Alternative
Breaks
学生追随激情，获得经验
at sites across the country
STORY BY THOMAS GARRETT
劳伦·西摩在动物收容所拍摄的照片
“我一直在考虑为一个像收容所这样的组织工作, 这次旅行提供了一个很好的机会来了解这项工作是什么样的. 这也加强了我对动物的爱，”杰·高捷说.
而不是放松地度过春假, Gauthier and 60 other Grand Valley students spent the first week of March working at sites across the country, gaining career experiences from a variety of organizations that work to improve the community in their areas.
亚历山德拉·霍格抱着一只三条腿的狗，跳房子.
亚历山德拉·霍格抱着一只三条腿的狗，跳房子.
这些学生参加了另类休息(AB), 这是一个1991年在大峡谷大学成立的学生组织. Like its parent organization, Break Away, AB strives to create a society of active citizens who make the community a priority in their values and life decisions. Working with organizations over spring break provides students with opportunities to aid and volunteer within a community, completing more than 40 hours of service that can often be related to the student's major.
Gauthier, a wildlife biology major, said she hopes to pursue a job with the Department of Natural Resources or at an animal shelter. She worked at the League for Animal Welfare in Batavia, Ohio, where she and other students helped care for neglected dogs and cats.
动物福利联盟是俄亥俄州最大的非杀戮动物收容所之一. 那里的工作人员每年为大约1500只猫和狗找到新家. Founded in 1949, it is also one of the oldest shelters serving the greater Cincinnati area.
这次旅行的每个学生都直接与受保护的动物打交道, giving them baths, meals and walks, and playing with them. They also got down and dirty to help the shelter by thoroughly cleaning every aspect of the facility and helping prep food or clean litter boxes.
Ronni Valle, 动物福利联盟的犬类培训负责人, 说学生们提供了宝贵的帮助.
“They had positive attitudes the entire time and never complained no matter how disgusting or difficult a task was,” Valle said. “Watching them bond and learn about our dogs and cats here was such a special experience for us, too. 我非常感激他们愿意为我们做的工作.”
Emily Colfer, left, 伊森·道尔在巴达维亚动物福利联盟清洗宠物碗, Ohio.
Emily Colfer, left, 伊森·道尔在巴达维亚动物福利联盟清洗宠物碗, Ohio.
Lily Clark, 他是巴达维亚之旅的学生网站负责人，也是“另类休息”的主席, was seen trimming the nails of flailing kittens or providing attention to another cat that was suffering from feline leukemia.
“Alternative Breaks provides all of these experiences but with a greater impact,” said Clark. “你在一个小团体中生活和工作, often creating friendships and connections that help deepen your understanding of a particular issue and drive home the importance of making the community a priority in your life.”
STORY BY THOMAS GARRETT
劳伦·西摩在动物收容所拍摄的照片
“我一直在考虑为一个像收容所这样的组织工作, 这次旅行提供了一个很好的机会来了解这项工作是什么样的. 这也加强了我对动物的爱，”杰·高捷说.
而不是放松地度过春假, Gauthier and 60 other Grand Valley students spent the first week of March working at sites across the country, gaining career experiences from a variety of organizations that work to improve the community in their areas.
亚历山德拉·霍格抱着一只三条腿的狗，跳房子.
亚历山德拉·霍格抱着一只三条腿的狗，跳房子.
这些学生参加了另类休息(AB), 这是一个1991年在大峡谷大学成立的学生组织. Like its parent organization, Break Away, AB strives to create a society of active citizens who make the community a priority in their values and life decisions. Working with organizations over spring break provides students with opportunities to aid and volunteer within a community, completing more than 40 hours of service that can often be related to the student's major.
Gauthier, a wildlife biology major, said she hopes to pursue a job with the Department of Natural Resources or at an animal shelter. She worked at the League for Animal Welfare in Batavia, Ohio, where she and other students helped care for neglected dogs and cats.
动物福利联盟是俄亥俄州最大的非杀戮动物收容所之一. 那里的工作人员每年为大约1500只猫和狗找到新家. Founded in 1949, it is also one of the oldest shelters serving the greater Cincinnati area.
这次旅行的每个学生都直接与受保护的动物打交道, giving them baths, meals and walks, and playing with them. They also got down and dirty to help the shelter by thoroughly cleaning every aspect of the facility and helping prep food or clean litter boxes.
Ronni Valle, 动物福利联盟的犬类培训负责人, 说学生们提供了宝贵的帮助.
“They had positive attitudes the entire time and never complained no matter how disgusting or difficult a task was,” Valle said. “Watching them bond and learn about our dogs and cats here was such a special experience for us, too. 我非常感激他们愿意为我们做的工作.”
Emily Colfer, left, 伊森·道尔在巴达维亚动物福利联盟清洗宠物碗, Ohio.
Emily Colfer, left, 伊森·道尔在巴达维亚动物福利联盟清洗宠物碗, Ohio.
Lily Clark, 他是巴达维亚之旅的学生网站负责人，也是“另类休息”的主席, was seen trimming the nails of flailing kittens or providing attention to another cat that was suffering from feline leukemia.
“Alternative Breaks provides all of these experiences but with a greater impact,” said Clark. “你在一个小团体中生活和工作, often creating friendships and connections that help deepen your understanding of a particular issue and drive home the importance of making the community a priority in your life.”
Jae Gauthier cleans the walls and doorways of the shelter to support a clean environment for the animals.
Jae Gauthier cleans the walls and doorways of the shelter to support a clean environment for the animals.
“另类休息”的总裁莉莉·克拉克正在给收容所的一只猫修剪指甲.
“另类休息”的总裁莉莉·克拉克正在给收容所的一只猫修剪指甲.
Emily Colfer sorts through recycled plastic bags, which can serve several purposes at the shelter.
Emily Colfer sorts through recycled plastic bags, which can serve several purposes at the shelter.
Jae Gauthier cleans the walls and doorways of the shelter to support a clean environment for the animals.
Jae Gauthier cleans the walls and doorways of the shelter to support a clean environment for the animals.
“另类休息”的总裁莉莉·克拉克正在给收容所的一只猫修剪指甲.
“另类休息”的总裁莉莉·克拉克正在给收容所的一只猫修剪指甲.
Emily Colfer sorts through recycled plastic bags, which can serve several purposes at the shelter.
Emily Colfer sorts through recycled plastic bags, which can serve several purposes at the shelter.
For Trinity Simon, 一名学习兽医预科的大二学生, spending a week at the League for Animal Welfare offered opportunities to attend a vaccination clinic and work with animals outside her job as an assistant at a West Michigan emergency animal hospital.
“我不仅有机会以相当便宜的价格旅行, 但我也可以回馈社区，和动物一起工作, 从我记事起就一直是我的爱好," Simon said. “我自己的房子看起来更像一个动物园.”
Carrie Leary, 动物福利联盟的志愿者经理, said the students often took on extra work simply because they saw it needed to be done.
“他们甚至在我们的囤积狗身上取得了进展. These dogs were shut down, they have never been outside of the house they were found in,” said Leary. “The students got them to come out of their shells and it was so cool to see those tucked tails start wagging.
“The fact that they just did whatever needed to be done without being asked was so huge. 即使在他们离开的时候，也有几个学生流下了眼泪, 这告诉我他们和我们的动物有多亲近.”
From left, Alexandra Hogue, 克洛伊·斯普拉德林和贝卡·特里贝里坐在一起，在一个晚上的反思. Some of these conversations and lessons were about root causes of sheltered animals and tougher topics like euthanasia.
From left, Alexandra Hogue, 克洛伊·斯普拉德林和贝卡·特里贝里坐在一起，在一个晚上的反思. Some of these conversations and lessons were about root causes of sheltered animals and tougher topics like euthanasia.
As a part of the trip, students engaged in nightly reflections after their volunteer work to learn more about complex topics like euthanasia or privilege that affects problems like unwanted, lost and neglected animals.
“An additional goal of AB beyond these trips is to bring the knowledge and experience to the GVSU campus so that we can benefit our local community with events and other activities to give back here,” Clark said.
托马斯·加勒特是《博天堂官方网页》的学生作家. 加勒特是斯蒂文斯维尔人，今年4月获得了写作学士学位.
For Trinity Simon, 一名学习兽医预科的大二学生, spending a week at the League for Animal Welfare offered opportunities to attend a vaccination clinic and work with animals outside her job as an assistant at a West Michigan emergency animal hospital.
“我不仅有机会以相当便宜的价格旅行, 但我也可以回馈社区，和动物一起工作, 从我记事起就一直是我的爱好," Simon said. “我自己的房子看起来更像一个动物园.”
Carrie Leary, 动物福利联盟的志愿者经理, said the students often took on extra work simply because they saw it needed to be done.
“他们甚至在我们的囤积狗身上取得了进展. These dogs were shut down, they have never been outside of the house they were found in,” said Leary. “The students got them to come out of their shells and it was so cool to see those tucked tails start wagging.
“The fact that they just did whatever needed to be done without being asked was so huge. 即使在他们离开的时候，也有几个学生流下了眼泪, 这告诉我他们和我们的动物有多亲近."
From left, Alexandra Hogue, 克洛伊·斯普拉德林和贝卡·特里贝里坐在一起，在一个晚上的反思. Some of these conversations and lessons were about root causes of sheltered animals and tougher topics like euthanasia.
From left, Alexandra Hogue, 克洛伊·斯普拉德林和贝卡·特里贝里坐在一起，在一个晚上的反思. Some of these conversations and lessons were about root causes of sheltered animals and tougher topics like euthanasia.
As a part of the trip, students engaged in nightly reflections after their volunteer work to learn more about complex topics like euthanasia or privilege that affects problems like unwanted, lost and neglected animals.
“An additional goal of AB beyond these trips is to bring the knowledge and experience to the GVSU campus so that we can benefit our local community with events and other activities to give back here,” Clark said.
托马斯·加勒特是《博天堂官方网页》的学生作家. 加勒特是斯蒂文斯维尔人，今年4月获得了写作学士学位.
AB across the country:
‘Helped me grow as a leader’
在大峡谷春假期间, Alternative Breaks sent six groups of students across the country for service projects, including to the Batavia, Ohio, animal shelter. 以下是其他小组的详细信息:
Park Preservation
Marion, Virginia
Hungry Mother State Park
在弗吉尼亚州的马里恩，社会工作专业的研究生埃尔·贝林格(El Beringer)在 Hungry Mother State Park to improve a natural playground, release fish at local lakes, pick up litter and build fire rings.
“这次旅行教会了我团队合作的力量，”贝林格说. “虽然我有很多积极的小组经历，但这个小组很快就联系起来了. It helped us get the work done, but it also added to the purpose of what we were doing.
”I enjoyed the area and work so much that I applied for their AmeriCorps summer position. 虽然我没有接受这个角色，但我们旅行中的另一个人接受了. 我认为这说明了它的影响.”
Lakes. Land. Love
Golden Pond, Kentucky
湖间土地之友
这里的学生们致力于保护一个拥有75英里小径的地区, 这意味着清除和清理涂鸦, trail maintenance and mulching, and shoreline cleanup.
The students worked with the 湖间土地之友, which has a goal to educate, improve, promote, conserve and provide stewardship for the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
Water Restoration
Murphy, North Carolina
Organization: Mountain True
Olivia Miller, a biomedical sciences major, traveled to Murphy, North Carolina, to work at Mountain True. 学生清除入侵物种, picked up litter and planted new trees in the area to aid resilient forests and clean water.
“This trip greatly impacted my understanding of invasive species and preserving natural habitats. It showed me firsthand how difficult it is to remove invasive species from the environment once they take root, which is why preventing them from getting into the environment in the first place is so important. 这次旅行让我成长为一个人和一个领导者，”米勒说.
Hearts for Homeless
Little Rock, Arkansas
Our House
Our House provides a pathway out of homelessness for families and individuals in central Arkansas. GVSU的学生们帮助组织和打扫 Our House 为其提供庇护所，帮助其运作，并为有需要的人提供物资.
Elderly Outreach
Richmond, Virginia
Senior Connections
Karianne Rodeman, an integrated science secondary education major, spent time in Richmond, Virginia. 她和其他人参观了五家不同的友谊咖啡馆, 老年人在哪里吃热饭, played games and socialized, all organized by Senior Connections.
“和高年级学生在一起很有趣, 每个人都有很好的建议和有趣的故事要分享. What stuck out to me the most was the resources available as you age and the negative views towards aging in our society today. 皱纹是辛苦换来的，白发是智慧和回忆换来的. Spending time with the seniors had just as much of an impact on us as our time spent there had on them,” said Rodeman.
AB across the country:
‘Helped me grow as a leader’
在大峡谷春假期间, Alternative Breaks sent six groups of students across the country for service projects, including to the Batavia, Ohio, animal shelter. 以下是其他小组的详细信息:
Park Preservation
Marion, Virginia
Hungry Mother State Park
在弗吉尼亚州的马里恩，社会工作专业的研究生埃尔·贝林格(El Beringer)在 Hungry Mother State Park to improve a natural playground, release fish at local lakes, pick up litter and build fire rings.
“这次旅行教会了我团队合作的力量，”贝林格说. “虽然我有很多积极的小组经历，但这个小组很快就联系起来了. It helped us get the work done, but it also added to the purpose of what we were doing.
”I enjoyed the area and work so much that I applied for their AmeriCorps summer position. 虽然我没有接受这个角色，但我们旅行中的另一个人接受了. 我认为这说明了它的影响.”
Lakes. Land. Love
Golden Pond, Kentucky
湖间土地之友
这里的学生们致力于保护一个拥有75英里小径的地区, 这意味着清除和清理涂鸦, trail maintenance and mulching, and shoreline cleanup.
The students worked with the 湖间土地之友, which has a goal to educate, improve, promote, conserve and provide stewardship for the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
Water Restoration
Murphy, North Carolina
Organization: Mountain True
Olivia Miller, a biomedical sciences major, traveled to Murphy, North Carolina, to work at Mountain True. 学生清除入侵物种, picked up litter and planted new trees in the area to aid resilient forests and clean water.
“This trip greatly impacted my understanding of invasive species and preserving natural habitats. It showed me firsthand how difficult it is to remove invasive species from the environment once they take root, which is why preventing them from getting into the environment in the first place is so important. 这次旅行让我成长为一个人和一个领导者，”米勒说.
Hearts for Homeless
Little Rock, Arkansas
Our House
Our House provides a pathway out of homelessness for families and individuals in central Arkansas. GVSU的学生们帮助组织和打扫 Our House 为其提供庇护所，帮助其运作，并为有需要的人提供物资.
Elderly Outreach
Richmond, Virginia
Senior Connections
Karianne Rodeman, an integrated science secondary education major, spent time in Richmond, Virginia. 她和其他人参观了五家不同的友谊咖啡馆, 老年人在哪里吃热饭, played games and socialized, all organized by Senior Connections.
“和高年级学生在一起很有趣, 每个人都有很好的建议和有趣的故事要分享. What stuck out to me the most was the resources available as you age and the negative views towards aging in our society today. 皱纹是辛苦换来的，白发是智慧和回忆换来的. Spending time with the seniors had just as much of an impact on us as our time spent there had on them,” said Rodeman.
