WAHPETON - About 30 students from the North Dakota State College of Science are spending their spring break by helping Florida hurricane victims.

The students left Wahpeton on Thursday and Friday, driving 1,500 miles in three vans and a motor home, to help residents of Pensacola, Fla. Their trip was organized by the college's Psychology Club, with the United Way of Escambia County, Fla.

Students in health-related fields will help caseworkers under the umbrella of the United Way, said Tracy Richardson, an assistant volunteer coordinator for the United Way of Escambia County.

"The phones have been ringing off the hooks, and they need help with client intake, with filing, doing some data entry of the cases," she said.

The psychology students also may help an assessment team going door-to-door to find out the needs of hurricane victims.

"They will be busy, and we're just so grateful that they wanted to come and help us," Richardson said.

Milan Christianson, an associate professor of psychology, said it's a unique opportunity for the students. Andrew Rosen, president of the Psychology Club, said he looks forward to experience he can use in his future profession.

"It's a learning experience I don't think I could get in any classroom," said Rosen, a second-year student from Janesville, Minn.

Other Science students studying construction-related fields, including some members of the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, will work to clean up debris and repair homes. Richardson said her office has 2,800 recovery-related projects on a waiting list, from cutting downed trees to repairing makeshift tarpaulin roofs.

Hurricane Ivan hit northwest Florida on Sept. 16, killing at least 15 people and causing billions of dollars in damage.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency continues to help with disaster recovery in Pensacola, with a field office and about 450 workers in the area. Hurricane victims had until Feb. 28 to apply for disaster aid. Out-of-town groups like the one from Science are coming to lend a hand.

Science students raised $8,000 for the trip through the Psychology Club, the student senate and school's foundation. Area businesses donated such supplies as duct tape and tarps.

Rosen said the students are returning the favor for help that came to the Red River Valley from across the nation during flooding in 1997.