By: Emily Spotts

Students of Holy Family University traded their spring break for a week of service in Mandeville, Louisiana. Habitat For Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps families build and own safe, affordable homes. During the trip, this group worked on the foundation of a new home for a local family, helping take the first step of making their homeowning dream a reality. Through hands-on work at the construction site, the students supported Habitat For Humanity’s mission while gaining a deeper understanding of community service and undeniable teamwork. 
While the early wake-up calls weren’t ideal, they looked past knowing that what was being done would help a family in need. The club set off on its adventure at 4:30 am on Saturday, February 28th, 2026. After a draining day and a half of driving, with much-needed stops, we reached our destination on Sunday, March 1st, 2026, in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. After unpacking, everyone just decided to take the rest of the night to acclimate to their new surroundings and breathe for just a minute. 
On Monday, March 2nd, 2026, everyone had to complete a safety course before working on the construction site. After loading the vans, we set off for Northshore Technical Community College, where we all successfully passed the introduction course and were able to start building the day after. The experience brought the members closer together as they had to work as a team to confirm wall measurements, which required absolute teamwork.

After supper, it was time for some team bonding. Everyone was broken off into various groups, and they collectively had to come up with an invention out of a random object found around our Airbnb. This activity made it possible for members who hadn’t interacted much before to work together as a team to successfully accomplish the tasks given. The end result turned out to be a success, and everyone went to bed to recharge for the activities of the following day. In my opinion, this activity was so much fun; I hadn’t spoken to the two people in my group that much before, and now I consider them good friends. We thought outside the box with our invention, and it put some smiles on everyone’s face. My group didn’t win, but we didn’t aim to win; we were blinded by how much fun we had together. 
The following day, Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, is when the official project began for this incredible group of adults. After a brief overview of the site, each individual taking part was given a job. While the start was rather slow, the day progressed, and everyone began to feel more comfortable with their given jobs. Whether it was crowning, carrying planks, drilling, or even just raking the dirt, the team on the site worked in harmony, even in the slightly congested site. 
Each afternoon, lunch was provided to everyone, and that also gave each person the chance to talk to one another while enjoying a meal. Whenever everyone got the chance, there was so much talking, but in the best way. In this scenario, you wanted everyone to talk to each other, and it wasn’t a problem achieving that type of atmosphere. 

The workday ended at 3:00 pm, and it was celebrated with a group photo. After each day, a photo was taken to capture all of the hard workers after their shift. Everyone worked so hard on the first day; the floor plan was completed, and the wall paneling process began. Each student gave it their all and couldn’t wait to get back to work the next morning.
A few hours later, everyone sat down for dinner, making some more small talk. The board members called everyone over for a short pow-wow, and they introduced an activity that would be one of the most memorable of the entire trip. Each individual was given a mason jar, and everyone was responsible for decorating their own jar. Each jar was different because each person is different; the artistry shown on all of the jars showed the personality of the person who designed it. As the week progressed, we were told to begin writing notes to each member, whether it was an inside joke, a compliment, or even just a fun memory you wanted to remind someone of. 
You could write as many notes as your heart desired, but the person who would be reading your notes would love them and reread them to keep the memory alive. On the day of departure, you could open the jar and read your notes, reminiscing on the days before. Another activity was implemented, and as a person who pays attention to everything that is going on, I had no idea what we were doing next. Before we left, we were given t-shirts for each of our work days. Each of them had a special quote written on the back; this one in particular was a canvas white. The quote by singer Dolly Parton said, “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” This shirt was special because, as a group, we dyed our shirts. They all turned out so pretty, and it was a cute little thing we all got to do. To close out the night, we piled into our vans and drove to a hot spot in Ponchatoula for a cold, delicious treat. Ice cream hit the spot after a hot day. 
Wednesday, March 4th, was just as fun. Once we arrived, we got right back to work. The wall paneling was a top priority as it needed to be done by Friday. This day was absolutely scorching; the weather was beautiful, but it was so hot and humid that it began affecting our builders. They took as many breaks as they needed; their health is very important. Everyone was feeling the heat, but they pushed through it and completed their tasks by lunchtime. This day in particular was a new experience for me and many others. We were able to celebrate Mardi Gras, our lunch was of Louisiana customs, and they were absolutely delicious. At the end, we cut up the King cake, and two people found the plastic baby in their cake. This was a tradition that if you found the baby, you were in charge of throwing the same celebration next Mardi Gras, but you would also be granted luck and prosperity. 
This celebration was so interesting, and I can’t wait to celebrate it next year. The activity that followed work really pulled at my heartstrings. The school year is closing in, and at Habitat for Humanity, we have many seniors who are graduating. This activity was to symbolize the growth of the members. Each “veteran” member was paired up with a “rookie” member, and the objective was for the veteran to interview the rookie, and everyone would get to know them better through the eyes and words of someone else. My interview was one that I will never forget. The questions were perfect, and she had me thinking deeply about my answers. My partner is a very good listener, and she was so easy to talk to, which made me open up a lot more when sharing my stories. I wholeheartedly believe that my partner and I grew a lot closer in this span of 15 minutes, which made the goodbyes much more difficult.

Thursday, March 5th, was definitely an experience. The day started as the rest of them had, but this day was probably the hottest it had been the entire week. There were scattered showers throughout the day, but that didn’t stop anyone from doing less work. After work, we had a stacked agenda; the plan was to travel to New Orleans for the evening, and that’s exactly what happened. The relief that echoed in the house when everybody put on real clothes for the first time that week was honestly funny. You couldn’t really tell anyone’s style too much, as everyone was wearing the same clothes. 
I never knew how crowded a blocked-off street could be until I was first acquainted with Bourbon Street. This area of New Orleans had always been a staple that gained a lot of attraction, full to the brim with clubs, jazz, odd smells, and a beautiful color scheme. I had a really nice time, the food looked amazing, and we were definitely all well-fed. I’m glad I got to go home and tell my parents about New Orleans. The culture is so interesting, and it has a lot of history to it. 

After the late night prior, Friday, March 5th, was going to be a sad day. It was the final day on the worksite. Even though we knew of the many emotions that were to come later that night, we made the most of it. Our freshly made tie-dye shirts shone in the morning sun, our bellies were full from breakfast, and we were ready to work.
This morning was very special; we were joined by the Gaines family and associates from our organization. This family is the very people who are going to be able to call our habitat project their home. We raised our very first wall as a team and completed our mission as a team. I couldn’t be prouder of this group that I get to call my family.

This wasn’t just a spring break trip. This was an experience of a lifetime in which we got to help make dreams come true. I get to carry these memories with me forever. I will never forget the spring of my freshman year at Holy Family University.
Tears were shed on Friday night, even though we would still see each other at school, this journey came to an emotional end. Something that I learned along the way was to never take anything for granted; you never know what someone is going through. You have no idea what kind of struggles they have, or if they’re okay. I’m honored that I was able to help a family in need. I wish nothing but success for the Gaines family in their homeownership future.

While everyone in the club is absolutely amazing, these four individuals are the reason this year was so memorable. Mackenzie, Grace, Michael, and Andrew are our board members who are graduating; they left behind a legacy that the next group of people get to continue. I wouldn’t be in this club or have been able to meet my new family without them. I wanted to personally thank them once more, as they are people I now look up to. I can’t wait for the years to come within this community. This is only the beginning, and I hope each year is just as amazing as the next.
If you want to learn more, follow @hfuhabitatforhumanity on Instagram.

Emily Spotts is a freshman student majoring in Psychology with a double minor in Criminal Justice and Forensic Science. She has a role in the Honors Program, is part of Habitat For Humanity, and is a first year Tri-Lite member. She plans to graduate in the spring of 2029.