Free State High School students Kelsey Cherland, 17, a senior, center, and Keil Eggers, a junior, participate with other volunteers at the First United Methodist Church, 946 Vt. They helped serve a hot breakfast to those in need at 7:30 a.m. Friday at the Jubilee Café.

Free State High School students enjoyed a three-day weekend after having a day off on Friday for teacher training.

Several students, however, took that time to volunteer.

Six students served breakfast at Jubilee Café. The café — organized by KU students — provides warm meals for the homeless in a restaurant-style environment. It operates in the fellowship hall of the First United Methodist Church, 946 Vt.

“I just think it’s really good to give people a nice warm breakfast to start off their day,” said Free State junior Hillary Yoder. “And it just probably makes their day 100 percent better.”

The students joined with the Youth Volunteer Corps for its first In-Service, In Service, allowing the students a chance to volunteer on their day off. The students not only prepared eggs and fried apples, but they also got to talk with visitors.

“I think it’s an even better opportunity to interact with the homeless, because you get to sit down and talk with them, and it’s more personal,” senior Kelsey Cherland said.

“At Jubilee Café, it is a great opportunity for students to immerse themselves in a group of people that have different needs than they do,” said Kaitlin Emig, an YVC AmeriCorps volunteer working at the Roger Hill Volunteer Center in Lawrence.

The inaugural event coincides with National Kids Care Week, which recognizes the power of kids to help others in their community and the world.

“I really hope to have In-Service, In Service every in-service day that we have with the school district, and make it bigger and better each year,” Emig said.

The Free State students also volunteered at the Lawrence Community Shelter on Friday afternoon. They celebrated a Homeless Birthday Party for those residing at the shelter who had birthdays in the fall.