The impact of service: Alternative Spring Break participants volunteer at three sites across the nation

Alternative Spring Break participants who traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, volunteer at several nonprofit organizations.

Dozens of University of Michigan-Dearborn students participate in Alternative Spring Break (ASB) each year to volunteer in communities throughout the country. These trips are designed to develop students’ leadership skills and create strong bonds with other participants and community members.

This year, students traveled to St. Louis, Mo., and Cleveland, Ohio. A third group stayed closer to home to volunteer at UM-Dearborn’s Mardigian Library, where they researched new programming opportunities for the library.

Rosemary Cruz, a sophomore psychology student, was a site leader for the St. Louis trip, where participants worked with Kingdom House, an organization that offers enrichment programs for children, adults and seniors. Participants organized the organization’s food pantry, helped with after-school programs and planned a family fun night.

Cruz enjoyed working on the kids’ programs, saying, “They were doing all these things to push students toward education and being positive. I like that a lot.”

Tyler Guenette, Opportunity Scholars success coach, traveled to Cleveland. Participants—all of whom were Opportunity Scholars—volunteered in many areas of Cleveland, including the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, where they packed more than 1,900 kids’ lunches. They also served at a men’s shelter and the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland.

“I think this trip allowed the Opportunity Scholars to see the impact of service,” Guenette said. “By having done service at a number of organizations, they were also able to see how the work of many nonprofits and agencies intersect to help those living in poverty find financial footing to achieve a more economically stable environment.”