“It’s about more than a house, it’s about values and bringing people
together.”
-Julia Rion,
Librarian at Cherry Hill High School East-
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| Julia Rion |
Spring Break.
It conjures up images of beaches, amusement parks, a trip abroad or
simply a time to sleep! For a
group of teachers and students at Cherry Hill High School East, however, it is a time of
hard physical labor as they take the Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge. For the past 8 years, they have spent
spring break “roughing it” as they work long days, often in the heat, building
a home and living in a geographic area that is very different from Cherry Hill,
New Jersey.
The collegiate challenge gives students a chance to develop
skills, meet new people, visit a new geographic area and make a difference in
eliminating substandard housing.
I met with Julia Rion, Cherry Hill East’s librarian, to
learn more. Eight years ago a
colleague “talked” Julia into chaperoning the school’s first Habitat trip. She wasn’t sure what she was getting
herself into at the time, but 9 years later, she hasn’t missed a trip yet. “It’s a privilege,” said Julia.
That first trip consisted of 15 students and 3 teachers
building in rural West Virginia.
Over the years the program has grown and is so popular that there is now
a waiting list for Collegiate Challenge experience. This year they are taking
40 students to Maryville, TN. Each
fall the students meet and plan their trip. They look for a place that is culturally and geographically
different from Cherry Hill, but still accessible to travel to. They have to find a Habitat
affiliate that can accommodate a large group. It’s a great opportunity to learn about other cultures
within the United States.
Julia and the other teachers volunteer their time and pay
their own way. Believe or not,
Julia finds her “vacation” revitalizing.
She spoke of how wonderful it is to watch a diverse group of kids who
typically don’t know each other very well, come together to volunteer for a
week and end up best friends.
Traveling together, living together and working side-by-side for a week,
the students establish a special bond.
While things don’t always go as planned, they take it all in
stride. One year the Habitat
affiliate they were building for made a mistake with their housing. Last year the bus company they were
using went out of business the week before the trip. In spite of it all, students and chaperones keep coming back
and now the siblings of those who have participated on previous trips are
signing up.
Cherry Hill East students also volunteer one Friday a month
to build with Burlington County Habitat for Humanity. It doesn’t stop there – they attend various local events to
help with fundraising or whatever is needed. Julia is a member of Habitat’s Outreach Committee and took a Habitat Global Village trip to Honduras two years ago. She and her students, along with other dedicated faculty members, help in many ways.
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| Julia building in Honduras |
Thanks to Julia for
sharing her story and for making a difference!
