In an attempt to make their trips more affordable, the Alternative Breaks program is offering more local options this year to students.
“With relatively close offerings in Philadelphia, Boston , New York and on the Chesapeake — all for $450 or less — the program is hoping to attract more students who may not be able to afford the $1,300 price tag of their international adventures.
The theme of each week-long trip varies by destination. Students tackle such issues as urban education, urban agriculture, AIDS and environmental conservation.
Rob Hughes, a senior biology and chemistry major, participated in the Chesapeake Bay trip last year.
“I grew up in the area but I didn’t know a lot about the bay,” Hughes said. “There was camping, kayaking, canoeing — it was my first time doing any of those things, and it was amazing.”
A number of the trips from previous years are returning, such as Kentucky for rural poverty
“We were helping to repair houses. Some people had dirt floors, really bad leaks,” said senior environmental politics major Brad Dubik, who went on the Kentucky trip last year. “We met with the mayor. You’re really busy, but it’s a lot of fun. It’s not thankless work, it’s really rewarding.”
Organizers hope the lower prices for local trips will encourage more people to get involved — an experience, students say, that is memorable.
The deadline to apply for the spring or winter break trips is Monday — applications are available on the Community Service Learning website at www.csl.umd.edu. Each of the 20 trips admits 15 students.
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