Lisa Lindquist, student affairs specialist, said when she started Alternative Spring Break six years ago, she was looking for ways to encourage leadership development and decided that service learning was the best way to do it.
“I just want to encourage students. These times in school are opportunities to take advantage of programs like these. It’s great to do the traditional spring break, don’t get me wrong, I think that’s awesome,” Lindquist said. “But I think it’s also great to consider these other opportunities, not just for growth and development, but also just because they’re kind of fun. It’s a neat alternative.”
This year, students paid a $540 fee to go on the trip, which Lindquist said was a “pretty good deal.” That fee covered airfare, transportation and meals and any additional money needed was taken from a special budget.
Two years ago, Lindquist started a partnership with Camp Restore in New Orleans and now every year the group works in coordination with them during Alternative Spring Break, she said. Camp Restore is a local church that also has a housing area with a full kitchen, dining hall and dormitories.
Camp Restore can house up to 300 people doing community service, and this year Lindquist and the group were joined by 250 students and faculty representing other colleges around the nation, she said.
This year’s Alternative Spring Break group worked with several different organizations around the city of New Orleans, she said, including a horse rescue ranch, bead recycling plant and food pantry.
At the rescue ranch, the group took care of horses that had been abandoned during Katrina and are now used to help in the community with after-school programs, she said. In the bead recycling plant the group sorted used beads to be sold and repurposed for parades throughout the year. The money for recycled beads goes to benefit and assist the efforts of Arc of Greater New Orleans.
The group also worked with HOPE Food Pantry, where they cooked spaghetti and meatballs, corn and other foods for families and those in need, she said. One of the group’s favorite experiences year after year.
“I’d really like to get us to a point to where we’re thinking about additional trips. I could see this program growing in that way. I take it year by year depending on what the interest is, but I think it’s a really rewarding experience.”
College of Arts and Sciences student Anabella King agreed that the trip was equally gratifying and enjoyable.
“Overall, ASB was an incredibly rewarding experience that was also fun. I enjoyed meeting new people, and serving and exploring the community of New Orleans,” King said in a UNM press release.
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Sophomore Lluvia Trevizo said this year was her first time attending Alternative Spring Break, but she already plans on applying to go next year as well.
“Its one of the greatest experiences you can ever have. You learn so much about the culture, the people, the food is delicious and you get to help out individuals. There are still so many people that need help. Even after so many years, many people are still impacted by Hurricane Katrina,” Trevizo said. “I advise people to go out and help their community; It is so rewarding.”
The rewards are not the only draw as there is still plenty of time for leisure as well, Trevizo said. The group does outreach from around 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., leaving the rest of the day to explore the city.
The group got to walk the historic streets of New Orleans, visiting the famous Café Du Monde for beignets, she said. They also got to tour a museum and enjoy a live concert in Lafayette Square, among other activities.
“I try and expose them as much as I can to the food, the culture and everything else. Every year I’m like, ‘we’re going to go somewhere different.’ But I just think that it’s such a neat place and it’s so different, it’s a different kind of South. Students continue to go and really enjoy it. And (the people) still need help, its still impactful,” Lindquist said. “I’d like to see this program grow, to where we can have numerous trips.”
Matthew Reisen is a staff reporter at the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
