Spring break has arrived, and for 10 students, this brings the opportunity to participate in service-learning projects in Appalachia.
The alternative spring break program running from March 4 to March 9 is offered by the Campus Involvement Center, in coordination with Rural Action and United Campus Ministry, for the second year in a row.
The idea is to get students engaged in service projects to the Southeastern Ohio region and give them a chance to engage in discussions, said Barbara Harrison, assistant director of Off-Campus Living & Community Service.
The students will be staying at a cabin at Burr Oak State Park with Patricia Riley, a Community Service graduate assistant, who will help facilitate the week, Harrison said.
Alternative spring breaks were a major part of her undergrad experience, Riley said.
“I wanted to bring that opportunity to Ohio University students,” she said. “Staying local to southeast Ohio gives us the opportunity to really explore and give back to a community that welcomes us for a short amount of time during our college experience.”
Each day has a focused project, and the goal is to get students thinking about important issues that affect our region, said Melissa Wales, executive director of UCM.
“The focus is wanting to give students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the local history and local environmental issues, and introduce them to the organizations we have in our community that are working to make the region a better place for all of us,” Wales said.
Some of the week’s projects include dump site cleanup in coordination with Rural Action’s Zero Waste initiative, taking a trip to West Virginia to tour with Keepers of the Mountains — a group concerned about mountaintop removal, a form of coal extraction — and hiking around Burr Oak State Park.
“We intentionally incorporate recreation into the week so that participants have a balance of activities to enrich the experience,” Wales said.
The trip is almost completely funded by uFUND, the Margaret Boyd Scholars, UCM and the Campus Involvement Center with the students paying $25 to hold their spot, Harrison said.
Students have the opportunity to learn more about what they can do to help, Wales said.
“Many students come to Ohio University and insulate themselves in the OU bubble,” she said. “This is a great opportunity for them to connect with the local community.”
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