The St. Mary School Class of 2008 spent the last week of April helping to rehabilitate low-income housing in West Virginia as part of their senior class trip.

THE ST. MARY Class of 2008 spent part of their senior
trip whitewater rafting on the New River in West Virginia.
The New is considered by many to be the fastest-flowing
river in the eastern U.S.

The group of 22 seniors, accompanied by principal Mark Gaubatz, class advisor Patty Dunbar, parent chaperones Jeff Korson and Kathy Priest, and bus driver Pat Gardner, left Lake Leelanau after a 6 a.m. Mass at St. Mary on April 27. According to information provided by the school, the seniors spent two days at the Ace Adventure Resort near Oak Hill, W. Va., where they went whitewater rafting, rock climbing, zip-lining, repelled down rock walls, and completed the low-ropes challenge course.

The trip was not all fun and games, though. Dunbar said the students also installed siding on and helped drywall a house, as well as build a storage shed. The volunteer work was coordinated with the Southern Appalachian Labor School, an organization devoted to building and rehabilitating low income housing.

“The class members wanted to do something different for their senior trip. This trip provided the opportunity for them to learn more about themselves, each other and the world,” Dunbar said. “It was a wonderful experience providing a blend of fun and service — and we had fun doing the service.”

The seniors held fundraisers throughout the last four years, and each student was also responsible for paying a small portion of the trip fees.

Gaubatz said the trip offered the students a chance to see how some people struggle daily to get the basic necessities for survival. “They were able to benefit greatly from doing service work and watching and seeing that some families live in very different circumstances — without the modern everyday conveniences of plumbing and electricity,” he said. “The students worked diligently and did a great job to help families needing basic housing. It was a most successful, fulfilling journey.”

The students returned Friday, May 2.