By WILL POTTER

Irish and American teens gather in an open field on their last night together, admiring the glowing space shuttle Columbia returning to earth.

Religion is the farthest thing from their minds.

For perhaps the first time in their lives, it doesn't matter who is Catholic and who is Protestant. Nobody cares who is Irish and who is American.

"What are the chances we see this in the last hours of our last day together?" one teen says, as a full moon illuminates their upturned faces.

"It's a sign," another teen says. "It's hope."

This final night of the Ulster Project culminates a month of socializing, working and worshipping together for the 32 teens. For one month, they learned to set aside cultural differences. They learned there is hope.

"It amazes me that nobody here cares which of us are Protestant and which are Catholic," says Tim Harrison, 15, of Belfast. "This has changed the way I look at things. I learned you can't make judgments about people."

The Irish teens, both Catholic and Protestant, were selected through their churches and schools for their leadership potential. The 14- to 16-year-old teens are old enough to comprehend the issues, officials say, but not too old to change.

"I now have a different perspective on life," says Finvola Kelly, 15, of Belfast. "I realize that there is a lot more out there. The opportunities never end. I'm only 15 and have traveled halfway around the world."

Ulster Project officials hope the teens will share their experiences with friend and family and help create peace.

"Some of our friend back home may have bad attitude about being with the 'other' side," says David Maxwell, 15, of Belfast. "But we must explain to them that we made friends, and they have the same interests we do.

"Our trip has caused many things, the most permanent being our universal want for peace."

During their stay, the teens actually worked for peace in Northern Ireland, but they also formed lifelong friendships.

"I learned that with a group of people it is possible to help each other instead of just helping yourself," says Joel Stonedale, a 15-year-old from Arlington.

The Irish teens say they had "good craic," meaning great fun. But the month wasn't   all leisure time.

They cleaned up Fielder Park, refurbished the Arlington Night Shelter and spent a day with senior citizens at Fox Run Estates.

During three emotional "Time of Discovery" sessions, the teens learned more about each other and themselves. The confidential session often left teens in tears, emotionally drained.

"It brought me closer to everyone," says Ben Thompson, a 15-year-old from Arlington.

"I learned to trust people and form relationships with people."

The teens also planned the final ecumenical service of the project, and presented it to families and friends at St. Alban's Episcopal Church.

For the past month, the teens did everything side by side. The final service was no different.

The teens, each carrying a lit candle, slowly walked through the church in pairs. Together they read biblical verses, led prayers and reflected on the past month.

The teens divided the service into four segments symbolizing the goals of the Ulster Project: friendship, love, trust and peace.

When the project began, Arlington teen Kate Loveless, 15, had a light-hearted youthful energy at every event. But at the ecumenical service, she revealed a new maturity.

In her presentation, Kate used the image of two interlocked hands to represent the importance of trust in the Ulster Project.

They were emblematic of the trust the Irish teens had in coming to Arlington, she says.

"Another symbol of hands is praying," Kate says. "It's the prayers of parents who sent their children across an ocean to us."

The last symbol was a hand grasping for a rope. The teens built an understanding of the power of trust at the Adventure in Achievement ropes course earlier this month, she says.

"Trust, in all forms, has gotten us through the month," Kate says. "It's changed us."

Counselors saw changes, too. They presented certificates to the teens at the last pool party. Titles such as the "Romeo" award and the "Tough Guy" award reflected how close the teens have become.

Earlier in the week, every teen wrote personal messages to each of their 31 friends, which they exchanged at the pool party. The teens stopped dancing and swimming to huddle together, sobbing.

David refused to read his notes until he leaves for Ireland.

"I'd rather be a shoulder to cry on, than cry on other people's shoulders," he says.

Despite sobs and moan, the tear-drenched teens say their goodbyes aren't forever.