Members of Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School’s Community Service Club took their 2026 Service Trip to Florida, volunteering both time and energy to Habitat for Humanity and Second Harvest Food Bank. (Photo Courtesy Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School)
TAUNTON — Their labor helped provide shelter and meals for families in need.
Members of Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School’s Community Service Club took their 2026 Service Trip to Florida, volunteering both time and energy to Habitat for Humanity and Second Harvest Food Bank, from March 17-21.
Three Bristol-Plymouth faculty members joined the students on the trip — Early Childhood Education Teacher and Preschool Director Amanda Abbott, Culinary Arts Instructional Aide Liz Travis and Metal Fabrication Instructor Mike Rose.
“We cannot say enough about how amazing this group is,” Abbott said when they returned. “This club is self funded with only one paid advisor. Not only did the students work extremely hard on the trip, we as a club, also worked a lot behind the scenes before we went in order to raise funds for the trip.”
This was the club’s fifth annual trip (six were planned, but the pandemic forced one year’s cancellation), and they plan to continue the tradition in the future.
“This trip allows our students the opportunity to present and compete in the SKILLS USA Community Service division,” Abbott said. “In the past our club has placed in the Top 3 and we are excited to see what this new SKILLS team will do!”
The community service trip provided students the opportunity to step outside their everyday environment and make a tangible difference in the lives of others.
Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and the Second Harvest Food Bank allowed them to see firsthand how their time and effort directly impact individuals and families in need. It turned abstract ideas about “helping others” into real, meaningful action.
“One of the most powerful aspects of the trip was the diversity within the group itself,” Abbott said after returning to Taunton. “Students from different backgrounds, experiences, and social circles came together with a shared purpose. They learned to rely on one another, communicate effectively, and appreciate each other’s strengths. As the trip progressed, those differences became a strength rather than a barrier, and strong bonds were formed. Many students stepped outside their comfort zones, built new friendships, and gained a deeper respect for one another.”
The students also learned valuable life lessons throughout the experience.
“They developed a deeper understanding of teamwork, responsibility, and empathy,” Travis said. “Working with Habitat for Humanity showed them the importance of perseverance, communication, and taking pride in physical work that contributes to something bigger than themselves. At the food bank, they saw the scale of food insecurity and learned how organization, efficiency, and collective effort can support an entire community.”
However, the human connection made the biggest impression on the Community Service Club members and chaperones.
“Many students expressed how eye-opening it was to realize how much need exists, but also how much good can be accomplished when people come together,” Abbott said. “They left with a greater sense of gratitude, a stronger appreciation for what they have, and a desire to continue giving back. Overall, the experience not only strengthened their sense of community but also helped shape them into more compassionate, aware, and motivated individuals — both as individuals and as a unified group.”
The group made a deep impression on Lake-Sumter’s Habitat for Humanity Preservation & Repair Specialist Kevin Tucker.
“The task is huge and we could not be nearly as effective and successful without the help of volunteers like your group,” Tucker wrote to Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School Superintendent-Director Dr. Alexandre Magalhaes.
B-P’s Community Service Club helped to bring some curb appeal back to a home in Leesburg and provided a facelift for the organization’s Leesburg ReStore.
“Over the last eight years, I’ve probably had over 100 different volunteer groups from all over the country, from ages of 13 to 90,” Tucker wrote. “I will tell you, hands-down, your group of young adults is the best group that I’ve ever had in those eight years. There was something quite unique and remarkable about your students — really hard working, independent, and quality-conscious individuals. Their attitudes were so positive, combined with a tremendous work ethic, it was truly a joy having them here.”
The group worked diligently for Habitat for Humanity and also helped to sort donations at the Second Harvest Food Bank.
“While we know the students at Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School are incredible and unique individuals, this annual service trip provides the opportunity to share these amazing human beings with other regions of our nation,” said Superintendent-Director Dr. Alexandre Magalhaes. “Although I wasn’t surprised to hear how well this trip went, I was filled with pride when I received Mr. Tucker’s assessment of our Community Service Club’s efforts. These students represent the best of all of us, and I welcome them home after a trip full of hard work and rewarding life lessons.”
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This Community Service Club is self funded with only one paid advisor, and the students worked extremely hard behind the scenes to raise funds for the trip (Photo Courtesy Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School)
While in Florida, the B-P Community Service Club helped bring some curb appeal back to a home in Leesburg and provided a facelift for Habitat for Humanity’s Leesburg ReStore. (Photo Courtesy Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School)
Students worked hard while on the Service Trip, with just a few breaks in between long volunteer shifts. (Photo Courtesy Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School)
The students sorted donations at Second Harvest Food Bank. (Photo Courtesy Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School)
Students picked up rocks to get a Habitat for Humanity project ready for a new landscape. (Photo Courtesy Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School)
Members of Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School’s Community Service Club took their 2026 Service Trip to Florida, volunteering both time and energy to Habitat for Humanity and Second Harvest Food Bank. (Photo Courtesy Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School)
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