News Post
Students Travel to Chicago for Mission Trip
A group of nine St. Joseph’s Academy students traveled to Chicago for the Alive in You 2026 mission trip, June 9-14. The students were accompanied by Mission Integration Director Jade Spears and faculty member Jennifer Nola.
The action-packed week combined daytime community service with evenings dedicated to Catholic workshops, praise and worship, witness talks and team building.
The vision of Alive in You is to enable participants to open their hearts and allow Christ to become the center of their lives. Alive in You is grounded in the beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church and strives to demonstrate a practical sense of how to live one’s faith.
Arriving at the Sisters of St. Joseph’s center in Chicago, the group spent time getting to know the Sisters, celebrated Sister Mary Southard’s 90th birthday and gardened with students from Nazareth Academy in the Sisters’ courtyard.
During the week, the students completed service with Sharing Connections, Slovenian Catholic Cultural Center, Kathy Paulsen Hope House and Phil’s Friends. The group went to mass daily and had the opportunity to go to reconciliation as well as hear several talks on the week’s theme of Mission. The group also visited the National Shrine to St. Thérèse.
During the weekend, participants continued celebrating the sacraments by going to mass and adoration. There was also time for sightseeing, including trips to Cloud Gate, the Art Institute of Chicago and shopping along the Magnificent Mile before returning home late on Sunday.