Service Week

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March 22-28, 2025

Service is a critical component of TKA's educational experience, and all high school students at The King's Academy are required to participate in TKA's Annual Service Week.

Service Week 2025 is March 22-28, though some trips may leave earlier or return after those dates. High School students are required to participate in our annual service week in a full-time capacity to fulfill their graduation service requirement. TKA Service Week is an academic week on our school calendar, and as such, we expect all high school students to attend. While we value all of the sacrificial service TKA students participate in, the intent of TKA Service Week is to serve together, as a TKA community, which supports our mission of creating enduring relationships.

2025 Service Trips Overview Sheet

2025 Service Trips Information Sheets

Belize Information Sheet

Costa Rica Information Sheet

Ecuador Information Sheet

Japan Information Sheet

Hazard, KY Information Sheet

Los Angeles Information Sheet

Lotus Information Sheet

McKee, KY Information Sheet

Peru Information Sheet

Philippines Information Sheet

Rio Grande, TX Information Sheet

Rwanda Information Sheet

San Francisco Information Sheet

Tecate, Mexico Information Sheet

FAQ's

Important Dates

Student Application Process

Application

The 2025 Service Trip Student Application link will be posted in Canvas in the Grade Level Classrooms from Thursday, August 29 to Tuesday, September 11. At the deadline, the application will be closed and submissions will no longer be accepted.
9th Grade students may apply for domestic (U.S.) trips and Tecate, Mexico. There will be a separate application for 9th grade.
10th - 12th grade students may apply for all trips.
In the application, students will rank all trip options from 1st to 7th choice (9th grade), and 1st to 14th (10th-12th grades) and answer questions about their interest in their top 3 choices.
Parents will receive an email confirming the receipt of the application as well as information/commitment about the trip their student has applied for.

Selection

After the application closes, the Trip Leaders and Spiritual Life Department will select students for each trip.

Acceptance & Posting of Lists

Acceptance letters and contracts will be sent to students and parents on Friday, October 11. Signed contracts are due on Monday, October 28 to secure students’ place on the trip.
Once signed contracts are received, students will be able to see their service trip in the student portal.
If you have questions or concerns about your student’s placement prior to signing the contract, please contact Jeff Liu and Micaela McLaughlin to discuss.

Dropping or Switching Trip

Once contracts are signed, students will not be able to switch trips for any reason. If a student is approved by Dr. Lui to drop out of their trip, they will be required to complete their required 35 service hours for the year through Alternative Service.
Refunds will not be issued for students who drop out of a service trip.

Financial Information

The cost of each trip is detailed in the Service Week Overview sheet.

Payment Process: Bills will be sent and payments are to be made through the FACTS family portal.

Payments will be made over 3 installments:

November 15, 2024
January 15, 2025
February 15, 2025

Additional Costs

Certain trips may require additional costs such as passports, immunizations, visas, etc. are the responsibility of the individual and will not be covered in the total cost of each trip.

Parent Participation on Service Trips

Once trip teams are confirmed, if there is a need for additional parent volunteers, trip leaders may invite parents of students on their trip to serve as an adult chaperone. Parent volunteers will be selected based on the needs of each trip.

All adults who are not employed by TKA must provide evidence of fingerprinting (LiveScan), paid for by the adult, and must agree to a background check performed by the school evidence before attending any of our service trips.

The cost for parent volunteers will be half of the published price of the trip they are selected to attend.

Travel Safety

The King’s Academy is continually monitoring threats and concerns that may affect the welfare of students on service trips. We regularly check the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization for health updates and the U.S. State Department for travel advisories. In general, trips to countries with level 3 or higher are not allowed. However, some countries' ratings vary within regions, like Mexico. Because travel advisories regularly change and countries undergo regime changes, the TKA administration reserves the right to approve trips to certain countries and/or regions within countries where we determine students and staff will be in a safe environment. TKA will never take a trip in which we believe the students and staff will not be safe. If we, or the partnering organization, deem travel unsafe at any point, we will not hesitate to modify our plans or call off travel to that area. For questions, contact Jeff Liu, Spiritual Life Director.

Alternative Service

If you would like to request an exemption for your student’s participation in a TKA sponsored service trip, a Service Week Exemption Request Form must be submitted. Dr. Lui will review each request and reach out regarding the status of the request. If the exemption request is denied, students will be expected to apply for and participate in a TKA service trip.

Exemptions will be granted on a very limited basis and must meet the following criteria for approval: existing plans to serve with one's own church, medical need (doctor's note required), or financial concerns. Personal travel plans during service week are NOT criteria for being granted an exemption.

Please reach out to Micaela McLaughlin with any questions regarding Alternative Service.

Financial Assistance

If you would like to request financial assistance, please complete the Service Trip Financial Assistance Application. Please note that only families currently receiving tuition assistance are eligible for service trip financial assistance.

If you are approved for financial assistance, your student will be limited to participate in one of the following trips:

Lotus, CA
San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Tecate, Mexico

All financial assistance will be handled confidentially through the Business Office.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Micaela McLaughlin, Service Coordinator.

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