If you are wanting to go wild over the seasonal breaks for an important cause, East Tennessee State University has just the alternative spring break programs for you.
Alternative Breaks is a program that allows college students around the country to spend their holidays (fall break or spring break) learning about “active citizenship” and community involvement through direct hands-on experience.
ETSU currently offers nine different experiences you can choose from, ranging from a focus on civil rights in Atlanta, disaster recovery in Georgia and poverty relief in West Virginia, among others.
Lucky Krog is a student who has both participated in the alternative spring break program since 2014 and also served as a site leader.
“These trips are invaluable, because they allow students to work side-by-side with men and women who are making positive impacts on their local community,” Krog said.
“During every trip I’ve attended, I’ve witnessed first hand how extraordinary regular people can be, when they dedicate their lives to caring for others.”
According to the ETSU Alternative Spring Break Program’s website, the cost of these trips ranges from $250 to $400. These fees include housing, meals, transportation and service.
For Krog the price has varied in the past, however, depending on the trip and the inclusion of grants received.
According to the ASB website, the deadline to apply for experiences in 2018 was Nov. 30.
Those wishing to apply for the program through ETSU, or would like more information, can go to https://www.etsu.edu/students/sorc/organizations/civicengagement/breaks/experiences.php.
For those wanting general information about the overall program, you can go to www.alternativebreaks.org.
“No matter who you are, I highly recommend doing at least one AB trip in your college career,” Krog said.
“At the very least, it’s a cheap way to travel for a holiday and an opportunity to serve. At it’s best, AB trips are life-changing. They educate you about the needs of communities around you, and they make you aware of simple ways to improve others’ lives. Not to mention, you form bonds with your fellow Alternative Breakers like nothing else. Even if you don’t all see each other after the trip, the people who join you on these trips will have a connection with you for years to come-maybe even a lifetime.”
