Interim Experiences

Faculty Leaders: Caitlin Maguire, Hayden Copeland, John Harris
Cost:$4,000
Dates: March 2-10 (Please note that this experience falls outside of the 4-day Interim window)

During this experience, we will visit Ancient and New Testament Christian sites, including Athens, Corinth, Thessaloniki, Philippi, and Meteora. We’ll focus on the early history of the Christian church and Paul’s mission, and how that clashed with and changed Greek society and culture helping shape it into what it is today. You’ll also get to experience authentic Greek food, and some lessons in the Greek language!

Faculty Leaders: Kelli Wisthoff, Andrew Stacy, Stephanie Feyes
Cost: $4,299
Dates: March 1-9 (Please note that this experience falls outside of the 4-day Interim window)

Students will explore the country of kings and castles, monks and monasteries—and many of our ancestors. With a local guide, see Ireland’s most iconic sites while learning about the rich cultural history of a place that shaped our own country in many ways. You will see remnants of ancient Christianity at a 6th Century monastery, examine the struggle of daily life in Dublin in the 1800s at a Georgian tenement house museum, and imagine yourself the King of Munster at Blarney Castle (where legend has it you may get the gift of eloquence by kissing the famous Blarney Stone, if you dare!). From touring EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum and a jail that housed revolutionaries who fought for Irish independence in Dublin to exploring the Ring of Kerry and the Cliffs of Moher on Ireland’s rugged west coast, learn of the beauty, struggle, and charm of this country and its inhabitants.

Faculty Leaders: Kelly Huddleston, Ross Bolen, Cecilia Moix
Cost: $3,200
March 3-7, 2024 (Please note that this experience falls outside of the 4-day Interim window)

Get ready to get your cameras out and lens on to photograph the amazing island of Cuba. You’ll stay in the capital city of Havana while venturing out during the day to tour the city and surrounding country. Spend a day at Varadero Beach and ride through Havana in a 1950’s Classic Car.

Faculty Leaders: Brandon Albright, Stacey Banks-Houston, TBA
Cost: $2,700
March 2-9, 2024 (Please note that this experience falls outside of the 4-day Interim window)

The Jamaica Mission Trip will be working with American Caribbean Experience to serve the people and communities of the parish of St. Mary. Our team, will be taking part in a number of ACE’s partnerships with the community and will be serving in a variety of ways, from construction and farming to tutoring and playing with students at the local schools. The trip cost includes airfare, housing, ministry expenses, transportation, and meals in Jamaica. We will be staying at ACE’s Galina Breeze Hotel, a wonderful gated facility where we can relax after a hard day of work by the pool and soak in views of the ocean. We will also spend a day at the end of the trip to visit the beach and have some downtime after a long week. Come and serve with us!

Faculty Leaders: Phillip Griswold, Bob Chandler, TBA
Cost: $2,300
March 4-7

Explore the art and music of New York on a crosstown tour of museums and music venues! See incredible artworks by famous artists at museums such as the Museum of Modern Art and the MET, such as Van Gogh’s famous Starry Night. In the evenings we’ll enjoy some great music and a Broadway play. We’ll hit up some of the sights and sounds of the city along the way, and of course, grab some delicious food. Students will experience some of the most famous and excellent artistic treasures in the United States. Join us for the Art & Music Experience in NYC for this year’s Interim!

Faculty Leaders: Josephine Kelso, Cassie Bates, James Weeks
Cost: $1,800
March 3-7 (Please note that this experience falls outside of the 4-day Interim window)

Join us in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida for a wind sport and ecology interim. On this trip you will windsurf, trawl for pufferfish and seahorses, collect data on microplastics for NOAA, snorkel at a wild-life preserve, and get up close and personal with the gentle, cuddly, herbivorous bovines of the sea, your friend and mine, the manatees! This adventure is all about biodiversity and speed, marine ecology, and maximum velocity.

*Please note that while windsurfing expertise is not required, strong swim skills and comfort in open water are prerequisites for attending this interim experience.

Faculty Leaders: Christina Theodoru, Tom Gilroy
Cost: $725
March 4-7

Immerse yourself in American History with a tour through Birmingham, Alabama, Jackson, Mississippi, Memphis, and Nashville. During Interim we will explore historical sites that played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement including but not limited to: The Lorraine Motel, The Birmingham Civil Rights Walking Tour, The Historical Markers Tour in Jackson, and The National Museum of African American Music. Make History come alive by participating in this Interim!

Faculty Leaders: David Dawson, Kaylee Shackleford
Cost: $985
March 4-7

Students will explore the art of fly fishing in Middle and Eastern Tennessee. All levels of fishermen and fisherwomen are welcome. This experience will provide a great chance to enjoy the great outdoors, enjoy some fellowship, and learn fly-fishing on some of Tennessee's great rivers.

Faculty Leaders: Alana Hilkin, Sarah Moore, Sean Adams, Natalie Scruggs, Kate Webber
Cost: $2,000
March 4-7

Join us on the Heart 2 Heart Disney Interim trip to experience a whole new world of offerings for individuals with disabilities! Come experience the most magical place on Earth like you never have before as we get a first-hand look at how one of the most visited places in the world offers a multitude of options to accommodate individuals with various needs. We’ll get to explore 3 of the parks that Disneyworld has to offer all while building relationships, learning, and having a blast!

*Please note that this experience is designed to enhance the learning of students in the Heart 2 Heart program or those enrolled in the FRA Exceptional Learners course.

Faculty Leaders: Shawn Allen, Courtney Gilreath Sonia Higdon
Cost: $1,000
March 4-7

The FRA Track and Field program is going to beautiful St. Petersburg, FL, for a competition and cultural enrichment trip. St. Petersburg is the second most diverse city in FL, with a rich history and Cuban influence. The team with practice every morning at Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater, and compete at Northside Christian School in the Mustang Invitational. During the afternoon, the team will kayak around the Sand Key Marine Sanctuary, attend a Spring Training baseball game, play on Clearwater Beach, and visit the Salvador Dali Museum. For lunch and dinner, the team will eat in Dunedin, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg sampling some of the best international cuisine the Gulf Coast has to offer.

Faculty Leaders: Maggie Waxter
Cost: TBA
March 4-7

Faculty Leaders: Chad Sandford, Carly Schneider, Clifton Kaiser
Cost: $125
March 4-7

This interim experience will include a day trip in Nashville to sites relevant to the story of women's suffrage in Tennessee, the state whose decision to ratify the 19th Amendment made women’s suffrage legal throughout the United States. Students will also visit the TN State Museum to analyze how well women's history is represented there. It will also include primary source analysis at on-site locations where women marched in support of suffrage. Students will discover some of the experiences of lesser-known women in American History. Reading selections will focus on the work of Drew Gilpin Faust and her work on Confederate Women and Yankee Men; Laurel Thatcher Ulrich and her Pulitzer-prize winning work on Martha Ballard, documented in the PBS film A Midwife’s Tale.

Faculty Leader: Ben Suitt
Cost: $50
March 4-7

Sequential art has been a part of the human experience since cave paintings thousands of years ago. They appeared on clay pots in ancient Greece, and they appeared in tapestries through the Renaissance. Today, sequential art finds its most persistent home in comic books and graphic novels. During this interim experience, students will investigate the genre's origins while creating a comic book from scratch. We will discuss how to write a comic script and draw a comic successfully.

Faculty Leaders: Corri Calandra, Kyle Strazzeri, Michael Bartha
Cost: $125
March 4-7

Join us as we spend our interim exploring ecology and the environment by connecting with nature in Nashville! We will spend our days off-campus exploring different hiking trails on the outskirts of Nashville, diving into botany and biodiversity at Cheekwood Gardens, and ending with a special visit to the Nashville Zoo! This experience is designed to deepen a student's understanding of our planet’s delicate balance and discuss our impact as stewards of conservation for our planet. Our adventures will be supplemented with a daily exploration of Nashville’s culinary offerings. All students curious to dig deeper into the green side of the city we call home are welcome!

Faculty Leaders: Kris Climer, Bill Zepeda
Cost: $75
March 4-7

This class provides students with an opportunity to explore the many different areas that relate to maintenance and repair. Students will develop problem-solving skills needed in home repair and essential life skills that will help make them self-reliant in maintaining or updating their home or vehicle. Students will learn and practice using tools, procedures, and techniques for plumbing, electrical, automotive, and carpentry. The class is hands-on, and students will develop the confidence to take on minor repairs on their own, thus becoming a handy DIYer.

Mr. Climer and Mr. Zepeda have extensive experience in home and auto repair, construction, and proper tool usage and safety.

Faculty Leaders: David Gallagher, Keith Gray
Cost: $300
March 4-7

In this local interim experience, participants will attend morning sessions covering Sports Leadership topics. “Sports is life with the volume turned up” – Sports Leadership sessions will include guest speakers, article studies, or culture lessons that tie in how sports leadership can connect to life lessons. Each day, participants will also help lead a basketball clinic for our lower school students at FRA: running fundamental drills, coaching small teams in competition, and sharing devotions or life experiences/lessons with our younger students on campus. Participants will also run some basketball clinics at other local locations in the afternoon/evenings. Participants will also enjoy some bonding activities both on and off campus together throughout the week. The takeaway from this experience will be impactful relationships formed with younger students who share a passion for basketball, an appreciation of how life lessons can be taught through sports, and experience as well as knowledge gained in the field of Sports Leadership.

Cost: $150
Chaperones: Jodi Troutt, Amanda Kellum
March 4-7

Founded on the principles of Krav Maga and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu this course will teach students reality-based self-defense along with situational and social media awareness. The goal is to foster a sense of community among students while equipping those students with the knowledge to protect themselves. This experience will include de-escalation and prevention techniques along with Krav Maga and Grappling training.

Faculty Leaders: Chris Schmoke, Thomas Carlton, Ashley Willits
Cost $125
March 4-7

Living in Music City has its advantages. We have world-class musicians, performers, songwriters, engineers, and promoters right in our community. This will be a week of visiting with many of these people and having an opportunity to see where they work, hear their vast knowledge and experience, and write, play, and record some music. This trip will primarily be during the day but may include afternoons and evenings to accommodate our adventures.

Faculty Leaders: Lisa Zenner, Allison Hammat
Cost: $150
March 4-7

Escape the everyday grind and discover the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation with our Hiking and Yoga Experience. Join us for unforgettable hikes through pristine wilderness and guided yoga sessions in tranquil settings. Don't miss out on this incredible experience to find your balance in the great outdoors.

Faculty Organizers: Maddi Devey, Justin Geisinger, Jared Mendiola
Cost: None—students must transport themselves to their host job site each day
March 4-7

Students will shadow a professional in the local community or work on an approved mentor-guided entrepreneurial venture. Students may choose to job shadow almost any profession, provided that the professional does not work at FRA and is not a family member. Students will fill out paperwork, and FRA faculty members will check in on each shadow placement throughout the week. Students will begin the week all together with a sponsored breakfast at FRA and a welcome speech on how to maximize your job shadow experience by a community professional.

FRA Faculty Contact: Rod Jones
Cost: $580
March 4-7

Students will expedite the process of getting a learner’s permit and/or driver’s license. Brentwood Driver Training (BDT) offers a convenient, affordable option for students of all ages to receive classroom training, driving simulation, and insurance benefits. BDT will also help schedule on-the-road driving and make sure students are prepared for driving tests.