Immersions | Mission & Ministry | Saint Francis High School

IN THIS SECTION

Inspired by the life of Jesus and the humble service of the Brothers of Holy Cross, the Saint Francis High School Immersion Program invites students to build real relationships with people who are poor and marginalized. Students come face to face with local and global challenges, reflect on them through the lens of faith, and respond through service. Along the way, they are invited to be open to transformation and to join their faith with a commitment to justice and the common good.

Through immersion experiences, students are encouraged to consider how their hearts and minds can serve the world and be agents of change. Immersion opportunities are available to current juniors and seniors. An information night for interested students and their families is held each fall.

“We locate ourselves with the poor and the powerless and the voiceless. At the margins of society we join the despised and the left out. We stand at the margins, and the margins are erased. ”

Fr. Greg Boyle, SJ

Immersion Applications

Important Dates for 2026-27 Immersion Applications

October 5 Immersion Information Night
October 6 Application Link sent to Juniors and Seniors
October 24 Completed Applications Due
November 12 Accepted and Waitlisted emails sent
November 17 Immersion Tenet Night
November 20 Signed Contracts Due to Campus Ministry
February 2027 Tuition Account Payment for Full Immersion Fees

Trips We are Offering

Get the Immersion Program Information Sheet

February Break
East Los Angeles February 4-7, 2027 The Dolores Mission Immersion Program provides high school and university students the opportunity to grow in solidarity and relationship with the men and women of Dolores Mission. Students travel to East Los Angeles, California to be immersed in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. Students learn about Homeboy Industries, the nation’s largest gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the world. Students will work with the Guadalupano Homeless Project preparing and serving meals to shelter residents, and will prepare and serve meals at Midnight Mission.
Easter Break
Washington, D.C. March 27-April 2, 2027 Students will travel to our nation’s capital where they will learn about food insecurity and homelessness in the DC area. Participants will engage in service opportunities with organizations on the front lines of the fight to end homelessness, increase access to affordable housing, and create a healthy, sustainable, and accessible food system that is equitable for all. There will be a mix of direct service as well as learning about advocacy and listening to personal stories. Partners include The National Coalition for the Homeless, Martha’s Table, So Others Might Eat, ONE DC, and DC Central Kitchen. There will also be an opportunity for museum visits, sightseeing, and recreational activities.
Dominican Republic March 26-April 4, 2027 Students will partner with Courts for Kids to build a sports court alongside the community of Mamón, Dominican Republic. Working hand in hand with local residents, they will come to know the people of Mamón: their daily lives, their history, and their hopes for the future. Students will share meals, learn local traditions and customs, and take part in daily life in the community, forming relationships that last well beyond the trip.
Summer Break
Panamá June 2-11, 2027 Students will join Courts for Kids and the people of Barrigón, Panama, to build a sports court the whole community can enjoy. Side by side with local families, students will learn what life is like in Panama: its traditions, its challenges, and its dreams for the future. Through shared meals, everyday routines, and time spent together, students will build friendships that carry the experience home with them.
Holy Cross Immersion June 7-11, 2027 This year, Saint Francis students will travel to Holy Cross High School in San Antonio, Texas, to spend the immersion with the wider Holy Cross family. Five students from each of the six Holy Cross schools of the former Southwest Province will come together to serve the San Antonio community and live in Christian community. Students will work side by side, share meals and prayer, and discover the values that connect Holy Cross schools across the country. Along the way, they'll form new friendships and come home with a deeper sense of what it means to belong to Holy Cross.
Pine Ridge Reservation Immersion June 2-8, 2027 Students will stay in Allen, South Dakota, and spend the week getting to know the Lakota community of the Pine Ridge Reservation. We will be partnering with AllPeopleBeHappyThey will work alongside community members on a service project that the community leads, and learn about Lakota life, history, and culture from the people who live it. Activities may include visiting cultural museums and nearby landmarks, hearing from Lakota families about their relationship to the land, learning about traditional arts, and sharing traditional foods. Students will also explore the wide-open landscapes of the region and return with a deeper appreciation for the Lakota people and their land.
El Salvador Immersion June 2-9, 2027 Students will travel with CRISPAZ (Christians for Peace in El Salvador) to get to know the people of El Salvador: their daily lives, their history, and their hopes for the future. The heart of the trip is several days living with families in a rural community, where students will share meals, conversation, and everyday life. The group will also visit sites honoring El Salvador's martyrs, meet with grassroots organizations, learn about fair trade crafts, and take part in cultural activities. Speakers will help students understand the history, politics, economy, and current challenges of El Salvador. Students will return home with lasting friendships and a new understanding of faith and justice.
Brazil Immersion June 7-14, 2027 Students will work to support the Holy Cross Brothers in their work located in Campinas, Brazil (affiliated with Parõquia São José de Jaguaré and Colégio Notre Dame de Campinas). Students will work with a variety of organizations, including working at the two CECOIA community centers run by the Brothers of Holy Cross. Students will also get to know their fellow Holy Cross students at Colégio Notre Dame and learn about the cultural, political, and economic realities facing Brazil today. Through shared service and new friendships, students will help our Holy Cross family grow across borders.