Past Alternative Breaks

Spring Break: March 16-22, 2008
Forty-two students embarked on the adventure of ASB on five trips. Seven students went to Eastern Tennessee and worked with an organization called Once Upon a Time in Appalachia focusing on Indigenous and Native American Appalachian Culture. Ten students traveled to Catalina Island, CA to work with the Catalina Island Conservancy focusing on environmental issues. Four students returned to Phoenix, AZ to continue work with the Sojourner Center focusing on domestic violence. Venturing to Bay St. Louis, MS were eleven students working the Hope Haven Children’s Shelter focusing on issues of child abuse and neglect. The final trip went to Portland, OR where ten students worked for an organization called SOLV that involved them with watershed conservation and environmental issues

Veteran’s Day Break: November 9-12, 2007
Twelve participants traveled to Sioux Falls for a regional alternative break trip to work with the Children’s Care Hospital. Participants worked with children in the hospital that suffered from a variety of illnesses.

Spring Break: March 4-12, 2007
The alternative spring break program had its biggest year to date with five trips and 47 students participating. Students were also given the opportunity to earn college credit for two of the trips through the Education & HPE departments at NSU. The five trips included Urban Youth Education at Children’s Outreach Project in Denver, CO; Children with HIV/AIDS at Project Sunshine in New York, NY; Hurricane Relief with Community Collaborations International in Violet, LA; Hunger & Homelessness at Maggie’s Place in Phoenix, AZ; and Domestic Violence at the Sojourner Center in Phoenix, AZ. Students also participated in a Pre-Trip Service day on President’s Day prior to going on their trips to learn more about the issues as they relate back to our community. Participants totaled 142 hours of community service at the YMCA Learning Tree & After the Bell, Salvation Army, Newman Center, and Safe Harbor.

Native American Day Break: October 6-8, 2007
Seven students traveled to Rapid City to volunteer for the Black Hills Pow Wow. Participants learned about Native American culture and the many aspects of a powwow.

Spring Break: March 5-13, 2006
Thirty-eight students participated in four alternative spring break trips in 2006. Trips included Hurricane Relief in Waveland, MS, Plateau Restoration in Moab, UT, Habitat for Humanity build in Austin, TX, and Marine Life Restoration in Clearwater, FL.

Spring Break: March 5-11, 2005
Nine NSU students and one staff were involved in an alternative break during spring break 2005. The students worked with an environmental restoration non-profit near Moab, Utah called, Plateau Restoration. Volunteers here removed non-native invasive plant species from places such as Arches National Park.

Spring Break: March 7-13, 2004
Twenty-two NSU students and staff were involved in an alternative break during spring break 2004. The students and staff split into two groups. Eleven worked at Raphael House, a domestic violence shelter in Portland, OR. Volunteers completed yard work, power washing, worked with the kids, organized the playroom, sat on the crisis line and cleaned out offices. During the same time period, the other group worked at Friends of the Dunes, a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration of the coastal dunes, in Arcata, CA. Volunteers here removed non-native invasive plant species from the dunes.

Winter Break: January 2–4, 2003
Three high school students participated on a three-day direct service experience with the focus on hunger and homelessness during their academic break over the holidays. The students prepared and served meals to more than 300 individuals at The Salvation Army Harbor Lights facility in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. Other duties included pantry storage, facility cleaning and maintenance, and holiday un-decorating. Students toured the facility, interacted with other staff members and clients and reflected on their experience throughout the break.

Spring Break: March 10–6, 2002
Thirteen NSU students and staff participated in an alternative break during spring break 2002. A team of seven individuals worked with Habitat for Humanity in Wichita, Kansas. Volunteer work included sheetrocking, siding, deck railing, painting, and mudding the sheetrock. Meanwhile, a team of six individuals helped with schoolwork, recreational activities, and minor building maintenance at the Boys and Girls Club of Collin County in McKinney, Texas.

Spring Break: March 4–10, 2001
Eight NSU students spent five grueling days in Wichita, Kansas volunteering for Habitat For Humanity. Members lacked experience, but quickly learned to pour concrete, haul bricks, hang sheetrock, mud and tape sheetrock, build a deck, balance on sheetrock stilts, operate power tools and paint as they assisted with the building of four homes.