What a difference a weekend in Over-the-Rhine made for eight Purcell Marian High School students.

        Seven juniors and one senior participated in the Urban Plunge Retreat, which is held twice during the school year.

        Students from the co-ed Catholic high school in East Walnut Hills arrived Friday morning in Over-the-Rhine, where they volunteered at agencies that serve the poor and lived until Sunday afternoon.

        The high school sponsors the retreat to focus on service, awareness and the individual Christian's call to grow in relationship with the poor.

        Jack Mitchell of Pleasant Ridge collected metal and took it to the scrap yard as part of his volunteer assignment. He worked with a man who lives in Over-the-Rhine.

        “We talked about the Bengals. We talked about the weather,” Jack said. “If it weren't for the fact he told me he was homeless, I never would have guessed it.”

        Students helped cook and serve the Friday noon meal at Our Daily Bread soup kitchen. They also volunteered at Tender Mercies, which provides housing and services to the homeless and mentally ill, and St. Francis Seraph soup kitchen.

        On Saturday, they helped at ReStoc, which rehabs buildings for low-income housing, and Project RESTORE No. 3, which is building a new kitchen for Our Daily Bread.

        Students soon learned that their expectations of what they'd find in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods differed from reality.

        Jack admitted he harbored stereotypes of the poor, expecting to find people who were too lazy to find a job and content to stay on welfare.

        “That's not true at all,” he said, “They have a lot of obstacles that just hold them down.”

        Some students thought everyone in Over-the-Rhine would have a depressing outlook on life.

        “I thought people would be as gloomy as it looks here,” said Melisha Reese of Golf Manor. ""Most of them were spirited. They'd make conversation with you. The people I encountered were really nice people.”

        Katie Montgomery of Norwood expected residents would be resentful of their help, but she said she found people friendly and accepting.

        One student visited Over-the-Rhine to volunteer twice this school year, so he was prepared for what he saw. Adam Wanstrath of Deer Park was impressed by how the people carry on, despite their poverty.

        “They have their own newspaper. They have their own recycling system. They all have a special purpose in life,“ said Adam, who plans to volunteer again.

        After daytime volunteering, evenings were spent in private reflection or retreat with the Marianist Brothers, who hosted their stay. Students attended Sunday Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church in the West End.

        “I think it's important to bring people down here because it gives us a sense that what we face as a human family is bigger than any one individual,“ said Anthony Corder, a Purcell Marian religion teacher who accompanied the students.

        He witnessed the effectiveness of the retreat as attitudes changed.

        “When we first set out, I heard some of the kids talking about how everybody down there is lazy. "They're milking welfare. They want to be poor. People are home less because they choose to be homeless,'” Mr. Corder said. “I think it's different by the time they get back. They realize there are a lot of factors. The stories are very complex.”

        The weekend clearly made an impact. Students talked about putting their priorities in order.

        “I know now I'm a lot more grateful for the things I have,” said Melisha, who vowed not to take things for granted or complain when she doesn't get what she wants.

        Because of his experiences in Over-the-Rhine, Bud Nerone of Madisonville said he realized all of his stereotypes about people who live there are false: “I think I'm going back and look at all the stereotypes I have about different kinds of people and realize they are most likely false, too.“

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