While some students will be spending their senior trips at the beach or at Disney World, Christian Fellowship Academy's seven seniors are going to Pittsburgh.

It's not because they don't have the money or permission to go far away; it's because students of the Penn Township school want to benefit a greater cause.

By forgoing an expensive trip, the students will be able to work with the Light of Life ministry and the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh during the last week of May.

Senior Jeremy Nor-wood came up with the idea.

"I wanted to take it back to what it was supposed to be," Norwood says. "We didn't want to just plant flowers somewhere and say, 'OK, we're done with fellowship. Let's go to the beach.'"

Some of the seniors were hesitant, but as time went by, they started to appreciate the idea.

"We thought about going to Disney, Arizona or the beach, and we couldn't decide," says Ashley Balbach. "But Jeremy made us realize we were going to do a good thing."

An illness influenced the students to reach out to the hospital. Senior Kelsey Burger, who is participating in the class trip, has been in and out of the hospital since her sophomore year because of a virus that shut down her organs and nervous system.

Seeing a fellow classmate in need brought the students together.

"There's a really strong unity among us," says senior Aaron James.

Earlier this year, Burger was in the hospital when she received a call from her classmates with their idea for the senior trip.

"I was in the hospital, and they called me up for a senior meeting," Burger says. "They had me on speaker phone to tell me about helping the hospital."

During their stay in Pittsburgh, they will take the children at the shelter out for a picnic and help serve food.

They'll still have time to enjoy their last days together as high school seniors. The group plans to ride the incline and go on a Gateway Clipper boat.

"I'm so excited for this," says Tricia Jones.

So far, the students have raised $4,130 for the trip. About half of that will cover the cost of their downtown stay and the activities they have planned.

The remaining money will benefit the organizations that they are helping.

The students are buying 10 portable DVD players for the Intensive Care Unit at Children's Hospital. They also will donate $1,000 to Light of Life.

Principal Sharon Herbster said she is proud of the students.

"This is the vision for ministry we've had for our seniors from the beginning," Herbster says. "This senior class has far exceeded what previous classes have done. This class made outreach the main thrust of their senior trip."

The students say they hope their efforts influence other classes to think of those less fortunate when planning their senior trip.

"I'm stoked to help the homeless," says Jon Barron. "I think this will make an impact on younger students because they look up to us."