AUBURN

Every April, the population of around 1,500 people in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, grows by between 15 and 20 people for one week.

These temporary residents arrive in a small school bus, a cargo van, and a minivan after a 1,600 mile journey from Auburn, Maine, a “Mission to Mississippi” designed to be a learning experience that also provides assistance to a struggling community.

On Thursday at 6 a.m., 11 Saint Dominic Academy seniors, accompanied by a number of parents and school representatives departed the academy to work with the Sisters of Mercy at the St. Gabriel Center in Mound Bayou. The group will paint houses, do landscaping, visit the elderly, perform small house repairs, and even do some planting at Alcorn State University.

Students display their commitment and understanding of the importance of the trip even before departing. Starting in August, they hold fundraisers throughout the school year and cannot bring smartphones or other electronic devices on the trip. The students sleep on the floors of Catholic schools on the way to Mississippi and in a church hall after they arrive. The mission trip is organized by Lori Rioux and Andrew Girouard, both teachers at the academy.

“As high school seniors, they really get to see that there is more out there in the world than themselves,” said Rioux. “Each evening, everyone on the mission trip gathers together for prayer to reflect on the things we’ve seen and experienced over the course of the day.”

Though the journey is outside of the classroom, there are plenty of lessons imparted to the students who have the opportunity to observe Southern culture, enjoy local food, and receive the hospitality of thankful residents.

This marks the 20th year of “Mission to Mississippi,” an idea of Michael Welch, a former principal at the academy, who worked in Mississippi prior to arriving at Saint Dominic Academy.

“He passed away in 2006,” said Rioux. “The ongoing commitment to keeping this mission trip alive is a testament to his life and the impact that this trip has had on so many people.”

On Tuesday, April 25, the students and chaperones will return to Auburn with memories that will last a lifetime and the knowledge that trading in their vacation for hard work was a decision that led to smiles in a community in need of them.