More than 300 students from across the country will travel to the area to build Habitat for Humanity homes during their spring break.

The youth volunteers are participants of Collegiate Challenge, Habitat for Humanity's year round alternative break program.

Now through April 2, students from the following schools will help build homes with Charleston, East Cooper, and Sea Island Habitat for Humanity:

Avon Old Farms School

Bowling Green State Univ.

Cathedral High School

Cherry Hill High School

The College of William and Mary

Easter Kentucky Univ.

Elon University

Iowa State University

McMaster University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ.

Rochester Institute of Technology

University of Delaware

U. of Wisconsin-Madison

Villanova University

Warren Wilson College

"We truly appreciate the work of these youth; they're a lot of fun to work with and they get so much done while they're here," said Troy Pruitt, Sea Island Habitat's construction manager.

"They are making a difference in our community by helping families in need obtain safe, decent and affordable homes."

From February to April, Collegiate Challenge participants from across the country will volunteer in 200 Habitat locations.

In the past 21 years of the program, more than 168,000 Collegiate Challenge participants have volunteered with Habitat during their school breaks. East Cooper Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, non-denominational Christian housing organization that works with people to develop communities with people in need by building houses. ECHFH is active in Mt. Pleasant, Awendaw, McClellanville, Cainhoy, Huger, Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island and Daniel Island.