Writing SNHU’s Story
VOLUME XXV
ISSUE 1
Trip: Dominican Republic Subject: Education Access Organization: Outreach360 Coordinators: Samuel Blanchard (‘21) and Aliemma Kanu (‘22) Number of Spots Available: 14 Cost: $1000 Travel: Airplane Service: Teaching English and lesson planning in K-8 school Trip: Grand Canyon, Arizona Subject: Environmental Organization: Grand Canyon National Parks Service Coordinators: Justin Vanasse (‘22) and Nick Arsenault (‘21) Number of Spots Available: 8 Cost: $600 Travel: Airplane Service: Park maintenance, education on the effects of tourism Trip: Lorida, Florida Subject: Environmental Organization: Florida Trail Association Coordinators: Maddie Frisella (‘20) and Braeden Dutile (‘21) Number of Spots Available: 8 Cost: $600 Travel: Airplane Service: Environment restoration, assist with research, educate children Trip: Niagara Falls, New York Subject: Mental Health and Homelessness Organization: Community Missions Coordinators: Izzy Proia (‘20) and Lauren Gralenski (‘22) Number of Spots Available: 10 Cost: $250 Travel: Car Service: Assisting in food kitchens and pantries, working with emergency housing and youth and recovery services.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2019
PENMENPRESS.COM
Alternative Break Trips Revealed
“Alternative break is a program that has the foundation to change your life, but you have to put good in to get good out,” Jenkins said. Nikki Fain Editor in Chief Every year, students, staff and faculty alike return from these trips unable to convey with words the impact they’ve had on them. Today at the Involvement Fair, the Chandler Center announced the much-anticipated alternative break trips. These trips offer students the chance to travel and engage in direct service during spring break. In each community, students learn about the issues that affect it the most while working with those most impacted. The Chandler Center’s mission is to coordinate and engage students in civic engagement opportunities. To the left is the basic information of each trip. Every year the center offers different trips focused on different subjects, but there are usually some similarities to the previous years’ offerings. Returning students will recognize the Dominican Republic trip which, due to its success and popularity as an inter-
Environment trips are most popular survey concludes. (image credit: Break Away)
national option, is becoming a “staple” to the program. The Niagara Falls trip is similar to the prior two years’ Washington D.C. trip, which also focused on urban homelessness. In Niagara Falls, New York, participants will also learn about the ways mental health intersects with homelessness. Finally, the last two options focus on the environment and sustainability much like the Utah trip from last year. The Chandler Center piloted its first sustainability-focused alternative break at Arches National Park in Moab, Utah last year after learning of data from Break Away, the national organization that helps colleges to develop alternative break programs. The success of it encouraged Alternative Break Program Coordinators Jay Jenkins (‘19) and Alicia DeBruin (‘22) to offer two trips focused on the environment this year. Each year the alternative break program coordinators attend Break Away’s annual conference. It was at last year’s conference that Jenkins learned of the rising popularity of trips dedicated to environmental issues. According to Break Away’s 2017-2018 survey, the environment ranked as the number one most common trip focus out of 193 schools. Environmental trips are valuable, because they provide diversity in service. According to Jenkins, some people prefer working with the Earth while others like seeing the effect on individuals. Meanwhile, DeBruin acknowledged that there is a
DeBruin at Arches. (image credit: Nick Arsenault) challenge to working with location that thrives due the environment. to tourism, is one way to “A lot of the trips focus educate participants on on social justice issues that this connection. “A lot involve real people where of the conversations that we can sympathize with we’ve had is that if we can them, but environmental find a way to bring those trips there’s not necessari- two things closer together, ly people being impacted. . then we can really bring . So the direct service that this program to the next you’re doing is with the level.” earth and the ground,” she Meanwhile, in Lorida, said. She explained that Florida, participants will this forces participants focus more on the science to look beyond the direct aspects of environmental service they’re doing and issues by assisting with to consider the impacts of research and teaching their service. what they’ve learned to In particular, the local children. They’ll Grand Canyon trip will still be able to work with allow participants to con- the Earth with activities sider the ways tourism like trail maintenance and service are sometimes and restoration. This was connected rather than another way that the proin conflict. Sometimes gram aimed to diversify short-term volunteer trips its service opportunities can lead to voluntourism, this year. which is when people use The deadline to apply service as an excuse to is November 10 at midtravel to new locations. night. Both DeBruin and Rather than promot- Jenkins encourage stuing voluntourism, The dents to apply if they have Chandler Center works even the slightest interest. to make their trips as ed“If you are able to be ucational as possible for selfless and understand participants. the problems that affect Jenkins explained others, it can actually imthat bringing students prove you as an individuto the Grand Canyon, a al,” Jenkins concluded.