The sites for the 2013 Global Youth Mission (GYM) cycle are Belize, St. Lucia, and Nicaragua.
Please see below for information about each site, including trip dates and language requirements. (*Please Note: it is possible the trip dates may change slightly for a site. You should have some flexibility around the posted dates.)
The cost for a 2013 trip is $2300.00 per student, due by June 7th. Please click here for the GYM description, which includes the cost breakdown and fundraising explanation.
Please Note: During the application process, a student is asked to rate their site preference. While every attempt is made to place youth in their first choice, another choice may be assigned due to space limitations--flexibility is critical.
GYM 2013 Sites and Dates:
Punta Gorda, Southern Belize
July 13-27, 2013
GYM will be returning to St. Peter Claver Parish this year, as we look to offer an additional English speaking site. The parish has had a long standing twinning relationship with St. Joseph Parish in Wauwatosa. Housing will be in a retreat center and work projects will be coordinated by a Jesuit volunteer
Archdiocese of Castries, St. Lucia Island
July 13-27, 2013
Our work will be with the parish of Micoud, assisting in providing a morning Vacation Bible School to the youth of the parish. Participants must be prepared to teach simple bible school lessons; therefore, those with some experience in teaching or working with children will be given a priority for this site. You and a partner will be expected to develop lesson plans for 9 days of school. In addition to the planning we always bring school and art supplies to teach and donate to the parish. Involvement in other work projects may take place in the afternoons as well as playing with the children of the village. St. Lucia is English speaking.
Managua, Nicaragua
July 7-21, 2013
The Sisters of St. Agnes, based in Fond du Lac, support missions throughout Central America. In 1988, Cantera, a non-profit organization, was formed. Cantera provides many programs which have an overall mission of developing strategies that will better the lives of families, especially the lives of children. GYM participants will live in community with the sisters at the Center. Work will include involvement at the Center schools, one of which is a “construction” school in which high school youth learn skills in the building trades. Cantera also operates an experimental farm—our youth will work on this project as well. Spanish is useful not required.