Students Gear Up For Alternative Spring Break

While some GW students finalize their spring break trips to Cancun, Europe, and other relaxing destinations, others are looking forward to volunteering across the US as part of Alternative Spring Break.

Madeline Bush and Charlie Guinn are leading ASB Kansas, where volunteers will help rebuild the town of Greensburg, Kansas, which was devastated by a tornado in May 2007.

“I was a participant last year on the Kansas trip and absolutely fell in love with the program. I wanted to be a leader for the Kansas trip this year because I felt that my experience last year was so great and I wanted to give the same to another group of GW students,” said Bush, a sophomore who is a double major in human services and psychology. “The Kansas trip is truly eye-opening about the different cultures that exist within the US.”

To raise the $5,000 needed for the trip, each participant sent out 10 letters to friends and family asking them for monetary donations. They also had a late-night bake sale in Ivory Tower, as well as other fundraisers such as the Halloween candygrams and Christmas candy cane deliveries.

Bush said she is anxious about the trip because she and Guinn have been planning it for the entire school year.

“We definitely want to make it the best possible experience for every one of our participants. I think we’re both just really looking forward to the moment when we can be getting our hands dirty in the work and seeing the impact that it makes on our participants.”

Sarah Leibach, who is going on ASB Appalachia to rebuild a room in a family home, is also anxious but excited for the week.

“I’m a little bit nervous just because this is a completely new experience for me; we talked a bit about the region and the problems that people in small Appalachian towns face, but seeing it in reality is sure to be a huge shock,” said Leibach, a junior. “But I’m also super excited: we just got our itinerary and the week just looks incredible.”

“Everyone I knew who went on a trip said they came back with amazing friends and a sense of accomplishment,” said Leibach. “I had no plans for spring break and really wanted to do this before I graduated, so I made it a priority to go.”