FLINT, Mich. (WJRT) - Students from Santa Clara University in California traveled all the way to Flint to volunteer this week.
Today they helped clean up trash along I-475 and installed smoke detectors in local homes. The hope is to find unique solutions at local organizations that they can implement back home.
"Our goal is to go into communities that have faced hardships in different places and have made some really innovative solutions to solving the problems that face their community," said Santa Clara student Natalie Plaia.
The students have been in Flint all week long, volunteering everywhere from homeless shelters to Crossroad Ministry. It's part of a program that teaches them the kind of skills you can't get inside a classroom.
"Our school focuses a lot on educating the whole person," said Gabby Ruiz. "So it's really important for us to go outside of our comfort zones and be able to identify issues in other comfort zones and be able to learn."
But it's not all work. Students also got the chance to expose themselves to the fun side of Flint.
"They've definitely immersed themselves in Flint, said SIPI Vice President Jordan Brown. "Tonight we'll go to a Bucks game. We've gone to all of our favorite restaurants, discussed different theories, and fun things that are going on in Flint."
Beyond just solutions, they'll be taking home a little bit of Flint's spirit as well.
"This town has grit, somebody said it to us," said Plaia. "The grit in this town is what makes it what it is and we have absolutely loved experiencing that"
Flint Councilmember Ladel Lewis was also out helping the cleanup effort today. She said that it's "special" to see people from all over willing to help and "keep Flint in their hearts".
