For many, spring break is synonymous with sandy beaches and blue skies. It's a time to relax and escape from the world. Every year, however, some students opt to do something else with this short time away from campus.
The Alternative Spring Break program runs several service-based learning trips in the United States and the Dominican Republic. This year's destinations include Denver, Colo., Florida, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.
Students dedicate their one week of freedom from academic commitments to learning outside of the classroom and providing service to others.
So what drives these students to sacrifice sleeping in, Netflix marathons and getting their tan on? We all love to learn, but it's still nice to have a break every once in a while.
ASB participants have many reasons for making this commitment, but all recognize the value of giving back to a community and getting experience with hands-on learning.
Adria Brown '15 said she was motivated by an interest in helping others and a personal desire to expand her social network.
"I was interested in doing something meaningful over spring break," Brown said. "I wanted to learn and make new friends during freshman year. I wanted to do on-the-ground service."
Alice Liou '13, the student director of ASB trips, said her classes impacted her choice to participate. Liou attended the "Faith in Action" trip, which drew students from different religious backgrounds to work on issues facing homeless youth in D.C. and San Francisco after an Ethics and Public Policy class prompted her to reflect on how citizens engage with their communities, she said.
ASB trips are about more than hammering some nails and then feeling good about yourself.
Brown said her Dominican Republic trip was significantly different from what she expected.
"Learning about the culture was really more important than serving," Brown said. "It's difficult to break away from preconceived thoughts about service. It's nice to know that these trips aren't about just transporting ourselves away from Hanover, but really interacting with the community."
Liou said the short trips increases focus on education.
"Short term service is iffy," Liou said. "You can't really do anything that's going to change someone's life. I see it as an educational experience, a learning and growing opportunity."
The commitment to ASB trips goes well beyond the days of spring break. Participants organize fundraisers throughout the winter and meet with their groups before the trip to become acquainted with the issues they will tackle during their experiences.
Many relate to their experiences at Dartmouth and as part-time residents of the Upper Valley. The West Virginia trip addresses environmental issues, including mountaintop removal.
For those '16s who actually read the summer reading, "Strange As This Weather Has Been" by Ann Pancake, this should sound like a familiar topic. Participants also learn how Dartmouth generates the energy needed to run the College. The Denver trip explores Native American culture, an important issue for a school initially founded to educated the area's Native American residents.
Mark Sheridan '15 said an environment issues discussion with alumni in D.C. greatly influenced his major choice.
"Going on the trip last year confirmed my desire to study environmental studies along with economics and health policy and the importance of making the connections between those," Sheridan said. "This summer I was in D.C. working on environmental policy and I would definitely like to do that after college."
ASB trips often change the way students think about their classes and academic careers.
"With every class I take now I really look through a lens of what can I take from it to help other people," Brown said. "I feel like it helps you understand the complexity of issues at hand. It brings a human component to everything I research."
While sitting on a beach with a drink in hand, relaxing or spending time with friends sounds like a fun spring break, ASB offers another option that is immensely rewarding. "But I'm going to learn how to surf!" you say. This may keep you entertained for a few hours, but the learning that happens on ASB trips changes the way you think about the world. Consider that when you're busy warding off skin cancer in some picturesque tropical paradise.
