Benedict students give back on spring break

April 26, 2007

By MORGAN SHERMAN

For many college students, spring break is a weeklong party.

But this year, some gave their vacation a new meaning.

From April 1-7, 18 Benedict College students participated in Habitat for Humanity's Collegiate Challenge in New Orleans.

The year-round national program offers students community service opportunities as an alternative to spring break. Its goal is to help students enhance leadership skills and to give them a chance to contribute to a charitable cause.

Tondaleya Jackson, director of service learning at Benedict, said this is the first time her students have done the Collegiate Challenge.

After seeing the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, Jackson said she wanted to get involved.

"I didn't think that just sending a check was good enough," she said. "I knew I wanted to do my part to help our neighbors in need."

To be considered, Benedict applicants needed a grade-point average of at least 2.5 and reference letters. They also had to write an essay and be interviewed by a panel.

"About 80 students applied," said Jackson. "But we could only take 18 with us."

The team arrived in New Orleans April 1. Camp Hope, a renovated elementary school, provided lodging.

The team worked at Musicians' Village, a collaboration among New Orleans musicians Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr. and Habitat for Humanity.

From around 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. that week, they painted, put siding and shingles on houses, built sheds, and leveled the ground for concrete.

Benedict students had journals and cameras to record the week. They will present their experiences in seminar classes, hoping to encourage others to get involved.

"I found out how these people really felt, what they feel the government did and the direction the city is going in now," said freshman Jessie Middleton of his conversations with New Orleans residents.

But Benedict participants say they learned about themselves, too.

"I learned to be humble," said freshman Thomas Adams, who bonded with New Orleans children waiting for their school to be rebuilt.

Tomika Kirkland agreed."Going down there actually gave me an outlook on what's going on here," the junior said. "We should be thankful for what we have."

Source: The State Newspaper

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