Some students from Tsi Del Del (Redstone) School in the Chilcotin are off to help build a home in Mexico this May.
In partnership with the international organization Homes of Home, the students will help erect a modular home in the coastal city of Ensenada for a family in need.
“We’ll find out who our family is pretty soon,” said teacher Merissa Ang who will be taking her Grade 6,7,8 and 9 students to Mexico.
The seven students, Ang, her husband, Mark, who teaches physical education at the school, and support services, and two parents will visit Mexico for eight days.
They will stay in an old hotel that’s been turned into a base for Homes of Home.
“It’s on the beach and is pretty lovely,” Merissa said.
For the students it will be a big trip.
Alberta, Ottawa and Victoria are as far as any of them have travelled.
Merissa had gone to Mexico with students before and ever since she arrived at Tsi Del Del three years ago she’s been telling her students about the program.
“This field trip is an epic opportunity to build a shelter for a family who needs it most,” student Cheiro Guichon said.
Student Shayla Setah said she cannot wait to get to work.
“I think building a home will be an awesome experience for a lot of my classmates and me,” she said.
Together the group has almost reached its fundraising goal of $16,000 and by April 9 only needed $4,500.
“We’ve been doing bingos and bottle drives,” Guichon said.
Other students going on the trip are Zoey Char, Lucas Hunlin, Christin William, Kayden Harry and Spencer William.
On Wednesday the students were in Williams Lake to visit Lake City Secondary’s Columneetza Campus.
They have been pen pals with a class at the school this year.
Anyone wanting to follow the group online can visit www.tsideldelhomesofhope.blogspot.
