By Danielle Ferguson, Staff Writer
This year, Saint Leo University has Spring Break from March 12th to March 16th, with the inclusion of the weekend. Although every student attending the university has the same break, there is a diverse range of locations in which students will spend their break.
There are many different expectations as to what 2012’s Spring Break has in store, ranging from party hot spots, to SERVE (Students Engaged in Rewarding Volunteer Experience) charity expeditions, family time, and extensive travel. So for all the Lions’ Pride readers out there who are looking for ideas, want to try something different, or just need a bit of insight into what’s available, look no further- all is embedded here.
In accordance to the Spring Break 2012 official travel guide, the top ten hot spots for this year’s break range from Cancun, Mexico all the way to North American ski resorts. Of course these destinations are based primarily around college students who are looking for a party. However, it is important to note that partying isn’t all that spring break is about, in fact there is an alternative Spring Break option.
So what exactly is this alternative Spring Break? Well it’s a Spring Break where student volunteers, instead of picking up the swimming trunks, pick up a tool box with the goal of making a difference within different communities. Over the years of Spring Break on campus, volunteer groups composed of students and employees have packed up their work boots and traveling gear for different destinations, including Alaska, South America and others. The SERVE program has previously had Saint Leo participants headed to Atlanta, New Orleans, the Florida Keys, New Jersey, Alaska, Ecuador and Honduras with each group having its own mission.
[Text Wrapping Break] This Spring Break, Saint Leo students involved in the SERVE program will be traveling to the city of San Jose to work with the children who reside at Obras del Espiritu Santo, an orphanage run and operated by a Catholic Mission. The students will be impacting the community by volunteering with the children, as well as being patrons at the surrounding businesses, which contribute to the prosperity of the orphanage. Those involved with S.E.R.V.E will also be traveling to Paterson, New Jersey, and volunteering with Catholic Charities to make an impact in the community by doing activities such as mentoring children, building houses and volunteering at a soup kitchen. For the Gulf Coast, SERVE students will be traveling to Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, which is a small beach front community that is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Students will be volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and help with building, painting, landscaping and more. Those on the SERVE New York team will be traveling to the city of Geneseo to volunteer at the H.O.R.S.E (Help Our Rescue Save Equines) rescue and sanctuary. This trip will give much needed help with groundwork, horse handling and more. Finally, the Saint Leo students involved in the SERVE Florida Keys team, will be traveling to Homestead, Florida. While in Homestead, SERVE will work on mentoring migrant children, also referred to as “ghost children” due to the fact that they have missed so much schooling because of poverty.
Although the SERVE program has reached its deadline in applications for this year’s spring break, if any student has any questions or would like more information, feel free to contact SERVE at: Serve.program@saintleo.edu
Unfortunately, some students were unaware the deadline to apply for SERVE was last semester. When interviewed, freshman Ashleigh Russell stated, “When I realized I’d missed the SERVE deadline it was kind of a knock for me because I was set on doing that for my freshman Spring Break as a way to boost my resume, but also have a meaningful impact on other’s lives at the same time. Luckily though, I got on the ball a.s.a.p. and just over a week ago I completed my application for the 2012 National United Way Alternative Spring Break program. So fingers crossed by March 10th I could be flying to Tucson, Arizona, to help with the youth charity education system.”
Although most students seem to have Florida destinations, with cities like Key West or Daytona. There were also Saint Leo students who expressed interest in a Spring Break a tad different from the norm. When interviewed Catherine Tallant, Saint Leo student, stated, “Well I’m from Florid, so this being my senior year, I decided to do something I’d never done before and travel to New Hampshire for a camping and hiking type expedition. My friend, Samantha, has a lake view cabin up in the mountains. So that’s where we’ll be spending a non-stereotypical Spring Break, far from the beach.”
Whatever one ends up doing for Spring Break, they should make sure to have fun, be safe and make good memories.
