Field Trips Allow Youth to Consider Next Steps

April 10, 2026

For the young people at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, Spring Break gave them an opportunity to not only think about their future, but to experience it first hand.  

Over two days, our young men and women stepped into new environments, visiting both a traditional college campus and a hands-on career training program. The experiences offered exposure, inspiration, and a clearer sense of what could come next for them.

A visit to Loyola University Chicago began with an informational session before the group headed outside for a full campus tour. They explored key parts of campus life, including a student dining hall, the Madonna della Strada Chapel, and lakefront views along Lake Michigan. Along the way, they learned about admissions requirements and the range of support services available to Loyola students.

For Charla Jae, the visit helped her create a clearer picture of her future. Planning to attend Arrupe College for the next two years as part of the Mercy Home scholarship program, she hopes to then transfer into Loyola. 

“I liked that [Loyola] had a free tutoring center for the students,” she said. “I also liked learning about the Diversity and Inclusion Center because it has resources for the students too.”

She also came away with a new understanding of the school as well.

“Today I learned that it was a Catholic Jesuit school,” she said. “I saw the church and didn’t know that they had that.”

For our coworkers, moments like these are exactly the goal.

“If we’re trying to instill in these kids that anything is possible and they can do or be anything, it’s important that we give them exposure to as many different environments and learning and career opportunities as possible,” said Stephen Guardino, a post secondary options and career resources coordinator at Mercy Home, who helped organize the visit. “It’s great to have the chance to take them to a great four-year Jesuit university and let them immerse themselves in what a college campus is like.”

At first, the young people just listened and didn’t ask questions in the informational session. But over time on the tour as they got more comfortable, Guardino noticed a change.  

“I liked seeing the kids engage with the tour guide and ask questions,” he said.

The next day, students explored a different kind of path, one rooted in hands-on training and career readiness.

At UNITE HERE Chicago Hospitality Institute at McCormick Place, the young people were introduced to a free culinary and hospitality training program designed to prepare people for careers in the industry.

They toured the facility’s professional kitchen, learning what daily work might look like in a culinary setting.

Shawn, one of the students on the tour, was especially interested in the behind-the-scenes details.

“I liked learning about the way their meat and food is packaged in the freezer,” he said.

For Gabriel, who already enjoys cooking and baking at Mercy Home, the visit reinforced his interest.

“My favorite part was probably when we were talking about what it takes to [complete the] UHCHI (UNITE HERE Chicago Hospitality Institute)” program he said.

The visit was intentionally designed to show students that there are a variety of post-secondary options available to them.

“The reason that trip was organized was because we do have a lot of youth that are interested in a career in meal service or hospitality,” said Alexandro Jimenez, Post Secondary Options and Career Resources Coordinator. “That is a real big interest for a lot of our young people.”

Together, the two visits highlighted that there is no single path forward, and Mercy Home is willing to find creative ways to support all its young people. Whether it’s pursuing a college degree or entering a career training program, the Mercy Home youth are being given the resources, and now the exposure to imagine their futures that fit with their goals and passions.