COEUR d'ALENE - Eye opening, they said.

A little bit shocking.

But worth it, too, because now they know how much work needs to be done.

"Just meeting actual people," said Amber Hensley, Post Falls High School student, who volunteered for United Way's Project Spring Break. "You hear the stories but (the experience) makes it so much more real."

"Ten times more than you ever thought," she said.

When many students are putting learning on hold during spring vacation, around 40 high school students from a half dozen schools across Kootenai County experienced the ins-and-outs of being homeless during Project Spring Break.

It treated the students exactly as though they needed the nonprofits' services, making them ride buses to their next appointments at homeless providing centers Dirne, Fresh Start or wherever else their predicament required they go.

Each group of students had a person's profile. One group was a military veteran suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. After the food bank, the vet needed medication at Dirne.

The single mother whose child support payments ended after the ex husband lost his job due to injury can find help at The Post Falls Food Bank, Dirne Community Health Center and Fresh Start, too.

And during the two day project, which wrapped up Saturday afternoon, the students ate meals with homeless people and families at Ignite Hope Shelter off Seltice Way, and heard stories from those who used to live on the streets and those who still do.

"Get an education," a homeless man, who didn't want his name used, called out a group of kids checking in to Fresh Start warming center. "You don't want to be here later in life. Seriously."

Sarah Martinez, Lake City High School student, said she was surprised by the amount of local need. Among her surprises was that the Community Action Partnership Food Bank was so close to her home, which she never knew before. It also surprised her that the people who need help look like any other person or family.

"I didn't know it was such a problem," she said. "They looked like someone you'd just walk by on the street."

Jessica Godderz, United Way of Kootenai County Community Impact Coordinator, said the goal of the project was for students to realize the problem locally, and to engage them to want to help.

"Even beyond just these two days," she said.

And students said Saturday they'd strive to volunteer. More than just fixing or building things for the nonprofits - though they did that too - the project put a human face on the problem.

A problem that was bigger than Lake City High School student Cassie Smith said she ever expected.

"Seeing how many beds there were," she said of her shock after seeing the number of sleeping spots at Ignite Hope Shelter. "Having it in front of you instead of numbers told to you" made it real.