The eighth grade class of one Hudson County private school is giving back to the community they say helped to raise them.

When COVID-19 canceled the annual class trip at the All Saints Episcopal Day School in Hoboken, a trip that they had already raised thousands of dollars for, the students decided to pay donate the money.

The graduating class participates in an exchange program in Ecuador. The students have been raising money for years.

“It’s a very special trip and everyone looks up to it when they get to eighth grade. Everyone is so excited to have their exchange student,” says student Evis Diaz Quintero. “We’ve been raising money for this trip ever since fourth grade.

When the trip had to be canceled, the students said that they didn’t want all their hard work to go to waste, so they donated the money to the Hoboken Relief Fund – all $10,000 of it.

The Hoboken Relief Fund was started in March to help raise money for small businesses and individuals in Hoboken suffering financially from the pandemic.

“I do feel proud. It’s special to be able to give it to someplace we know it’s safe and we know it’s going to be used correctly,” says Diaz Quintero.

The exchange students from Ecuador usually come to New Jersey also. But their trip was also canceled. The Hoboken students say that they were already paired up with their counterparts and plan to keep in touch.