Over winter break, a group of UW-Platteville students embarked on a service trip to Mississippi to interact with locals in the area, remodel buildings and visit schools.

This year marked the 17th trip, organized by the UW-P Catholic Newman Community. Forty-four UW-P students in Julie Phillips’ Ethnic/Gender Equality in Education class were invited to come on the trip.

“These trips help the Midwestern students learn more about the culture of the Mississippi Delta and the Civil Rights Movement,” Dee Bernhardt, coordinator of the trip, said.

Once in Mississippi, the group split up, going to three different towns: Lexington, Tutwiler and Jonestown.

Brunhardt students helped save a church from collapsing by propping up the foundation under a new addition, folded clothes, assisted teachers, and painted houses for Habitat for Humanity.

Ashley Lazenby, a 2008 graduate from UW-P who went along on the trip, was amazed by how carefree the people were.

“They had their lives and they enjoyed them,” Lazenby said. “The people taught me to enjoy the simple things in life.”

“The children at the schools were so interested in what we were doing there and were very open and welcoming to all of us that visited,” Jodi Moen, senior psychology major, said.

Moen said the trip was truly a life-changing experience and would love to continue to help others.