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Summer Service & Immersion

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Summer Service & Immersion

Loyola Academy's Summer Service Immersion program forms students to be "Men and Women for Others" living faith-filled lives committed to service and justice. Working with various communities throughout the United States, these week-long trips (5–7 days) allow students to encounter new perspectives, work for justice, and grow in an awareness of the ways God is calling them to reflect on and respond to the needs of the world.

Students participating in these trips will have the opportunity to listen to and learn from communities facing social injustice. They will provide meaningful service in a variety of ways, from visiting the elderly and teaching children to community gardening or home repair. As they build community with their peers and members of the local community throughout the week, they will live simply, being present to people rather than material things. Through all of this, they will prayerfully reflect on the meaning of these experiences in their lives and consider how they can continue to respond to the gospel’s call to solidarity and justice when they return home to Loyola.

If you have any questions,

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Ms. Megan Kennedy-Farrell

Service Immersion Coordinator

(847) 920-2676

2026 Service Immersion Application

Summer Service Information and Dates

List of 6 frequently asked questions.

Q. Who is eligible?

All trips are open to junior students going into senior year.

All students must be in good standing with the Principal's Office and Business Office in order to go on a trip.
Q. When and how do I apply?

Applications for spring break and summer 2026 are available now! Applications will remain open until Friday, January 23, 2026. At the end of the registration period, all students will be considered and placed at once without priority.
Q. Am I guaranteed a spot?

While every effort will be made to place all students who are in good standing, we cannot guarantee everyone a spot on a trip. All trip preferences will be considered. However, in order to ensure maximum participation, students may not receive their first choice.

If a student is not placed, he or she will be put on a waiting list and notified as soon as a spot becomes available.
Q. How much does it cost?
Costs vary based on the trip and will be included with the trip calendar below.
- Domestic overnight trips - $700
- Domestic non-overnight trips - $100
- US/Mexico Border trip - $1500-$1700
Financial aid is available for students who receive tuition assistance.
Q. What can I expect to do?

It depends on the trip! All trips include opportunities to immerse in local communities and listen to, learn from, and serve communities facing injustice. Activities include completing light home repair projects or playing with kids, sharing and preparing meals, and engaging in learning experiences around social justice issues, as well as many other activities. A more detailed description of each trip can be found elsewhere on this page.

Our trips are centered around the values of community, simplicity, prayer, service, and justice.
Q. What else do I need to know?

All students who are placed on a trip must participate in mandatory preparation meetings. In addition, all students and parents must attend a mandatory information night on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at Loyola Academy. Valuable information will be shared about Loyola's Summer Service Immersion program as well as important details about each student's specific trip.

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Service Immersion Trip Information

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Appalachian Folklife (Overnight)

W1: June 7 - June 13
W2: June 14 - June 20
W3: June 21 - June 27

The Appalachian South Folklife Center presents programs and services that reflect pride in mountain heritage including music festivals, day camp, home repair and community service. Volunteers will participate in community development projects including helping residents with simple home maintenance and repairs. Students can expect meaningful interactions with the people of West Virginia and nighttime activities that include cultural and educational activities relating to Appalachia.

For more information, please visit Appalachian South Folklife Center website.

Estimated Trip Cost: $700

Location: Pipestem, WV
Casa Romero Renewal Center (Overnight)

W1: May 31 - June 1
W2: June 7 - June 12
W3: July 14 - July 19

Motivated by the integration of faith and justice, Casa Romero’s Urban Plunge immerses students in aspects of urban reality while encouraging their commitment to building a more just world. Students will visit multiple diverse communities, work on various community service projects and build relationships with the local community. In particular, this week will focus on immigration issues and provide an opportunity for education, reflection, and dialogue.

For additional information, please visit the Casa Romero website.

Estimated Trip Cost: $700

Location: Milwaukee, WI
Habitat for Humanity (Overnight)

W1: June 7 - June 12
W2: June 21 - June 26
W3: July 12 - July 17

Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity works to eliminate substandard housing through home construction and rehab as well as policy and resource advocacy. On the beautiful Mississippi River bluffs, Winona’s HfH provides affordable homes to families in Winona and Fillmore counties. Students will assist with painting, landscaping and other simple maintenance improvements. Students will also have the opportunity to explore the local cultural heritage and have fellowship with persons with disabilities and elders.

For additional information, please visit the Habitat for Humanity website.

Estimated Trip Cost: $700

Location: Winona, MN
L'Arche Clinton (Overnight)

W1: May 31 - June 5
W2: June 21 - June 26

L'Arche Communities are places where people with and without developmental disabilities share life together in communities of faith. L'Arche Clinton in Eastern Iowa will welcome students to their community to serve, share, pray, and celebrate. Students will have the opportunity to build relationships, engage in community activities with residents, provide home maintenance, and reflect on the joys and importance of an inclusive community.

For more information, please visit the L'Arche Clinton website.

Estimated Trip Cost: $700

Location: Clinton, IA
Serve 901 (Overnight)

**SPRING BREAK: April 6 - 11**

Summer: June 7 - 13

Serve 901 believes in the transformative power of service to break down barriers, foster understanding, and create lasting change. Memphis, famously known as the “Home of the Blues,” played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights movement. While at Serve 901, students will experience the Memphis where Memphians live, work, and serve every day. We will visit the National Civil Rights Museum, meet local leaders and educators, and serve in faith-based and non-profit organizations that have served Memphis and will continue serving Memphis before, during, and after our visit.

For additional information, please visit the Serve 901 website.

Estimated Trip Cost: $700

Location: Memphis, TN
St. Francis Mission (Overnight)

May 31 - June 6

St. Francis Mission is a Jesuit ministry among the 20,000 Lakota people on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. Students on this immersion trip will assist in running the “Body, Mind, and Soul” camp, a weeklong religious education summer program for children ages 6-14. This program will include Catholic Vacation Bible School curriculum, Lakota teachings and stories, and Mass. Participants will also have the opportunity to serve in the community and assist in mental health awareness programs.

For additional information, please visit St. Francis Mission website.

Estimated Trip Cost: $700

Location: Saint Francis, SD
Tau House/Cincinnati Urban Plunge (Overnight)

May 31 - June 5

Tau House offers youth and young adults the opportunity to immerse in the Franciscan tradition of simplicity, service, community and spirituality. In partnership with the Franciscans for the Poor in Cincinnati, students will serve at various agencies including soup kitchens and elder programs and provide light home repair. Evening reflections will encourage students to make connections to their own urban experience and expand their perspective on its challenges.

For additional information, please visit the Tau House website.

Estimated Trip Cost: $700

Location: Cincinnati, OH
Waukegan (Non-Overnight)

June 15 – 19

Transformative Service Immersion does not require overnight stays or long travel. Incredible work is being done right in our own backyards to serve neighbors and advocate for justice. On this week-long daytime trip, students will immerse themselves in nearby Waukegan during the day and return home in the late afternoon. They will have opportunities to provide hands-on meaningful service with children at Beacon Place or House of Peace, learn about the realities of food insecurity and local responses at the local food bank or soup kitchen, and reflect on the ways God is at work in local communities working together to serve one another.

Estimated Trip Cost: $100

Location: Waukegan, IL