This summer, seven Georgetown Prep students traveled to East Los Angeles for an immersion experience centered on service, solidarity, and reflection. Rooted in the school's Jesuit mission of forming Men for and with Others, the week challenged rising seniors to step beyond their comfort zones and encounter Christ in communities experiencing poverty, homelessness, and marginalization.

The Los Angeles Urban Plunge is one of 10 signature immersion trips offered each summer for rising seniors and led by Director of Christian Service Kurt Kaufmann. From communities across the United States to international experiences in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, each immersion invites students to put their faith into action while living Georgetown Prep's mission of becoming Men for and with Others.

The group also served meals to individuals experiencing homelessness and worked with organizations serving residents of Skid Row, one of the nation's largest communities of unhoused people. Through these experiences, Prep students witnessed firsthand the challenges many face while reflecting on the dignity of every person.

A visit to Homeboy Industries provided another powerful lesson. Students learned how the organization creates opportunities for former gang members and previously incarcerated individuals through employment, education, and support services, demonstrating the transformative power of hope, compassion, and second chances.

Throughout the week, students participated in daily reflection grounded in Ignatian spirituality, considering how their experiences challenged them to grow in empathy and live out the Gospel through service.

For Griffin Oehler '27, the immersion experience reshaped his understanding of those living on the margins. "Experiencing firsthand the day-to-day lives and struggles of the impoverished and unhoused people in East Los Angeles gave me a new perspective of those people: humans—just like us—that have been pushed to the side and rejected by society that are in dire need of help."
He was especially moved by his time at Dolores Mission School. "Every child in the Dolores Mission School had a smile on their face and welcomed me into their schedule with open arms, as if I was a new friend. None of the kids complained about their financial situation—they learned and played like any other kid."

Serving meals in Skid Row brought the Gospel to life in a tangible way. "During the trip, I experienced the Gospel through service by adhering to Jesus' call to care for others. We served food to the unhoused in Skid Row—those who are marginalized and literally confined to the margins of the city."
Griffin said the experience also deepened his understanding of Georgetown Prep's mission. "The trip shaped what it means to be a man for and with others by interacting with the kids at Dolores Mission School and Impacto. We played games, helped with homework, and simply spent time together. Being there with them—and treating them as equals, not as people we were rescuing—showed me what our school's core ethos really means."

One of the most unforgettable moments came during a visit to Homeboy Industries, where the group heard the story of Cisco, a former cartel member whose life had been transformed. "His grueling story and incredible comeback journey inspired me and opened my eyes to the wonders hope can do."

The East Los Angeles Urban Plunge offered students far more than an opportunity to serve. It invited them to build authentic relationships, recognize the God-given dignity of every person, and return home with a renewed commitment to living Georgetown Prep's Jesuit mission as Men for and with Others.

Griffin Oehler, JT Juhring, Eli Drake, Jacob Kaufmann, Will Clark, Francisco Villegas Vega, Charlie Zhang