CHESTERTOWN, MD—When the students in the Washington College Habitat for Humanity club videotaped themselves building homes in Georgia during spring break of 2013, they weren’t out to win a prize. They just wanted to document the teambuilding, the practical learning and the personal satisfaction they gained from the experience.

Having their video named the top winner of Habitat’s first-ever Youth Leadership Conference film festival was a wonderful bonus, as was the recognition that followed in the online magazine Habitat World, produced by Habitat for Humanity International.

For the short film, the students took turns filming one another working on build sites in Albany and Columbus. On the last day of the trip, several senior team members shared their thoughts with the camera. “It amazes me to see how much this trip changes people, makes people open up,” says Taylor Goss ’13. “We build homes, and the homes build a community,” muses Billie Ricketts ’13.

The Washington College Habitat for Humanity Club is one of the most active organizations on campus. In the past year alone it has won a national Facebook competition sponsored by Barnes & Noble, spent fall break at a Habitat site in New Jersey, and organized a campus-wide day of service refurbishing barns and fencing for a facility that rescues abused horses and offers riding therapy. The club plans to return to Columbus, Ga., over Spring Break 2014 to participate in the 20th anniversary of the Collegiate Challenge based there.