Many students spend their school’s spring break by heading south for a dose of sunshine and relaxation. This year, from April 6 through 10, 14 LOHS students passed up the sun and fun to spend their spring break volunteering with the Motor City Blight Busters and the Habitat for Humanity Detroit chapter.
The mission of the Motor City Blight Busters is to transform Detroit neighborhoods plagued by urban decay, depopulation and blight into beautiful spaces filled with light and hope. The mission of the Habitat for Humanity is to eliminate poverty housing, revive impoverished neighborhoods and provide safe affordable homes for low-income families.
The students assisted the Blight Busters by clearing out a dilapidated garage, helping clean up a future business in the Artist Village, and tearing down a garage. The students also built 48 walls for the Habitat for Humanity Blitz Build in northwest Detroit.
Habitat work supervisors stated ‘these students were the best teen group we have ever had, and they were able to build enough walls for two whole houses in just two days which was beyond amazing.?
Besides working on the job sites, students collected over $1,400 in donations for Habitat for Humanity and Blight Busters. They received 30 service learning hours towards their LOHS service learning requirement.
The 14 LOHS volunteers included Brad Bogus, Larry Dunn, James Dehmel, Tim Durack, Monica Godoshian, Athena Anger, Alana Slanec, Evan Pavlik, Kyle Clason, Ian Pepsick, Jessica Lucas, Hayden Harr, John Thompson, and Nick Taylor.
The trip was arranged and chaperoned by Lake Orion Schools Guided Activities Program (GAP) coordinator Ben Gerdeman and LOHS teachers Rachel Doherty, Cody Heidt and Kristen Hargreaves.
This was the eighth year that LOHS students have participated in the Alternative Spring Break Project.