J-TERM COURSE OFFERINGS
2024
M P O R T A N T D A T E S
April 19, 2023, 7:00 p.m.: Class of 2024 registration; link posted to Schoology Class of page
April 20, 2023, 7:00 p.m.: Class of 2025 registration; link posted to Schoology Class of page
April 24, 2023, 7:00 p.m.: Class of 2026 registration; link posted to Schoology Class of page
April 26, 2023, 7:00 p.m.: Class of 2027 registration; link posted to Schoology Class of page
August 10, 2023: Last date for refunds for any fees paid to Whitefield Academy
Please read this information for more detail on Whitefield’s J-Term financial policies, including payment schedules.
Please scroll to the bottom of this document for information regarding optional personal travel insurance for overnight trips planned through Whitefield Academy.
January 3 - January 8, 2024: J-Term 2024 (some trips with extensive travel may leave January 2)
January 9, 2024: Teacher workday for Upper School teachers only; no school for Upper School students
January 10, 2024: Second semester classes begin
I
INTROSPECTIVE
CREATIVE RHYTHM
$575 Mr Bowen
12 max
This course is for students interested in sharpening their skills as artists and developing disciplines that help them take their particular creative pursuits more seriously It is open to artists of all stripes, including story writers, poets, playwrights, painters, sculptors, illustrators, photographers, musicians, songwriters, and designers.* A five-day excursion to the north Georgia mountains, the course is structured like a monastic retreat, combining spiritual practices with artistic expression Students keep a set schedule that includes specific times each day to work in their chosen artistic medium, as well as time to support one another and share ideas. Through intentional practices of unplugging, solitude, silent reflection, worship, and celebration, students gain invaluable insights into the creative process and experience a retreat they will remember fondly for years to come
*Students are required to bring their own materials, including instruments, canvases, clay, writing journals, etc All items will be kept secure throughout the week (We are working on providing at least one keyboard for piano players, and setting up a rotation of use Students may bring their own small keyboards to keep in their rooms if they choose)
CHRIST AND CULTURE NEW YORK
$2700 Mr. McBride, Mrs. Duncanson
24 max
The goal of this trip is to examine acts of worship through culture, and to practice engaging with culture through the lens of believers To re-examine what we are taught about the separation of secular and sacred. The group will travel to New York City to interact with art and culture with the intention of looking for ways the Lord uses such things to further his Kingdom We’ll visit museums, churches, food halls, and more to learn about how worship takes many different forms: art, food, purpose, and beauty. We will engage in creative spaces and enter in cultural conversations in a way that honors our Creator and acknowledges Christ This will be done through going to a Broadway show, art museums, restaurants, and churches engaging in the culture of the city
*Recommend purchasing personal travel insurance
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
$800 Mr Hellier, Mr Holland
12 max Males only
Spend some nights at the Foxhall Resort in Douglas County, GA as well as on a camping adventure During our time at Foxhall, students will learn wilderness survival skills, which will be put to the test Thursday night while camping Students will learn the art of skeet/clay shooting and archery from a professional instructor Additionally, we will have ATV trail rides, fishing, and some other “manly” surprises We will be exploring God’s intentions for manhood through daily devotions and character studies of some true men of God
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MISSIONS
COMPASSION DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
$2200 Ms. Patterson
20 max
This J-Term trip is mission-focused Students will lead VBS and sports activities for children at Compassion International Ministry Speaking Spanish is not necessary, but it is a great opportunity for Spanish students to apply their language skills in a way that shares the Gospel with Dominican children
*Recommend purchasing personal travel insurance
FCA BASEBALL DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
$2200 Mr. Shaheen
22 max Males only
Baseball Players will be leading baseball clinics for Dominican children 8-14 yearsold every morning in villages In the afternoon, the Whitefield players will join a 1418 year-old team in a village to practice, scrimmage and share testimonies. Each morning and evening we will share devotionals and spend time in prayer One evening, the team will attend a Dominican Professional Winter League game The last day the group will spend time at a beach
*Recommend purchasing personal travel insurance
APPALACHIA MISSIONS
$800 Mr Joiner
32 max (22 males, 10 females)
Spend the week partnering with the Good Neighbors organization helping serve the “working poor” community of Painstville, Kentucky. Students will receive 7 service hours for each work day we complete
*Recommend purchasing personal travel insurance
LOCAL SERVICE (1/2 day course)
FREE Mr. Moore
20 max
A group of students will work on a service project for a local organization The organization and nature of the project is TBD, and families and students will receive communication in December with these details For the past three years, students have worked at CCYA in Marietta, helping them with their outdoor garden and with organizing donations This is a 1/2 day course, and students will earn 15 service hours for the full week.
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FREEDOM RIDE
$950 Ms. Kling, Mr. Justice
40 max In 2023, we often feel far away from the drama and experience of the Civil Rights Movement This 4-night road trip is designed to draw us closer in To step into the 1960s American South that would have rioted the very existence of our diverse school that's united in Christ May we be honest about difficult history, humble in how we approach it, and ultimately honor those who stood for Truth and freedom
The Whitefield Freedom Ride is an immersive experience where each participant gets a chance to enter into history, His story, up close and personally We certainly learn a lot of facts and figures related to the Civil Rights movement over the course of the week, but even more, we get a clearer picture of what it was like to live (and die) during that tumultuous era. When we walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, or when we listen to the youngest Freedom Rider's engaging story, or when we stand in the narrow alleyway next to the old Greyhound bus station in Anniston, Alabama, our minds and hearts are positioned for brokenness, and hopefully renewal and reconciliation. Looking backwards, to the past and to those who shaped and changed it, can illuminate a way forward for those of us presently living in a dark and divided world
*Recommend purchasing personal travel insurance
AN INTRODUCTION TO ITALY: 2000 YEARS OF GLOBAL INFLUENCE
$3612 Ms Kraehe
30 max Starting in the watery streets of Venice, we will travel to Florence, the home of Dante and Michelangelo, to the living museum that is Rome, home of the Roman Empire, ending in Pompeii, a almost perfectly preserved city that captures the moment Vesuvius erupted and a city died For more details go to: exploricacom/Kraehe-4311
Using Explorica, recommend purchasing travel insurance (average cost is $130)
TO MIDDLE EARTH (full day on-campus)
$50 Mrs. Sutton
14 max This full-day course will center around a viewing of Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings Our days will be spent watching the films, learning about Tolkien’s life, playing some thematically related games, creating an art piece inspired by the films, and, of course, eating lots and lots of good Hobbity food The course will conclude with a grand feast where we will toast our journey and the things we’ve learned going to Middle Earth and Back Again. Longtime fans and newcomers alike are both welcome and contribute to the richness of the experience
PASSIONS
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PASSIONS
PLAYING WITH ART MAKING (1/2 day oncampus, afternoon session only)
$125 Mr Aull
15 max
Time to play – with making art! We’ve got an entire art room to play in, full of good stuff Art experience not required Whether students have done a lot or nothing in art, we’re going to have fun, learn something new and create We can play with wire sculpture, linoleum printmaking, oil pastel, and more!
CRIMINOLOGY: A CHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH (1/2 day on-campus )
FREE Mr. Peeples
10 max Students will explore crime cases from the news In discussion we will examine psychological elements that underlie the cases, and what these elements show us about the fallen nature of man
HIKE GEORGIA
$200 Mr Crosland
13 max Students will experience God's creation through exploring, reflecting, and discussing different geographical features throughout Georgia Over several days, we will day-commute to different parts of the state and hike and meditate on historical references, God's unique activity within each location The goal of this JTerm is for students to get physical exercise (moderate) and to reflect on God's creation as revealed in Scripture
FUN WITH SPANISH (1/2 day on-campus)
$25 Mr Lezcano
22 max In this course, students will develop cultural awareness and improve their language skills by listening and comprehending Hispanic hit songs, playing dominoes, watching short films and learning vocabulary and common expressions used in different sports such as baseball and soccer
We will also be visiting Talpa Supermarket in which students will take part in a competition and will eat in a Latin restaurant
PASSIONS STEP INTO JAPAN (full day on-campus)
$125 Mrs. Viana
14 max This on-campus course will immerse students in the culture of Japan We will travel virtually through the archipelago, learn vital etiquette, study the language, taste delicious food, have a chopstick challenge, discuss culture and watch a few well-loved Japanese movies We will also study and experience the traditional Japanese tea ceremony - as learned by Mrs Viana when she lived in Japan By the end of the week, students will feel equipped to visit the country and impassioned to make the trip as soon as possible
THROUGH THE EYES OF A PERFORMERNEW YORK, NEW YORK
$1700$2400 Mrs Auld
30 max
Students will experience the performing arts world of New York City They will take performance workshops, see Broadway shows, and tour Radio City, Carnegie Hall, Winter New York Highlights and Brooklyn Tabernacle They will have a practical time and open discussion about how we can use our God-given passions and interests to honor Him, being in the world but not of it
*Recommend purchasing personal travel insurance
WASHINGTON D.C.
$1985 TBD
30 max Experience all the history and examine America’s heritage through a Biblical worldview on the Explore Washington DC tour! Students will fly to Washington DC and tour the area Stops include Smithsonian Museum, National Archives, Capitol Hill, Holocaust Museum, White House, Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Ford’s Theatre, and the Washington Monument It is recommended that parents purchase the “cancel for any reason protection plan” for $81 since the billing is run by an outside company and not collected by Whitefield
Using Joshua Expeditions, travel insurance recommended
SAN FRANCISCO STEM AND EXPLORATION
$2500 Mrs Peet
30 max
The San Francisco STEM and Exploration tour is an action-packed trip through Northern California We will learn about the engineering of cable cars and suspension bridges as we explore the city of San Francisco We will experience the beauty of God's creation and learn biological truths as we explore Yosemite National Park, Monterey Bay, the Redwoods Forest, and Muir Woods As we explore Silicon Valley, we will discover current technology innovations and career opportunities Along with all of those experiences, we will also tour the many science museums, aquariums, and marine mammal centers the city of San Francisco and beyond has to offer
Optional Full Refund Program (FRP) available to families for a small additional fee $324 (for 25-30) or 339 (for 20-24). Otherwise, the Standard Cancelation Policy applies, for which WorldStrides will retain the following % of the base trip price:
> 25% if cancelation is 75 days before departure
> 50% if cancelation is 74-45 days before departure
> 100% if cancelation is less than 44 days before departure (no refund)
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STEAM
STEAM ATLANTA (full day)
$250 Dr. Sellers
14 max Participants will take day trips to notable STEAM-focused tourist attractions Students will learn about the natural sciences (zoo, Aquarium, Fernbank), engineering (World of Coke), aeronautics (one of Atlanta's many airports), and film and TV industries in their own city We will also explore the culinary arts on a food tour of the city (lunches)
EXPLORE HAWAII
$3395 Mrs Brown
30 max
Ever have the desire to see science come to life and experience the natural beauty and creativity of the Lord? On this tropical adventure, you will have a chance to develop your photography skills as you discover beautiful panoramic views as you hike to the top of Diamond Head Crater, snorkel off the coast of the island in Turtle Canyon, and experience the unparalleled aquatic life on Waikiki Beach Plus you will learn about the traditions and culture of the Hawaiian people and stand in reverence at the Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial
Using Joshua Expeditions, travel insurance recommended Standard Protection Plan $121
Cancel for Any Reason Plan $181
THE ENTREPRENUERIAL EDGE (full day)
$140
14 max
Mr Chasteen
The goal of this course will be to introduce, practice, and develop the entrepreneurial mindset to students through classroom activities and site visits around Atlanta to learn from entrepreneurs Critical thinking, problem-solving, reading skills, communicative arts, and research techniques relevant to all entrepreneurs in the business world will be employed throughout the program Collaboration with their peers will be strongly encouraged along with establishing a network of community supporters.
Potential site visits will include: The Switchyards, Shore Entrepreneur and Innovation Center at KSU, Georgia Tech Venture Lab, Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (focused on minority owned businesses), Chick-fil-A Headquarters and Innovation Center
CRASH COURSE IN ELECTRONICS (1/2 day oncampus)
$75 Mr. McDonald
20 max
Want to level-up your engineering game? Want to be able to make basic repairs to electronics? In this course, you will learn how to use resistors, transistors, capacitors, LED's, and other cool parts to build circuits that light up, make sounds, detect intruders, and more. Each day will include a couple of builds that let you experiment with the new components At the end of the week, you will take home your kit of materials and a notebook of information so that you can rebuild your favorite project or design something new
LOWER SCHOOL TEACHER AID (1/2 day)
FREE Mrs. Rich
9 max Spend a half day paired with a Lower School class! Students will observe the teacher, support student learning, and design and implement a lesson plan Last year, students were paired with Pre-K, kindergarten, first grade, music and art classes We try to align students’ interests with their area of service
INTERNSHIPS
SELF-DRIVEN INTERNSHIP
FREE No max Juniors & Seniors only
College Counseling Team
Do you have a career in mind but would really like to see what it’s like firsthand? A J-Term internship is an excellent opportunity to get a glimpse of what a career in that field looks like This course is self-driven Students must secure their own internship opportunities The goal of the internship program for J-Term is to allow you to gain valuable experience through a job shadow or internship. After the internship has been secured, students will submit a form to Whitefield with company contact info and a brief explanation of what the internship will entail This should be a structured program that the student completes over the full week of J-Term and should last from 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m, each day. Internships must be a minimum of four full days Students will be required to fill out a daily journal form online that allows them to document their time at their internship The daily journal forms must be completed by the end of the J-Term week in order to earn credit.
T R A V E L I N S U R A N C E
Personal travel insurance information: Whitefield will not issue refunds for J-Term fees paid to the school after August 10, 2023. Therefore, we encourage you to consider purchasing individual travel insurance if your child is registering for an overnight trip not planned through an external agency. In the course descriptions, we have identified the trips for which we recommend individual travel insurance. Below is one option for such insurance Whitefield does not have an official partnership with Nationwide, nor do we benefit if you choose this option. Rather, we simply want to provide a resource should you want to look into purchasing individual travel insurance Trips with lower registration costs have lower insurance costs
Nationwide Single-Trip Insurance
Example of how the Nationwide coverage works: Purchasing Nationwide individual travel insurance for a 17 year-old going on the Dominican Missions trip
($2000 trip):
Essentials Option (includes positive Covid diagnosis prior to departure): $53-88 depending on options chosen
100% refund on all individual costs
May not receive refund for the divided cost of a rental bus and gas for travel
Please read the information carefully so that you clearly understand the exceptions for coverage
CAR Option (cancel for any reason): $185
75% refund on all individual costs
May not receive refund for the divided cost of a rental bus and gas for travel
F I N A N C I A L I N F O R M A T I O N
Each J-Term course has its own budget, and non-payment could prevent Whitefield from having enough funds to run the course. Therefore, Whitefield will hold to the following financial policies Please take all of this information into consideration when deciding which course is a good fit for your family and child.
To register for J-Term 2024, your account with the business office must be clear, and your re-enrollment for the 2023-24 school year must be complete.
J-Term courses that cost $500 or more and are not facilitated by a third party travel company require a 10% deposit paid by Monday, May 1, 2023 in order for students to secure their spots. Deposits not paid by May 1 will result in removal from the course, and students will choose a new course when registration opens to new families on May 15, 2023.
Courses that are internally organized and not using an external agency to plan and book will allow for a 100 percent refund until August 10, 2023
After August 10, families are financially responsible for any funds billed, and no refunds will be issued by Whitefield Academy.
Payment in full is due by October 10, 2023. A late fee of 10% the remaining balance will be applied beginning November 15, 2023 If payment in full is still not made by December 15, 2023, a second late fee of 10% the remaining balance will be applied.
Courses that are less than $500 will be billed to families’ accounts on August 10, 2023, and payment in full is due by October 10, 2023. If no payment has been made by October 10, the student will be moved to a no-cost course
The payment schedule for all courses not facilitated by a third party travel company and are $500 or greater is as follows:
May 1: 10% deposit due
August 10: 40% due
September 10: 30% due
October 10: 20% due (If at least 50% has not been paid, the student will be moved to a no-cost course, and there will be no refunds.)
November 15: late charges applied after this date
The course descriptions clearly identify which overnight trips are using an external agency and which are planned through Whitefield Academy. Those trips using an external agency include travel insurance. For trips planned through Whitefield, we recommend the purchase of personal travel insurance.
