Florida Service

When a long school year ends, students are naturally eager to enjoy the time off. But when Jesuit’s final exams wrapped up in late May, some 15 Tigers were ready to first commit themselves to service.

Led by teacher chaperones Erick Alvarez Gil and Ben Rodenbaugh, the group dedicated their first full week of the summer to the people of the rural town of Belle Glade along Lake Okeechobee. Through hands-on projects at the St. Philip Benizi Parish and other community endeavors, the 15 students made an impact on the people of Belle Glade. 

Jesuit has a rich history of service to Belle Glade dating back more than a decade, and the students enthusiastically renewed that relationship, while strengthening their faith and forming a brotherhood.

The trip began with Sunday Mass at St. Philip Benizi and a fun-filled afternoon at Palm Beach while preparing for the week ahead. Throughout the week, students completed a variety of projects at the parish, including fencing, landscaping, yard maintenance, and cleanup. Each day concluded with evening prayer and group reflection, allowing students to share their thoughts after long days.

One of the most impactful projects during the trip was constructing a fence around the parish’s playground, which was needed in order to receive regulatory approval. Under the guidance of Alvarez Gil and Rodenbaugh, the students utilized manual skills to complete the large project, which will have a lasting impact on the parish community. Thanks to their efforts, the children attending the parish school and the faith formation programs now have a playground to enjoy.

During the week, the students also served meals to the homeless, delivered food to elderly residents, and spent time listening to the personal stories of the local people they were serving.

“These encounters challenged students to step outside their comfort zones,” Alvarez Gil said. “By taking time to not only help those in need, but hold conversations with them, really helped the students to accompany those most in need with compassion, dignity, and love.”

The pastor at St. Philip Benizi, Fr. Nobert Jean Pierre, expressed deep gratitude for their work.

“Fr. Nobert told us that he was beyond impressed and grateful for what our boys did with the fence around the playground,” Alvarez Gil said. “The cleaning and fencing work in the parish was transformational.”

When the week of service was complete, the students returned with a deeper sense of gratitude for their school, their community and the daily blessings in their lives. The experience reinforced the importance of serving others while strengthening their faith through daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, evening prayer and shared reflection.

The 15 students who served in Belle Glade are: Emmanuel Chiaku ’27, Lukas Duffy ’27, John Hodgson ’27, Preston Irvin ’27, Brody Martinez-Robinson ’27, Griffin Morreale ’27, Diego Rodriguez ’27, Nathaniel Shehata ’27, Luke Wills ’27, Salvadore Arreola ’28, Landon Coto ’28, William Higgins ’28, Alejandro Nadal ’28, Andrew Valone ’28, and Giovanni Arreola ’29.

For those looking to join the mission trip next year it’s a great opportunity,” said Alvarez Gil. “It’s a chance to enrich your spiritual life with daily morning Mass, night prayer, and group reflection, adoration, and ultimately it's a chance to experience the ineffable joy of service and brotherhood that the Jesuit Mission embodies.”