NATCHEZ — The Adams County Christian School Student Council will take a four-day trip in early April to help interact with critically ill children at the Give Kids the World Village.Give Kids the World brings critically ill children to the organization’s 84-acre village in Central Florida and provides lodging in furnished villas along with transportation, tickets to theme parks, meals and daily entertainment.

To finance the trip, students have conducted fundraisers and are currently selling potted poinsettias through Nov. 21. The flowers are $16 each or $13.50 each for a purchase of 10 or more.

The Give Kids the World Village has welcomed more than 165,000 families from all 50 states and 76 countries.

Shelby Mason, a senior at Adams County Christian School, visited the Give Kids the World Village and suggested the trip to her fellow Student Council members. Mason visited the Village with her 4-year-old cousin Brody Davis, who had high-risk neuroblastoma at the time but now is free of the condition.

Mason said she was so impressed with the experience that she brought the idea to the student council. This year will be the council’s fourth trip to Florida.

Dee Ray Dungey, of Natchez, has made the trip to Florida for three years as a sponsor. She said visiting the Village puts life into perspective for the 25 to 30 high school students who attend.

“The kids live a sheltered life, and they see what others are going through,” Dungey said. They interact with these kids and they see their problems are not quite as big as those of these kids who are dealing with cancer or whatever they are dealing with. It’s really touching.”

Mason said she agrees.

“You go there and you see all these families and it puts everything into perspective,” Mason said. “You see them struggle, and it makes you feel good to help them out.”

Mason said the Village is a fun place where students interact in the children’s events.

“Every night they have a different holiday, so you can participate in a Christmas parade or Halloween trick-or-treating and ‘American Idol.’ You paint their faces like pirates or mermaids, and they have a life-size Candy Land game,” Mason said.

Dungey said each student has to raise $300 for the trip and have participated in fundraisers throughout the year, including the poinsettia sale.

For donation details, call Dungey at 601-442-1422, ext. 21.