Friday, February 15, 2002

Contact: Rueben Perez, Student Organizations and Leadership, (785) 864- 4861

KU one of 2 universities selected to host Alternative Break citizenship conference

LAWRENCE -- The University of Kansas is one of two universities in the nation chosen to host the 2002 Alternative Break Citizenship School, a week-long, summer training program for student and staff leaders of the college community service program Alternative Breaks.

Approximately 48 college students will attend the KU session, June 22 through 29. They will study Native American issues and work with faculty and students at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence and community service organizations such as Pelathe Community Resource Center, 1423 Haskell Ave., Lawrence.

The University of Vermont was chosen to host a similar session, July 12 through 19.

Alternative Break Citizenship Schools provide training for student and staff leaders from different universities to learn the skills needed to build a quality alternative break program. Participants attend workshops, planning sessions, speaker panel sessions and community dinners and work with organizations to serve the host community.

Program Co-director Michelle Bennett, a Lawrence senior majoring in English, said that KU was chosen as a host school because of its program size and quality.

"KU is unique because it has one of the largest Alternative Break programs in the country. Our Alternative Break program implements the components of a good alternative break program as specified by the national organization and tries to be an example of what Alternative Breaks is supposed to be about," Bennett said.

KU's Alternative Break Program began in 1994 with a trip to El Paso, Texas. Since then, more than 600 students have spent spring, winter and weekend breaks serving community needs such as hunger and homelessness, health and wellness, environment, cultural diversity and education.

More than 65 KU students participated in this year's winter break program and approximately 140 KU students are expected to spend spring break working for organizations such as the National Coalition for the Homeless, Teach for America and Grand Canyon National Park.