Lasallian Mission

Dates: Saturday, June 1 - Saturday, June 8, 2024

Size: 12 Students

Cost: $2250 total. $300 Application Fee (non-refundable if accepted); Minimum $1950 Fund Raising (Individual & Group) per person

Application Deadline: December 4, 2023

Service Trip Overview: The Coachella Valley is located 130 miles east of Los Angeles, CA in Riverside County. Situated in the desert between Joshua Tree National Park and the Salton Sea, the Coachella Valley extends for 45 miles between three mountain chains – the San Jacinto, Santa Rosa, and San Bernardino Mountains. The San Andreas Fault traverses the Valley’s east side and the average temperature during the month of June is 105 F.

The Coachella Valley features some of the most breathtaking scenery in America and is one of the most bountiful regions west of the Mississippi River. Agricultural products cultivated in the Coachella Valley include table grapes, lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, onions, leeks, and peppers. The valley floor grows alfalfa, artichokes, avocados, beans, beets, cabbage, carrots, corn, cotton, cucumbers, salad greens, eggplant, figs, barley, oats, rye, wheat, hops, kohlrabi, lettuce, mangoes, nectarines, peaches, persimmons, plums, prunes, pomegranate, potatoes, radishes, spinach, strawberries, sugar cane, tomatoes, and a variety of herbs and spices.

The Coachella Valley is home to over 400,000 people living in a number of diverse communities that include affluent areas such as Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and La Quinta. The Coachella Valley also boasts the largest migrant workface in the United States. Not far from the golf courses and resorts of Palm Springs, the people in the eastern part of the Coachella Valley live in conditions much more akin to a third world country. The town of Coachella ranks third lowest in average personal income of any California city, and is one of the five poorest cities in the state. The city's remote location from urban areas can be responsible for the high poverty rate and the migrant farm workers who occupy the town face hurdles such as sewage, lack of safe water, and road and transportation issues. Ironically, the town has the lowest crime rate of any town in the Coachella Valley and Riverside County.

The group from La Salle College High School will work directly with a number of organizations to provide service to the people of the Coachella Valley. The students will spend several days working at the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, which is one of the largest emergency homeless shelters on the West Coast. In addition, the boys will partner with the Galilee Center along with the Boys and Girls Club of Coachella Valley to provide child care and food distribution to migrant farm workers. On the final day before the group departs for home, the students will take part in "90 Days of Summer," a once-in-a-lifetime outreach that brings food, water, clothing, sun screen, toiletries - and faith - to the desert camps located throughout the Coachella Valley. The efforts that day will target people, often families, whom homeless shelters don't service as they live in undescribable conditions and circumstances.

In addition, field trips to Joshua Tree National Park, Salton Sea, Mojave Desert, Tahquitz Canyon, and Palm Springs will be part of the itinerary.

Objectives:

• Through our work make a visible and positive impact on the people in the community we serve.
• To reflect upon and develop a better understanding of the social, political, economic, religious and cultural aspects of life for the urban poor and disadvantaged.
• To gain an understanding of our Catholic Social Teaching through interaction with and direct service to the people of Coachella.
• To integrate insights gained during the service experience regarding the urban poor and disadvantaged and its culture with their own lives through group discussions and written reflection.

Program Requirements:

• Attend and participate in all pre- trip orientation sessions
• Participate in all group related fund raising activities
• Prepare and Lead with other assigned students, one morning prayer session and one evening prayer reflection

Criteria for Selection: The program is open to any junior student who is in good academic and disciplinary standing. The primary criterion is expressed interest in the objectives and aims of the program.

Cost of Trip: The cost of the trip is all inclusive of transportation, lodging, meals, and program related materials.

The following costs are not covered and will be the responsibility of the student: Personal Spending money; Meal money for travel days (airport food court, etc...).

If you are accepted and decide not to participate, email Mr Clark or Mr McLaughlin. The Application Fee will be non-refundable once airline reservations and / or program fees have been paid.