Throughout the 2011-2012 school year, students have been involved in this program and during UNC’s Spring Break, about fifty students left for their Alternative Trips. UNC students made their way across the United States to make a difference. One trip went to Los Angeles and worked with Women’s Issues, another trip went to Kanab, Utah and worked with Animal Issues at an animal sanctuary, another trip went to the Crow Agency in Montana to work on Native American Issues, and the last group went to Washington D.C. and worked with Poverty and Homelessness Issues. On average, each group spent five days volunteering with their cause in hopes to make an impact on the community they were serving.

After several days of traveling, volunteering, and reflecting, the UNC students returned to campus. They later reflected on their trips and realized that they had been changed because of their experiences. The LA group recalled seeing luggage from several women who were travelling between shelters on a daily basis and people sleeping on the street with their mattresses. The Utah trip remembered spending time with animals that had been abused or neglected as well as animals that had special needs and their chances of adoption were slim. They said that it was difficult because animals cannot vocalize their pain. The Montana group reflected on their positive experience with the children at the Crow Agency. These children immediately became attached to UNC’s volunteers, but little did they know that UNC’s volunteers became just as attached to those students. The Washington D.C. group remembered their experience making grocery bags full of groceries for the elderly and running a mobile soup kitchen. They were reminded that homelessness and poverty can happen to anyone and can occur in the blink of an eye.

The Alternative Spring Break trip at the University of Northern Colorado had amazing participants from various organizations at UNC. Two Site-Leaders were RHA Executives, three Site-Leaders were NRHH Members, one Site-Leader was an RA, and one Site-Leader was UNC’s Student Trustee. Many of the participants were involved on campus as well. There were several members involved in the Center for Peer Education, RHA, Campus Crusade for Christ, Greek Life, and more. The amount of involvement of the participants shows that the Alternative Spring Break program at UNC brought together individuals who set aside their differences and worked together to make a difference across the country.

In total, each trip averaged around 25 hours of community service for Alternative Spring Break. That is a grand total of 100 hours! The entire goal of the Alternative Spring Break program is for students to give back to a community but so much more occurs during their Alternative Spring Break trips. Each community gives back to the students more than the students expect. The students learn about themselves and return to their campus as grateful students who have a better appreciation of community service.

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