High School Mission Trips

What are the best mission trips for high school students?

The best mission trips for high school students give teens real service alongside established local ministries, plus daily time to worship, reflect, and grow together. Experience Mission (EM) hosts group mission trips for high school groups in communities across the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Trips last six days or more depending on the community, and most communities ask for teams of six or more.

Every EM high school mission trip is built around a local partner who leads the work, EM field staff who support your team on site, and adult leaders from your group who stay with your students all week.

As you compare high school mission trips, look for these marks of healthy service:

• Established local partners - a host ministry that knows its community directs the work
• Meaningful service for older students - projects and settings that fit teens and give them real work to do
• Clear supervision - adult-to-student ratios and a named adult leader for every team
• Preparation before travel - cross-cultural training helps students arrive as guests and learners
• Time to reflect - daily worship and debrief help students carry what they learn back home

For a longer comparison between EM mission trip communities, read the best high school mission trips for 2027.

What high school mission trips does EM offer?

EM's group mission trips are for church youth groups, Christian schools, and ministry teams, and most communities require six or more people. Each community page lists the grades it can host, its open weeks, and its per-person cost, and the mission trips page compares every community in one place.

All EM mission trip communities welcome high school students, and some welcome middle school/junior high-aged youth:

• 9th grade and up are welcome in - Chicago, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Central Texas, New York City, the Rio Grande Valley, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, South Africa, and Indonesia
• 6th grade and up are welcome in - West Michigan, Navajo Nation in Arizona, Maine, Belize, Costa Rica, and Namibia

Planning for 6th through 8th graders? See middle school mission trips for community details, supervision ratios, and costs.

Groups that include middle schoolers can serve together in any community that welcomes the youngest student on the team. Each trip page confirms its current grade range before you register.

What do high school students do on a mission trip?

Most days on an EM high school mission trip center on worksite projects or local ministry support, shaped by what each host partner asks for that week. During summer trips (June through August), teams close each day at Evening Gathering, a 30-60 minute time of worship, prayer, and short devotional discussion.

Depending on the community, your team of high school students may have the opportunity to serve in:

• Repair and disaster recovery - home repair, construction, and rebuilding projects led by local partners
• Kids ministry - Kids Club, day camps, sports, and recreation alongside local leaders
• Care and support - food programs, elderly care, and support for neighbors facing hardship
• Community and church support - hands-on help with the ongoing work of a local church or ministry

Your high school students do not need special skills! Just a willingness to listen, learn, and serve where the host community identifies needs. Each EM partner community has specific focus areas so your group can match its gifts to work being done there.

Does EM offer U.S. mission trip opportunities for high school students?

Yes! EM hosts high school groups in urban, rural, and disaster recovery communities across the United States. Domestic trips offer many planning benefits - no passports, lower travel costs, and shorter travel days for students.

U.S. mission trip communities:

• Urban - Chicago, Illinois; New York City; Portland, Maine; and Savannah, Georgia
• Rural and border - Marion, North Carolina; Muskegon, Michigan; Navajo Nation, Arizona; Pikeville, Kentucky; and the Rio Grande Valley, Texas
• Disaster recovery - flood recovery in Highland Lakes, Texas, and Hurricane Helene recovery in Marion, North Carolina, and Newport, Tennessee

When you bring a high school group to serve in the U.S., teams serve alongside trusted, long-term local partners, including Sunshine Gospel Ministries in Chicago, The Salvation Army in New York City, Old Savannah City Mission in Georgia, and local Navajo pastors in Arizona.

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What international mission trips does EM offer for high school students?

EM hosts high school groups in Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Namibia, and Indonesia. Most international communities start at 9th grade, and Belize, Costa Rica, and Namibia also welcome 6th graders.

International travel takes a bit more planning up front, but it doesn't have to be difficult! Outside of airfare, the biggest difference is that every student needs a passport for trips outside the U.S. and its territories (like Puerto Rico).

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Are mission trips safe for high school students?

Yes! EM has a safety plan for every high school mission trip, including clear supervision, screened adult leaders, and trained field staff. Your group's adult leaders stay responsible for students throughout the week, while EM field staff and local partners guide the team on site.

Every high school team follows these safety standards:

• An adult leader age 21 or older - required for every group with minors on the team
• Required student/leader ratio - at least 1 adult leader for every 7 high school students
• Background checks - every participant age 18 and older completes one under EM's background check policy
• Trained field staff - EM field staff hold First Aid and CPR certification and carry medical kits

Read EM's full Health & Safety Plan for emergency response and how EM and team leaders share responsibility.

How much does a high school mission trip cost?

Per-person costs for EM high school mission trips in 2027 currently range from $475 to $599 in the U.S., $795 to $995 in Latin America and the Caribbean, $1,345 in Indonesia, and $1,395 to $1,595 in Africa. U.S. trips are often the most affordable choice for student groups.

Trip cost covers lodging, meals, work project materials, support for local partners, and EM field staff, plus in-country transportation on international trips. You will want to budget separately for travel to and from the community, background checks for all adult team members, and any international entry or exit fees.

New to high school mission trips? Many high school groups raise part of their trip cost together, and students often lead the effort. EM's Mission Trip Fundraising Guide offers ideas for teams. EM's registration and payment policy outlines deposit and trip payment due dates.

When do high school mission trips take place?

Most EM high school mission trips run during summer. Several communities also host teams in fall, winter, or during spring break, including Highland Lakes, Texas; Newport, Tennessee; Cuba, Jamaica, Belize, Puerto Rico, South Africa, and Namibia. EM's Evening Gathering is offered on summer trips (June through August).

Open weeks vary by community and change as teams register. Each trip page lists its current weeks, and the mission trips page lets you compare all EM communities against your group's school and sports calendars. Communities without open weeks list 2027 dates coming soon, and an interest form lets EM know your group's dates.

How does a high school group plan a mission trip?

In simple terms, your group leader registers your team, and EM support staff help along the way. We recommend starting the planning process as early as possible so you have time to choose a community, recruit adult leaders, and fundraise. Follow these steps:

1. Choose a mission trip community - match age range, dates, service focus, and cost to your group's requirements or limits
2. Reserve your week - submit an interest form to learn more before registering your team online
3. Recruit your team and adult leaders - making sure to meet the required ratio, with at least one leader age 21 or older
4. Complete background checks - for every participant 18 and older, confirmed through your EM Team Leader MyMission account
5. Prepare your students - with community information, packing lists and suggestions, and EM's cross-cultural training resources
6. Fundraise and travel - raise support as a team and plan your travel to the community

Lost? EM's guide on how to plan a mission trip walks leaders through each step in detail.

What is EM's approach to a high school mission trip?

We believe how a team serves matters as much as what you accomplish. EM's 7 Healthy Service Principles ask every team to come with humility, curiosity, and respect, entering a community as guests rather than tourists.

High school students have amazing energy to serve and do something that matters. On EM trips, they are invited to start by listening and consider that people matter more than projects, every person bears the image of God, and God is already present in each community. When they arrive, they are invited to participate in what God is already doing.

Read all 7 principles on EM's approach to missions.

High School Mission Trip FAQs