---

While many Catholics spent their Easter break with family and friends, a group of teenagers from the Diocese spent their free time helping distant families in need.
Students from Catholic Central High School in Troy and from Niskayuna High School, among others, were part of a Habitat for Humanity project in Appalachia.

"It was a great chance to show the young people to see another side of reality for our country," said Sister Betsy Van Deusen, CSJ, of St. Helen's Church in Niskayuna.

St. Helen's was one of many parishes represented by the students, including St. Catherine of Siena in Albany, St. Jude the Apostle in Wynantskill, St. Bonaventure's in Speigletown, Corpus Christi in Round Lake, St. Mary's in Waterford, Holy Trinity in Cohoes, St. Pius in Loudonville, St. John Francis Regis in Grafton, St. Edward's in Clifton Park and St. Madeleine Sophie in Schenectady. 

The students spent their vacation helping to build houses for poor families. At CCHS, the trip started with a 22 hour bus ride on Good Friday morning to Cordele, Georgia, and ended with a trip back to Albany at 4 a.m. the following Sunday.

The students did not seem to mind.

"We just wanted to have fun and help people at the same time," said Meaghan Stadtlander, a junior at CCHS.

That seemed to be what happened. Along with the time they spent building a three bedroom house for a woman and her son, the students from CCHS also experienced the warmth and welcome from the residents of the Peach State.

"Everyone had such good hospitality and were willing to make us feel comfortable," said Sam Clement, another junior.

"The generosity of everyone down there was amazing," added Kaitlin Cashin, a senior.

Meanwhile, parishioners from St. Madeline Sophie Church teamed up with parishioners from St. Helen's in Franklin, West Virginia, to build houses for low-income families.

For Dan Gardiner, a 17-year-old junior from Niskayuna High School, this was a second go-round that was just as rewarding as the first.

"I went on a trip to New Orleans last year," he said, "and this was such a different experience, but it was just as fulfilling and I loved every minute of it."

Calluses coming
The trip provided some lessons in construction. 

"I came out of the trip knowing how to do a lot of new things," said Jordan Campo, a senior at Niskayuna High, when discussing the work involved with building houses.

Likewise, Ariana Hiller, a junior at Niskayuna, left with a new talent under her belt.

"I was really happy to be hands-on and using tools and stuff," she said. "I knew nothing about any of that before the trip." 

The teens even got a little bit of publicity too. In Cordele, the CCHS crew appeared on a local television show and was mentioned in the Cordele Dispatch, the local newspaper.

"We just though this would be a good experience for them," said Sister Monica Murphy, CSJ, who supervised the CCHS students, "and it was just absolutely amazing."

Big faith
The trip reminded the students that compassion for others extends beyond parish boundaries. 

"I learned that my faith can live outside of St. Helen's or St. Ambrose, or any church for that matter," said Dan. "It really keeps my faith strong and I was really touched by that experience."

"[They were] opportunities I wouldn't have had elsewhere," said Jordan.

The trip received rave reviews from both parties, who said they wanted to go back. In fact, when asked what they would want to do differently the next time around, the students from CCHS came up with a unanimous answer.

"Stay longer," they said.[[In-content Ad]]

---