Charles Finney Students on Mission Trip to Panama

It is winter break for most students at Charles Finney School in Penfield. But for 13 of them, it's not the ordinary break. That group is on their way to Panama.

Ashley Zilka met them at the airport Thursday morning to find out why they're going.

For students like Courtney and Ryan--the decision to go was easy. After four months of planning, they are on their way to Panama.

"I really felt like God was calling me on this trip and I really felt like I needed to go outside my comfort zone," said Courtney Puzio, a junior at Charles Finney.

"I've been trying to change my life a lot and I want to go down there and tell people about Christ. It's going to be a good experience," said Ryan Visconte, a junior at Charles Finney.

Michael VanLeeuwen is the president of Charles Finney---a faith-based school. He says it's the school's mission to help serve other people--and that's what they plan to do.

"We believe reaching our community not only locally but also internationally," said VanLeeuwen.

For the next week, students will help run a vacation bible school in the morning and then a soccer camp in the afternoon.

"Our students are responsible from everything from teach lessons to crafts to songs...Some of our students also play soccer so they had a big interest in going down and helping with that as well," said VanLeeuwen.

Now all the planning will become a reality---13 students are on their way to Panama--a trip of a lifetime.

"I believe they will learn more in Panama about other cultures in a week than they will in the classroom in an entire year," said VanLeeuwen.

"I'm really looking forward to hanging out with the kids and being able to share the love of Christ with them. That's really exciting for me," said Courtney Puzio.

Each student had to raise $1500 for the trip. They return back to Rochester Thursday, February 21.