Frequently asked Questions

Can I afford this trip?

Absolutely! Our price is very competitive at $450 per week for a typical 5-day week (Sunday-Friday). That price includes lodging, meals, work-site supplies, evening activities, quality leadership, preparation materials, SLAM T-shirt and one other gift, for you and your group.

On what day does our trip start and end?
SLAM TRIPS arrival times are from 4:30pm-5pm on Sunday through 9am on Friday. SLAM TRIPS run all summer long – contact the director to reserve your date!
Who can come?
We have designed our SLAM TRIPS for students entering 6th grade through those who just graduated 12th grade. College-age groups and inter-generational groups/families are also welcome, but they need to understand that we are geared toward 6th-12th graders.
What is the adult leader to student ratio?
Because we want to give every group the best experience possible with as little problems as possible, we ask that each group has 1 leader for every 7 students. We welcome all ages on Slam Trips so there is no limit to how many adults you can bring! If you bring both male and female students then please have both male and female adult leaders.

Our insurance requires that each group conducts a national criminal and background check on every adult leader you bring. Each group will present the SLAM TRIPS director, when you arrive, with written confirmation that your adult leaders have been approved to work with youth. Background checks are good for three years. Please do not send us the results of the background check. That is for you and your church/organization to put on file. We just want to know that the background checks have been done.

Who will be our leaders once we arrive?

We have 7 staff (Director, Daily Events Coordinator, Work site Coordinator, Kitchen/Meal Coordinator, & 3 Student Interns)  who are responsible for all the evening activities, food, lodging and community service sites & supplies. All interns will live on-site with you during your stay.

What about transportation?
Each group is responsible for their own transportation to and from the reservation, as well as on-site during your stay.
Where are we staying?

You will be staying on the reservation at the All Nations Center in Wapato. This facility is equipped with plenty of rooms to sleep in, showers and bathrooms, kitchen and a large open play area with basketball hoops and volleyball nets. Guys and girls will sleep in separate rooms, including married adult leaders. Individuals will need to bring their own sleeping bags, pillows, sleeping pads or air mattresses that are twin size or smaller (Slam trips does not provide a pump for the air mattresses).

Will there be groups other than ours there?
Possibly. If so, you will have the opportunity to hang out with different groups from various churches during the week. There could be anywhere from 25-75 other students on-site. We will divide up into small work party groups that are mixed and matched with students from other groups. At least one adult from your group will be with your students.
What kind of community service projects will we do?
You could do anything from painting homes, cleaning yards of garbage and debris, chopping wood for elders, mowing, weeding gardens, working at a homeless shelter, light construction projects, or maybe even working at one of our local pow-wows.
What role will adult leaders play during the community service projects?
Adults will play the following roles: 1) make sure the students are being safe, 2) oversee the work project itself, and 3) work alongside the students.
Will there be a supervisor at each community service site?
Whereas we will have an intern who is in charge of community service projects for your group, he/she will be running multiple work sites at once so they will not be at your site the entire time. However, they will be stopping by your site throughout the day, and you will have their phone number in case you need to get a hold of them sooner. You will also receive an orientation of your site before heading out.
Are there Covid Safety Protocols and Guidelines in place for SLAM Trips?

Yes! We staff are taking the safety of every participant seriously. Here are the COVID Protocols and Guidelines our board of directors and staff developed for the safety of every individual.

Are there books by Native authors I can read that will help me better understand the history of Native people and the Church and contextualizing the Gospel?

We suggest you consider reading one or more of these Recommended Books from our Mission Trip Preparation and Processing Guides list prior to your trip.