As the school year winds down atSt. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Kenmore, some members of the junior class will carry with them an experience expanding beyond the classroom. In this Focus on Education report, WBFO's Eileen Buckley met some students who conducted a spring service project in one of the nation's most economically impoverished places, Appalachia, and returned feeling humble.
"I learned that not everyone has what you have, so you should be grateful for what you have," said Jakai Harrison, a junior year at St. Joe's. He was one of ten students who traveled to West Virginia back in March as part of a school service trip. The students spent a week living with a group of West Virginians through a volunteer program called Bethlehem Farm. It's a Catholic organization that offers home repair services for low-income families. Harrison and fellow students were cut off from the digital world of communication and other daily items considered luxuries for those living in poverty.
"What did you personally learn from the experience?," asked Buckley. "I learned that there's a different way of living. We had no electronics and it was kind of hard the first day. After the first day -- it was like 'oh I forgot' I had an iPhone or an iPad or anything else," said Harrison.
"They're very -- I guess you could say -- passionate about their way of life and they are proud of who they are," said Joseph Ginnane, also a St. Joe's junior. He had a little insight on the poverty stricken are Appalachia through the eyes of his sister, who also conducted a similar school service project in that region.
"We saw a different way of living. It was very rural. So you had to drive a ways to get to our service sites. It was like a different feeling down there," said Ginnane.
That different feeling is the high rate of poverty. Appalachia covers a wide territory, from our Southern Tier region of New York State to West Virginia, northern Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. There are almost 400 counties and according to the Appalachian Regional Commission nearly 25-percent of those counties are considered distressed.
St. Joe's 9th grade religion teacher Chris Panepinto coordinates the service trip. He once lived in West Virginia for more than a year.
"I witnessed -- first hand -- the lifestyle and poverty and how important it is for our students to see a different lifestyle that they are not use to," said Panepinto.
Students Ginnane and Harrison conducted various chores while on the trip, earning a great deal of praise from the people they helped.
"We did gardening. I cut grass. Built a ramp for a couple," said Ginnane. "And one day were were home crew, which we cooked and clean for everyone. We went to do vinyl siding for a couple and their kids. The house was sliding. We went to Loaves and Fishes - which is like a thrift store -- they sell cloths and they did food pantry," said Harrison.
The Lasallian school follows the spirit of St. John Baptist de la Salle as part of the Christian mission taught at St. Joe's.
Teacher Panepinto noted that bringing students directly to those in need is the best practical experience of what he teaches in the classroom about serving others.
"We talk about it the classroom and you can read about, but you're actually doing it. and you're physically using your gifts and abilities to accomplish task." It's just so rewarding to see that in action," noted Panepinto.
Panepinto has a strong passion for the difference between urban and rural poverty.
"Urban poverty is always seen as there's access to everything," said Panepinto. "Many times, in urban settings, you're homeless folks are connected in so many different ways "In Rural settings -- it's the complete opposite. You're dealing with a lot of isolation issues a lot of loneliness. And people not having access to basic necessities."
Both students Ginnane and Harrison reflected on how their interaction with those they helped in West Virginia responded to them.
"Joe and I and a couple of other guys we went down the hill and visited the neighbor of Bethlehem Farm, Betty. Her husband has just died a couple of months before. She opened the door and said hello guys...It was just so nice for her to let us in and we sat around a talked for a good half-an-hour," said Harrison.
"One of the lady's, who we did the vinyl siding for, she thinks people think she's weird, but she's not she not weird at all," said Ginnane. "She thought that we would have a different perspective from her being from Appalachia, but that wasn't the case at all."
As you head through the busy hallways of St. Joe's students are preparing for their final exams, still some classroom learning is underway. For Ginnane and Harrison, they're hoping that other students will realize the importance of serving others and learn from their experience.
"Whenever some of the other students ask what we did, it's so hard to sum up what we did in a whole week in just a few words," said Ginnane. "I always say, just try to sign up and doing it yourself you really cannot explain the feeling of helping others."
As part of St. Joe's graduation requirement students must complete 20-hours of community service work. These students focused on service, prayers, simplicity and community and in the end it was an experience that they believe will remain with them in their future studies and careers.