FINDING FAITH AND FRIENDSHIP BEYOND CAMPUS
A student perspective on the 2026 Upper School Beyond the Classroom experiences
By Chloe Parker, Class of 2028
Beyond the Classroom experiences are student-selected trips that give students the chance to experience life beyond what the classroom can teach. This year, Mount Pisgah offered both mission and learning trips to locations such as London, Costa Rica, New York City, Arizona, and Florida. On these trips, students grew in their faith, friendships, and sense of identity.
As Christians, it is important for us to exemplify Christ beyond the school environment. These trips give us the opportunity to show others how Christ would act through service, kindness, and compassion.
Beyond the Classroom is a unique experience that not every teenager has the opportunity to take part in. On these trips, many students deepened their faith like never before. Through mission trips and service day experiences, students cared for others as Christ calls us to do. In doing so, they were brought closer to Jesus and closer to the people they were serving through shared experiences and purpose. These trips also remind us why we are called to care for others.
Sophomore Julia Williams participated in service day trips and shared what the experience showed her.
“It showed me to look at other people more and try to help others because it’s always good to help others and to understand what they are going through and what is happening outside of my neighborhood,” said Williams.
These actions did not only take place on mission trips. Across all Beyond the Classroom experiences, students were able to show Christ-like behavior through gratitude, respect, and love toward both familiar faces and new people they encountered.
Friendships were strengthened as well. Being in a different environment with friends, rather than only seeing each other at school, naturally deepens relationships. I experienced this firsthand while walking the streets of New York and bonding with friends over moments we may not have shared otherwise. Sharing rooms also created opportunities for late-night conversations and reflection. These moments are often what help friendships grow.
These trips also gave students the opportunity to think about their future. Visiting new places can help guide decisions about where students may want to attend college or live after graduation. They also provide exposure to possible interests and areas of study. From Broadway workshops in New York to swimming with manatees in Florida, students discovered new passions that may influence their future paths.
Experiences like these demonstrate the Mount Pisgah Christian School belief that faith and academics are not separate paths. They are woven together both in the classroom and beyond.
Written from a student perspective, this reflection captures the heart of Beyond the Classroom experiences and their lasting impact on faith, friendships, and growth. To explore the full vision behind Beyond the Classroom at Mount Pisgah, read our overview here.