Student Testimonials
"Participating in ASB puts students in a dialogue with people directly involved in the issue that a particular trip addresses. This creates a unique opportunity for personally meaningful experiential learning to happen – whether it’s about agriculture, disaster relief, or anything in between. A service trip can teach what the classroom struggles with: there is no substitute for producing your own food or meeting people who have become statistics face-to-face. A good service trip can teach empathy, an essential quality for performing any type of service with competence and respect."
"By participating in a service trip you not only learn about the area you are serving and possibly a new culture, you can learn a lot about yourself and how you relate to others and skills about working with different people, both those in your group as well as those you meet."
"It's not easy to commit your spring break to service, but the experience might have a lasting impact that changes the way you view the world."
"Take a chance. Read trip descriptions carefully and try to understand what you might be able to learn. Be willing to do things that might make you a little uncomfortable--you'll learn more. I had a rush of second thoughts about spending my spring break on a farm with no electricity or Internet just before going on ASB, but my initial discomfort dissolved almost immediately after getting down to Texas--even though I got splattered with mud, rooster blood, and a full bucket of goat milk all within 48 hours of arriving."
"I had an amazing experience and am looking forward to next year!"
"It was a nice experience traveling with new friends, learning new tasks, and trying to live simply.This was an amazing experience that has made me want to be vocal about the treatment of farm workers...who have to harvest our food. It has also made me want to educate people on how their meat is raised, processed and packaged."
Alternative Spring Break 2010
Three separate trips embarked from Cornell, with a total of 33 students, faculty, and staff. Ten students traveled to Elm Mott, Texas to learn and farm with World Hunger Relief, Inc., and two groups traveled to New Orleans to work on flood restoration projects. In New Orleans, 14 Cornellians stayed at Camp Restore and worked on a variety of clean-up projects, while a second group of nine helped restore a flood-damaged home through The Phoenix of New Orleans.
Camp Restore: New Orleans, Louisiana
Camp Restore is located on the campus of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and School. Camp Restore is a ministry of RAI Ministries and is affiliated with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. The primary activity of Camp Restore is the complete spectrum of work involved in rebuilding homes damaged by Katrina's floodwaters.
World Hunger Relief: Elm Mott, Texas
World Hunger Relief, Inc. is a Christian organization committed to the alleviation of hunger around the world. WHRI is located in Elm Mott, Texas, which is about 30 minutes from Waco. Their philosophy "is to live simply, helping those who struggle to meet their basic needs by sharing and investing in others what God has given to us." The work that will be performed on this trip will be anything that a 42-acre farm requires, including tending to animals and crops, performing maintenance on buildings, and working with the local community. Participants will live in buildings that have the same amenities that many third world countries have. Modern facilities will be available optionally.
In Elm Mott, Tex., 10 students worked on a 42-acre farm operated by World Hunger Relief, a non-profit focused on global hunger relief. There they performed a range of farming chores including tending animals and milking goats, while also learning about food and farming issues from a social justice perspective.
The Phoenix of New Orleans: New Orleans, Louisiana
The Phoenix of New Orleans (PNOLA) is a non-profit organization devoted to the rebuilding and recovery effort of the Lower Mid-City neighborhood in Orleans Parish. What was once a working-class neighborhood with thriving churches, schools, small and large businesses is now a community struggling to overcome unemployment, poverty, and the devastation rendered by Hurricane Katrina. Construction work is expected, and training will be provided on-site. Lecturer Tom Javoroski and Theresa Hunter have worked with PNOLA in the past.
In New Orleans, two separate teams worked with The Phoenix of New Orleans and Camp Restore, two non-profit groups involved in reconstruction efforts after Hurricane Katrina. The first team of nine Cornellians helped restore a flood-damaged home, while the Camp Restore team of nine completed a variety of projects ranging from building rain gardens to volunteering at a day care.