Global Opportunities via the Sacred Heart Network

Current freshmen through juniors may apply for a Network summer service trip. Traditionally, over 150 Network students participate. Many service opportunities are offered such as the St. Madeleine Sophie Center in El Cajon, California; Juvenile Justice service trip in Chicago, Illinois; #projectneo in Miami, FL; Healthy Water Rebuilt NOLA in New Orleans, LA and many more. Sites vary from year to year. Length and cost of the trips vary depending on the site. Students may travel by themselves or with a small group from Duchesne if other students are accepted on the trip.

Additional information about the Network Summer Service Program can be found here.

If you have questions about this trip opportunity contact:

Mr. Scott Quinn
Service Coordinator
squinn@duchesneacademy.org

Students may apply for ten to twelve openings every spring to visit St. Augustine Mission School founded by St. Katherine Drexel in 1906 at Winnebago, Nebraska. Students stay at the school and eat with the local students throughout the trip. Duchesne students learn the history, language, and culture of the Omaha and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) tribes through the cultural liaison at St. Augustine’s.

If you have questions about this trip opportunity contact:

Mr. Eric Krakowski 
Assistant Principal
ekrakowski@duchesneacademy.org 

In the fall, students have the opportunity to visit Koinonia Farm in Americus, Georgia. Koinonia Farm was founded in 1942 by Clarence Jordan as a demonstration plot for the Kingdom of God, where all people, regardless of race, would be treated with dignity. Today, Koinonia Farm continues to be devoted to living out the Christian faith, promoting peace, living simply, and farming sustainably. Highlights of this trip include living and working with members of Koinonia Farm, volunteering at Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, visiting Habitat for Humanity International Village, learning about Fair-Trade at Café Campesino, a coffee roastery and coffee shop, touring the Albany Civil Rights Institute and two churches where Martin Luther King, Jr spoke, and a couple hikes to enjoy God’s beauty. This trip offers plenty of opportunities for students to grow in their faith, live out social justice, and learn more about American History. 

If you have any questions about this trip opportunity, contact:

Mrs. Sara McConnell
Theology Teacher
smcconnell@duchesneacademy.org

The Institute for Latin American Concern (ILAC) in the Dominican Republic is an “international, Christian, Ignatian-inspired, collaborative health care and educational organization that exists to promote the integral well-being and spiritual growth of all its participants.” (Creighton.edu) Each year, 12 young women from Duchesne spend the fall semester raising money to do a service project in one of the campos. The spring semester is spent preparing for the trip: building community, learning about the history and current issues in the Dominican Republic and preparing spiritually. Preparation also includes an overnight retreat. Students then spend two weeks in the Dominican Republic learning about the country firsthand and completing their service project. The highlight of the trip is the five days spent in the campo, a complete immersion experience to complete their service project and live with Dominican families. Traveling to the Dominican Republic through ILAC provides experience for the girls that help develop their spirituality, their appreciation for the lifestyle we lead in the United States, and a commitment to a social awareness which impels to action.

If you have questions about this trip opportunity contact:

Mrs. Frances Swanson
College Counselor
fswanson@duchesneacademy.org 

Every other year, Duchesne students join Sacred Heart students from Stuart Hall and Convent of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco and Sacred Heart in Atherton. They travel to Mexico for a five-day service experience in Mexico City, Cholula, and Puebla. Community Links International co-sponsors this trip.

If you have questions about this trip opportunity contact:

Mr. TJ Mullaney
Theology Teacher
tmullaney@duchesneacademy.org 

The Uganda service trip occurs every other year. Students visit Sacred Heart schools and convents, as well as the motherhouse for the Kenya-Uganda province and the novitiate. Experiencing the common spirituality that ties us together within the international network of Sacred Heart is a powerful reinforcement to our own spirituality. The spiritual dimension of the trip to Uganda includes a retreat prior to departure as well as a retreat at the end of the trip. The girls are constantly reminded that they are Christ’s hands and feet and are there to live as Ugandans to experience the world through their eyes. Once students return to Duchesne, they share their experiences with the rest of the community.

If you have questions about this trip opportunity contact:

Mrs. Katie Risch Bakhit
V.P. of Advancement
kbakhit@duchesneacademy.org