This past summer the girls from Notre Dame Prep were able to participate in many service activities.  One service opportunity was a trip to Virginia for a Habitat for Humanity Build.  A group of eight girls teamed up with eight boys from Calvert Hall College High School.  Every year Mr. Peri gathers a different group of girls to attend this trip with him.  This summer he teamed up with Ms. McClurg and two Calvert Hall chaperones, Mr. Brown and Ms. Tracey, to lead the girls and boys.

The group took a four hour drive to Virginia where they stayed at a local church for a week.  Every morning they would wake up early, eat breakfast, and pack lunches.  Shortly after, the students would load onto the busses headed for the worksite.  The ride to the worksite was approximately 25 minutes away.  During these long bus rides, the girls and boys got to know each other.  At the worksite, Lindsay, the man in charge, instructed the kids how to hang dry wall.  Throughout the week, the students improved their skills and thought on their feet to hang the dry wall precisely.  After a long day working on the house, the group would board the bus to leave the work site.  The bus would make its way to the YMCA, which generously provided the group with the ability to shower and use their facilities.  The best part of the day was always after all the work was finished.  The students had little time to relax because of all the fun activities they would participate in.  They went bowling, kayaking, and paddle boarding. They also played several games, such as “Vampire.”  Through all this time spent together, the team bonded and became very close friends.

From doing manual labor to running around playing games, the students always had a smile on their faces.  No matter how hard the job was, being together made it fun and unique.  The service trip also gave the students a glimpse of many low income areas.  This view changed the perspective they had on workers who lived there.  This service trip altogether made them want to make a difference.  From the experiences they had on the Virginia Delegation, they learned that they could make this difference in a fun way.