenya and
this year we are moving a little further south to Port
Shepstone, South Africa. Port Shepstone is 1.5 hours
south of Durban on the country’s southeast coastline.
While there, the SCS team will partner with the
Norwegian Settlers Church to serve alongside them in
their efforts to reach their community for Jesus Christ.
Activities will include serving in the children’s activity
and meal program as well as the church’s clinic. This will
be an amazing time of connection for our SCS family
to learn more about the South African history and
>> Florida Keys
SCS will be returning to the Florida Keys after
an exceptional trip in 2015. The trip will be full
of educational opportunities such as visiting the
Everglades gator farm, airboat rides in the Everglades,
taking a class and working with dolphins and sea lions
at the Dolphin Research center, and shark and squid
dissections. The group will also spend a day exploring
and learning about the Dry Tortugas as they explore
the reefs and take a tour of Fort Jefferson. While
on this trip, they will also have the chance to spend
a day serving with the Redlands Christian Migrant
culture and serve with an amazing ministry. The trip will
also provide for an overnight stop in Doha, Qatar, en
route to South Africa. What a great opportunity for
our students to experience going from the 3rd richest
country in the world in Qatar to a landscape of a poorer
developing nation. This trip will be transformative for all
who are able to go.
Dates: March 5-16, 2016
Cost: approx. $3,000 (all inclusive)
Group Maximum: 23
For more information, contact
Association. This group provides services to the
migrant workers and their families that work in this
region. Each day will include private transportation
and meals at some of the Keys iconic restaurants.
Dates: Four night trip--dates TBD between
March 6-13, 2016
Cost: approx. $2,300 (all inclusive)
Group Maximum: 21
For more information, contact
Mrs. Brodie Sivley
>> Paris, France
Who doesn’t love Paris? Only those who have never
experienced the grandeur, romance, and drama of
Paris of the Ile de France can claim immunity from an
obsession with this global hub of culture. The rest of
us are enthralled and long to return as often as chance
(and economics) allows us. Paris has maintained the
honor of being the center of everything European
from fashion to art to philosophy.
Therefore, as part of its International Studies Program,
SCS is offering either the opportunity to introduce you
to this crown jewel of France or to continue developing
a relationship already in progress. In addition, we
shall also be visiting the scene of one of the most
harrowing battles of WWII-D-Day, Normandy. As
we travel through the French countryside on our way
to Normandy, you will be able to join in fighting the
eternal French battle (no, not with the Germans)
between the Parisian and the Provincial.
Dates: March 7-15, 2016
Cost: $4000
Group Maximum: 25 (enrollment in the International
Studies Class is optional) Parent are welcome.
For more information, please contact
Mrs. Lorraine Engstrom
>> Honduras
This trip is designed to reach out to people in
one of the poorest countries in Central America.
Many of the people in Honduras struggle daily to
provide for their families. Christian Relief Fund
(CRF) is a ministry organization that regularly
provides basic food and milk needs, child care,
and educational assistance to families each week.
SCS will partner with CRF to minister and share
God’s love to families in Honduras. The cost of
this trip includes travel, lodging, and meals.
Mission work will include working in the
CRF daycare with children struggling from
malnutrition, food service for the homeless,
construction projects, and other life-changing
experiences.
Dates: March 7-12, 2016
Cost: $1870 or less, depending on numbers
Group Maximum: 30
For more information, contact
Dr. Lesli Welch
>> Phoenix, arizona
This is a new offering for SCS. The exact itinerary
is still under construction, but we are excited
about what we already have in place. Students
will be traveling to Phoenix, AZ, where they will
partner with Grand Canyon University and will be
staying on campus at the newly purchased GCU
hotel. Students will spend the majority of the time
serving through the Phoenix Dream Center. This
is an organization that works with the homeless
and underprivileged in the Phoenix area. The
group also plans getting away one day to catch a
Major League Baseball Spring Training game as
well as other fun opportunities.
Dates: Four night trip-dates TBD
(range of dates will be between 3-7 and 3-11)
Cost: approx. $1,100
Group Maximum: 20
For more information, contact
Mrs. Kristi Dorman
WE WANT TO BE PART OF
MINIMESTER 2016!
registration
Each trip will have a different process for signing up. In order to sign up for a trip,
you will need to contact the trip leader directly and let him or her know you want to
secure a spot for the trip. You will be directed to the appropriate avenue to secure
the spot. Securing a spot will require putting a deposit down. Deadline for trip sign-ups
is September 18. After that date, trips will be closed and decisions made regarding
trips making or not. In the event that spots are still available, students may be able to
add a trip, but it cannot be guaranteed.
Any questions regarding the program should be directed to Mr. Coby Bird.
Trip-specific questions should be directed to individual trip leaders.
important info
Participating in Minimester Abroad activities is a privilege granted to our students to provide
an experience beyond the traditional classroom. Students who are on any form of corrective
action plan for behavior issues or have been suspended within the 2015/16 school year run the
risk of being ineligible to participate in any capacity during the Minimester Abroad portion of the
Minimester program. If a student is unable to attend a trip due to behavior issues, he or she will
not be eligible for any refund of trip costs. Discipline issues that arise while on a trip can result in a
student being sent home at the family’s expense.
• Please note that trip information is based on a minimum number of required participants. If
that number is not met by final registration, you may be asked to select a different trip.
• Once registration has closed, you will be allowed to select another available trip if your trip did
not make.
• Trip information is based on current rates and availability. Prices may vary dependent upon
airfare or other adjustments.
• All trips have a specific deposit that must be made in order to secure your spot.
• Final registration for all trips is September 18, 2015. If you wish to cancel your registration
after this date, your deposit may not be refunded, and the traveler will be responsible for any
costs associated with the trip that cannot be recouped by the trip leader.
• All payments and due dates are final. If you drop out of a trip after enrolling, you will still be
responsible for all fees. NO REFUNDS CAN BE GUARANTEED.
minimester faqs
Q. Is a student required to join a travel Minimester?
A. No. All students are required to participate in Minimester, but they may choose from travel, local, parent-led, or internships.
Q. How are students selected for trips?
A. Students will sign up for trips on-line. Once they submit their names, they will be put on
the list and contacted by the trip leader. Some mission trips do require an application that the
trip leader will provide after sign-up. After that, it is based on grade level with older students
having priority and on the number of spots available.
Q. Can parents travel on these trips?
A. It is very common for parents to travel with students on trips, but it all depends upon space
available. Each trip is different, and you should contact the trip leader to verify.
Q. Can I get college credit for my trip?
A. Each year we try to offer at least one trip that will offer dual credit. If you are interested in
that, you will need to make sure you meet the qualifications with your school counselor.
Q. If I go on the dual credit trip, do I have to be enrolled in the dual credit portion?
A. No, however, priority will be given to those students who are enrolled in the dual credit.
Q. If I decide to drop out of a trip after I have already put down a deposit, can I get my
money back?
A. If you drop out of a trip after the initial deposit is made, you will be responsible for the full
price of the trip. The trip leaders will try to find a way to refund as much money as possible,
however, no refund is guaranteed.
the mission of SCS is to provide families a Christ-centered,
college-preparatory education that graduates young adults
equipped as Christian leaders in the world.