High school is a formative time. Students are learning about the world, deepening their faith, and forming exactly who they will become later in life. During this time of life, mission trips can be an incredibly impactful way to challenge students and help them engage deeply with service at a local and global level — and that’s worth pursuing.
Not sure if mission trips are for you? Check out our blog, "Why I Still Believe in Mission Trips"
Once you’ve decided to go, you still need to determine where exactly you’d like to take your students.
It's good to spend time thinking about what your high school students might have to offer on a mission trip and what you hope they might take away from the trip.
Some questions to consider:
1. How can your students engage in a helpful way with what God is doing around the world?
Before jumping in and committing to a location or trip, reflect on your group’s starting point. It’s important to understand where they are spiritually, but also what sort of skills and gifts they already have. If you’ve got a construction-savvy church, lend a helping hand on a hurricane relief trip. If you think your students would do well working with children or focusing on relational ministry, you may consider an urban location.
2. What do you hope to take away from the trip?
We all have areas to learn and grow as we seek to love and serve others like Jesus. As you consider your options, reflect on areas where you hope your students will grow and continue to develop their faith. From navigating cross-cultural experiences in Latin America to rolling up your sleeves and hanging sheetrock after a natural disaster and learning from local families, or preparing and leading lessons for children in an urban park, there are endless challenges and learning opportunities in store for your group.
Check out “What to Do After Your Mission Trip” for ideas on how to continue fostering growth for your students after your mission trip is over!
3. Where do your students want to go?
High school students are capable of so much, and many are already faithfully seeking what God has planned for their lives. Give them a voice in what mission trip you’ll offer next year. Including them in the decision-making process will give them a vested interest in fundraising, recruiting their friends, and actually engaging with relationships and service on the trip.
Now that you’ve considered how might want to serve and what you hope to take away, it’s time to consider where that might take you! We’ve compiled a few ideas to get you started, but don’t forget to check out all our mission trip locations—high school students are welcome in all EM mission trip communities!
Urban Mission Trips
New York City
In one of the world’s largest cities, your students will be exposed to countless cultures and a way of life different than what they may be used to. Your team will have an opportunity to serve alongside ministries that seek to serve some of the more than 40,000 homeless men and women that reside in the city, foster healthy environments the children, and truly live their mission all year round. In the process, your students will have their views challenged and be inspired to take a posture of service and learning back home with them.
Learn more about NYC Mission Trips
Portland, Maine
Over the last several years, there has been an influx of refugees from war-torn African countries to this coastal city. As families seek to settle in and make a home for themselves alongside long-time residents, you can take an active role in the lives of parents and children in this community. Your students will have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with children and teens from diverse religious, social-economic, and ethnic backgrounds as you support the ongoing work of Experience Mission’s partners in this community.
Learn more about Portland mission trips
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah pairs historic charm with real need. Much of the city's housing is aging, and many residents can't afford repairs on their own. While others are experiencing life without a home at all. Your team will partner with the city of Savannah, the local Salvation Army, and a local shelter for those experiencing homelessness. Serve on hands-on projects like painting and home repairs, and loving Savannah residents wherever they find themselves.
Learn more about Savannah mission trips
Chicago, Illinois
In Chicago, your team partners with Sunshine Gospel Ministries' Bridge Builders program on the South Side, blending hands-on service with real conversations about race, poverty, and reconciliation. Locally led from start to finish, this trip challenges students to listen first and serve alongside a community with deep history and resilience.
Learn more about Chicago mission trips
Rural Mission Trips
Navajo Reservation, Arizona
In a world where teens are constantly connected to their phones, it can seem impossible to get them to engage in meaningful relationships. On trips to “the Rez,” your students will do just that. Teams serving in Arizona will work alongside local church leaders as they serve their own communities. You’ll have meaningful opportunities to slow down, build relationships, serve with dignity, and learn about the unique culture of the Navajo people.
Learn more about Dine/Navajo mission trips in Arizona
Marion, North Carolina
In the Appalachian community of Marion, North Carolina, your team will participate in Kids Club for local children and may also help with home repairs for elderly residents, support at a local children's home, or serve at a homeless shelter. Build meaningful relationships across generations while meeting practical needs in a close-knit mountain community.
Learn more about Marion, North Carolina mission trips
Muskegon, Michigan
In Muskegon, your team partners with Kids Belong to support local foster families—offering practical help like yard work and home projects, leading a Kids Club for foster kids, and giving exhausted caregivers a moment to breathe. It's a meaningful way to stand alongside families doing hard, often invisible work.
Learn more about Muskegon, Michigan mission trips
Pikeville, Kentucky
In rural, mountainous Pike County, Kentucky, your team will take on home repair, yard work, and landscaping for elderly and disabled residents who can't maintain their homes alone, connecting with local churches and neighbors along the way.
Learn more about Pikeville, Kentucky mission trips
South Texas (U.S.-Mexico Border)
Just five miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, your team will partner with Border Perspective to serve alongside immigrant families and local church leaders in the Rio Grande Valley. This service-learning trip combines hands-on ministry with an educational look at border life often overlooked by short-term teams passing through to Mexico.
Learn more about South Texas mission trips
International Mission Trips
Jamaica Hurricane Relief & More
In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa devastated communities across Jamaica, and your team can be part of the long rebuilding process in Catadupa and Cambridge. Working alongside Christian Fellowship Church, teams help repair homes, roads, and community buildings while also participating in a VBS-style Kids Club for local children.
Learn more about Jamaica mission trips
Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, your team partners with a local church in Rincon still helping communities recover years after Hurricane Maria, repairing homes for elderly residents, working in sustainable gardens aimed at reducing the island's reliance on imported food, and preparing and delivering meals to those in need.
Learn more about Puerto Rico mission trips
Belize
Looking for a good introductory international mission trip? Belize could be a great fit for your team of high school students. While the official language is English (making it easy for you to get around), EM partners with a network of Spanish-speaking churches. Your team will have the opportunity to serve alongside local leaders as they continue to extend the reach of the local church and meet the needs of their neighbors.
Learn more about mission trips to Belize!
Cuba
Partner with the rapidly-growing house church movement in Cuba. On your mission trip, students will have the opportunity to immerse in vibrant Cuban culture and live life with local people. Your team will go beyond the headlines or what they think they know about Cuba, meeting real people and serving alongside them as they seek to improve the lives of their neighbors.
Learn more about Cuba Mission Trips
Costa Rica
In Shiroles, Costa Rica, your team will serve the Bribri people of the Talamanca region. Get your hands dirty building the local way, as you help build additions, repair homes, or improve facilities at a local school or church. Between work projects and Kids Club, there's ample room to practice your Spanish and learn about a culture that has preserved its own indigenous language and traditions for centuries.
Learn more about Costa Rica mission trips
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There are countless ways your high school group can serve—and a member of the Experience Mission staff would love to help you discern what the right fit is for your group. The best place to start is to fill out an interest form to get in contact with our team.
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