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Printer-Friendly ModeService groups prepare for break
March 1, 2010 —
As spring break approaches, some look forward to a week of relaxing. But about 50 volunteers will spend that week around the world working with social issues.
The students are part of SVSU’s Alternative Breaks program, a drug- and alcoholfree student-led organization that sends service groups on weeklong trips during academic winter and spring breaks.
Students then travel and work to become part of a solution, and later perform service near SVSU.
Each week since October, teammates have met to learn about their group’s issue, build relationships with one another and raise the money they need to take the trip.
This spring break, four trips will focus on four issues: cultural awareness, environment, rural poverty and Native American issues.
Cultural Awareness
Nine students will be traveling to Columbus, Ohio, to work with the nonprofit group Equality Ohio. The organization aims to promote the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, and raise awareness of the issues they face.
The team has been watching videos and learning about the issues to prepare for the trip. During the students’ stay, they will lend a hand to the needs of Equality Ohio, and may work with LGBT seniors or with individuals who have HIV or AIDS.
Rachel Bouwhuis, elementary education sophomore and co–site leader, said she wanted to go on this trip because she went on an Alternative Break last year and had a great experience.
“It is so rewarding helping others and knowing that you made a difference in someone’s life,” Bouwhuis said.
Environment
Eleven students will travel to Guatemala to work in the Western Highlands of the Mayan community.
“It is cool to help people not only in our own country but also abroad,” said Courtney Duncan, nursing junior and co-site leader for the trip.
In this area, respiratory illness is a leading cause of death due to the open stoves natives use in their homes. Students will build better ventilated brick stoves and help reforest wooded areas by planting a tree for every stove they build.
This, in turn, will also help prevent landslides.
To teach others about environment issues, the group collected recyclable materials and built mannequins from them. Along with posters, these mannequins sat outside the RFOC to teach students about recycling.
Duncan went on a trip last year and said it was better than any regular vacation.
“It really impacts you and the way you think,” she said.
Rural Poverty
To learn about rural poverty, students will travel to West Virginia to work with the Southern Appalachian Labor School, a rehabilitative center for high school dropouts to learn new skills to re-stabilize their lives.
SVSU students will likely be helping out with construction projects for lowincome populations.
Henry Hsiung, biochemistry senior and co–site leader for the rural poverty trip, said he thought the trip there would make for an eye-opening experience.
Native American Issues
Through the host organization Once Upon A Time, students will work with the Eastern Band Cherokee in Maryville, Tenn.
Different activities are planned for each day, including construction, clearing national forest trails and helping sell jewelry the tribe has made.
The group will eat authentic Native American food and get to hear stories told around the bonfire.
Nursing sophomore Steven Cleaves, a co–site leader for the trip, looks forward to experiencing the culture firsthand.
His co–site leader, Meghan Champeau agreed. “We focused a lot of our education on language, the education and the culture,” she said.
Cleaves wants to be able to dispel the myth that all college students want to do for spring break is go out and drink.
“I want to do something productive over my break,” he said. “It’s a great program to build yourself and help others as well.”