The Ultimate Spring Break

Where have college kids been for spring break? Sure, Cancun and Daytona will always be hot spots. But a growing number are planning for a week of volunteer service, either here in the United States or abroad.

Most are inspired by a passion for social justice and a desire to take action — and their positive energy is supported by faculty and administration who work with them to mentor, support and guide their efforts.

Last year, for example, a group from American University in Washington, D.C., headed to the Gulf Coast to help with clean up and rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.

"I think our whole generation is being looked at differently by people there, because we're the ones who are there," said student group leader Hannah Hanson.

This year, students from Harvard University were heading to six locations. According to the Harvard Gazette, students were planning projects to rebuild churches in Georgia that were destroyed by hate crimes, and delivering meals to people living with HIV/AIDS in New York. Other service projects had students working in mobile medical clinics in New Orleans and teaching school children in Washington, D.C.

The idea of spending vacations doing meaningful work for others has gathered so much momentum, in fact, that there are now organizations focused solely on Alternative Spring Break options.

Break Away is a national organization that supports and provides resources for chapters in 400 schools across the United States. Break Away encourages schools to start up Alternative Spring Break programs, and — for a fee — offers consulting, training, manuals and merchandise. At conferences, students and mentors gather to discuss what worked, what didn't — and why.

Huge nonprofits, including United Way and Habitat for Humanity are also getting involved with the idea of Alternative Spring Break. Each agency, of course, is interested in recruiting energetic young people to help with their projects. But there's more to the experience of Alternative Spring Break than getting the job done.

According to one student, writing on the United Way's Alternative Spring Break blog: "Alternative Spring Break is a force of change and I tried to get as many people involved because I know our world need change and together we can achieve anything!"

Photo of 2009 Alternative Spring Break volunteer courtesy of United Way, via flickr.