By Mac Taylor

Over spring break, 23 students flew to New Orleans on a community service trip to help rebuild houses devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

The trip was organized by Sarah Hoberman ’07 and Olivia Kestin ’09. They proposed and started planning the trip in September.

The trip was led by Father J. Young and five other chaperones, and the building project was coordinated by Habitat for Humanity.

The majority of the students’ days of volunteer work consisted of building fences and laying cement blocks.

Their jobs included laying cinderblock, pouring cement and dirt and then erecting wooden frames on top.

“The work was hard, but I still had a lot of fun with my friends,” Jeremy Cairl ’09 said. “It felt good to help other people and make a difference.”

After six hours of grueling work, the group had other activities, including some exploration of New Orleans.

“When we had finished working, it was really fun to go into the French Quarter and eat some great food,” Joey Friedrich ’09 said.

Reflecting on the trip, he said, “I think everyone had a great experience. I definitely want to go again next year.”

Hoberman and Kestin volunteered in New Orleans over the summer as well.