KU News Release

Feb. 29, 2008
Contact: Ben Berning, Alternative Breaks, (913) 484-7995.

49 KU students to volunteer at seven Alternative Spring Breaks sites

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LAWRENCE — For spring break this year, 49 University of Kansas students took their pick of seven getaway spots — but not exactly for a carefree vacation. Their sandy beach might be a Hurricane Katrina recovery site, and their night on the town could turn into a 48-hour homeless experience.

KU students will work March 15-22 with agencies in Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Washington, D.C. Their roles will include providing volunteer help with issues such as children’s services, conservation, health care, hurricane relief, language and culture acquisition, environmental preservation and people with disabilities. The program costs participants $250 ($210 for site leaders) and covers their transportation, housing and meals.

The student-run Alternative Breaks program centers on service-learning trips that offer students a unique opportunity to make volunteer efforts part of their educational experience. After students are selected for the program, they are required to attend the Special Projects in the Community course to prepare them for their trips.

An Alternative Spring Break counts as one unit for the University Honors Program, which requires students who want to graduate with honors to complete one or two honors units outside the classroom.

Ben Berning, Shawnee senior, and Ashley Bloom, Hutchinson senior, are Alternative Breaks co-directors. Heidi Pierson, Clay Center junior, and Lake Wooten, Mission Hills senior, spring break site coordinators, selected the sites.

Alternative Breaks was established in 1995 at KU with a spring break trip to El Paso, Texas. Since then it has expanded, with more sites and opportunities to volunteer being added every year. Alternative Breaks works in partnership with KU’s Center for Community Outreach, a student-run and student-funded organization that runs 15 volunteer programs and serves as a coordinating group for KU students interested in volunteer projects.

Administrative advisers for Alternative Breaks are Linda Luckey, assistant to the senior vice provost, and Rueben Perez, director of the Student Involvement and Leadership Center. Perez teaches the Special Projects in the Community course, assisted by Berning, Bloom, Pierson and Wooten.

KU participants in the Alternative Spring Breaks program are listed below by hometown, major, level in school, destination and leadership role, parents’ names and high school attended (when available).

This year’s sites:

Extra Hands for ALS, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Site leaders: Thao-Linh Thi Nguyen, Wichita sophomore, and Amber Richmond, Marion junior
Students will learn about ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease) and work with people who have ALS. They will learn about issues facing ALS patients and ways to advocate for ALS. The experience also will include a few days working at an ALS clinic in the area and hands-on experience assisting ALS patients and learning more about the disease.

Give Kids the World, Kissimmee, Fla.
Site leaders: Casey Pettit, Topeka senior, and Kristen Wakins, Lenexa junior
Give Kids the World Village is a nonprofit wish-granting resort facility near Orlando, Fla., that creates memories for children with life-threatening illnesses. Since its founding in 1986, it has welcomed more than 75,000 children and their families from all 50 states and 50 countries. Volunteers will work in a variety of supportive jobs such as operating rides, planning family activities or helping at concession stands.

National Coalition for the Homeless, Washington, D.C.
Site leaders: Ryan Campbell, Olathe junior, and Kate Motter, Lenexa senior
NCH engages in public education, policy advocacy and grassroots organizing for homeless issues. Participants will work at homeless shelters and prepare and serve meals at various kitchens. They also may help with other NCH projects. Participants are required to take part in an urban plunge, a real-life immersion program involving living on the streets for 48 hours.

Newcomer Center, Arlington Heights, Ill.
Site leaders: John Babcock, Holton junior, and Whitney Bloom, Hutchinson sophomore
The Newcomer Center is for high school students who have recently arrived in the United States and have limited knowledge of the English language. With a full schedule of academic classes, students acquire the knowledge they need to transition into their new high schools. Participants will work in the classroom with the high school students to help them learn English and adjust to American high school life.

Rebuild Lakeshore, Lakeshore, Miss.
Site leaders: Rebecca Ferm, Chanhassen, Minn., sophomore, and George Lewis, Prairie Village junior
This small Mississippi town was hit hard byHurricane Katrina in 2005 and still needs help rebuilding more than 5,000 homes in the community. Participants will help rebuild homes for residents who were not covered by insurance. The program is affiliated with a local church but KU students are only expected to assist with recovery efforts of this program. They also will work with volunteers from across the country to help residents repair their homes or distribute food and supplies.

South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind, Spartanburg, S.C.
Site leaders: Courtney Brax, Hutchinson senior, and Elise Rock, Lawrence sophomore
South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind, a specialized instructional and resource center with outreach centers throughout South Carolina, works with deaf, blind and sensory-disabled individuals of all ages to provide educational, vocational and developmental services. KU students will work with visually impaired students 5 and older and also will help with indoor and outdoor projects designed to aid developmental abilities of the visually impaired individuals.

TreeUtah, Salt Lake City, Utah
Site leaders: Tyler Enders, Leawood freshman, and Katherine Loeck, Lincoln, Neb., senior
The mission of Tree Utah is to improve Utah’s quality of life by enhancing the environment for current and future generations through planting, stewardship and education. Programs include urban plantings, ecological demonstration gardens, memorial tree plantings and urban heat island initiatives. Volunteers can expect an educational overview about the environment and interaction with nature. Since its founding in 1989, TreeUtah has worked with more than 50,000 volunteers to plant more than 300,000 trees.

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