When Pella Christian High School students return from Christmas break this week, they will start the second semester outside of the traditional classroom experience. 

Pella Christian’s 13th annual Winterim starts Monday and will be held through Friday, with students participating in unique classes, out of state trips, and internships at several local businesses. Greg Beekhuizen, who oversees the classes as part of the Winterim Committee, says the experience provides students a chance to discover what interests they might have beyond high school.

“It’s an opportunity for students to do something a little bit different than we would normally do in the classroom, they can explore, maybe future career options or interests, they have. It’s a smaller class size, it just gives our students an opportunity that they might not have otherwise. To look at different things they’re interested in.”

The week-long experience will take place before the semester officially resumes on January 13th.