St. John's Visit to Guatemala Schools

A group of 20 St. John's Jesuit High School students traveled from Toledo to Guatemala to work with young children of dump workers who attend a nursery and grade school established by International Samaritan. Despite the complexity of global poverty and the limitations on what they can do, the students say the trip gave them a sense of responsibility to help people of limited means no just in Guatemala but back home as well. CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO VIEW FULL PHOTO, START SLIDE SHOW.

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Mark Brahier of St. John's entertains kids at Santa Clara nursery while a young girl looks at a photo of ... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo The Rev. Donald Vettese, founder of International Samaritan, holds 3-year-old Anibal Pacheco at the Santa Clara nursery in ... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo The metal door of Francisco Coll grade school (Centro Educativo) in Guatemala's notorious Zone 3 is locked and guarded by ... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE / THE BLADE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Margarita Lara, left, a certified translator with International Samaritan, jokes with St. John's students painting a classroom at Francisco Coll ... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Kris Akiki of St. John's walks students down the hallway of Santa Clara nursery. "They're adorable and amazing," Kris said. THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Jack Slater dances with a class at Francisco Coll school as Mike Pool looks on. THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Sister Esperanza Sanchez Cortez, Dominican nun and principal of Francisco Coll school, said it's important that the students feel accepted ... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Students at Santa Clara nursery horse around after school while waiting for their parents to pick them up. THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Santa Clara nursery students share a group hug with Ross Satler, 17, of St. John's. "These kids are nonstop action,... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE / THE BLADE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Mike Pool, 17, one of the few visiting St. John's students fluent in Spanish, paints a Spanish version of St.... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Jesuit priest Rev. Donald Vettese sits with students and teachers as Francisco Coll grade school students sing songs, play music,... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE / THE BLADE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Students at Francisco Coll grade school put on a show to welcome the Rev. Donald Vettese, the Jesuit priest who ... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Students at Santa Clara nursery were curious about the braces on the teeth of Mark Brahier, a visiting high school ... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Ross Satler plays Legos with Santa Clara nursery students. THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Guatemalan schoolchildren hang on to St. John's student Sean Burlingame, who said they made him feel like Justin Bieber. THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE / THE BLADE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Matt Schaefer of St. John's escorts students along the outdoor hallway of Santa Clara nursery. THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Students and teachers from St. John's Jesuit High School gather inside the Francisco Coll grade school, where they knocked out ... THE BLADE/DAVID YONKE