go all in - alternative breaks

 

Go all in! Alternative Breaks sends teams of college students to engage in community-based service projects during each college break. This week-long journey over spring break provides students with the opportunity to partake in meaningful service, reflect upon their experiences, and create long-lasting connections with others, all with the goal of creating active citizens. To learn more, review the Alternative Breaks Participant Expectations. We hope you’ll be a part of this experience!

 

Trip Cost

In 2020, Spring Break trips cost $200.00 per person. This fee includes transportation, food, lodging, community partner fees, some entertainment activities, and most means.

The Alternative Breaks program has many scholarships available, just indicate interest and need when submitting the Participant Application. In addition, students may apply for the Casey Feldman Scholarship.

2020 Spring Break Trips

  • Trip Description: Spend your spring break improving the lives and homes of those affected by natural disasters with a group of fellow CU students. You will be working in an area that has been continuously hit by hurricanes and major flooding, with an organization that focuses on long-term recovery from disasters. On this trip, you'll be immersed in teamwork and will gain valuable skills by doing a variety of construction tasks. Tasks may include hanging drywall, spackling, painting, laying floors, etc. Please note: Site Supervisors will train us before any tasks are completed.
  • Location: Texas
  • Trip Dates: Saturday, March 21 - Sunday, March 29, 2020

Meet the Site LeadersBecca (left) and Scott (right), the two Site Leaders for this Alternative Breaks trip, pose for a photo with the flatirons in the background.

Hello there! Our names are Becca Cone (she/her/hers) and Scott Twomey (he/him/his), and we're so excited to be leading Aftermath of a Natural Disaster: Building from the Ground Up! Scott is a first year majoring in Biochemistry; Becca is a sophomore studying International Affairs with a certificate in Global Public Health. We have both been involved with Alternative Breaks since starting at CU, and we love how it provides us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in a new community and educate ourselves on different issues that affect those communities. Join us over spring break for a week of incredible service and fun times as we dive into natural disaster relief work!

  • Trip Description: Join us on an Alternative Breaks trip where we will be working alongside a non-profit organization that provides a safe, loving, and educational environment for children in poverty. This organization provides before and after school programs as well as preschool programs for youth in their area. During the week we will spend our mornings in the classroom as we work with children and their teachers while our afternoons will be spent helping around the facility. 
  • Location: Missouri
  • Trip Dates: Saturday, March 21 - Saturday, March 28, 2020

Meet the Site LeadersFeben (left) and RJ (right), the two Site Leaders for this Alternative Breaks trip, pose for a photo with the flatirons in the background.

Hello! Our names are Feben Kassahun (she/her/hers) and RJ Walters-Dorchak (he/him/his) and we are leading the Cost of a Bright Future: Education and Empowerment for Children Experiencing Poverty trip to Missouri! Feben is a junior at CU and RJ is a sophomore studying French with a double minor in Business and Nordic Studies. This is our first time leading an Alternative Breaks trip, but Feben has been involved with Alternative Breaks since her first year at CU! We believe that all people deserve access to education and are so excited to be able to learn more about education access in the United States. We hope you join us on this great experience over spring break!

  • Trip Description: Over spring break, join us as we give our environment a little love and team up with a conservancy that is committed to conservation, education, and recreation! Through their work, this conservancy has helped protect over 60 animal, plant, and insect species that are found nowhere else in the world. Our team will be engaged in many different projects around the conservancy and some may include invasive plant removal, fence repair, trail maintenance, beach cleanup, and more. 
  • Location: California
  • Trip Dates: Saturday, March 21 - Sunday, March 29, 2020

Meet the Site LeadersBrenna (left) and Sarah (right), the two Site Leaders for this Alternative Breaks trip, pose for a photo with the flatirons in the background.

Our names are Brenna Minkler (she/her/hers) and Sarah Wheatley (she/her/hers) and we are so pumped to lead this Alternative Breaks trip! We cannot wait to work alongside this conservancy in California and to learn more about protecting our lovely planet. Brenna is a sophomore at CU studying elementary education and Sarah is an environmental studies major. This is our first time going on an Alternative Breaks trip and we are so excited to immerse ourselves in meaningful service and to learn together. We both have a passion for environmental conservation and cannot wait to serve this conservancy in California with you! 

  • Trip Description: Join us this spring break to engage in service learning around food insecurity. The organization we'll be volunteering with works to supply people in need of food throughout four counties in Southern Nevada. During this trip, we will work together to pack school lunches for children who qualify for free reduced lunches and pack fresh produce to send to local families and elderly folks in the area. 
  • Location: Nevada
  • Trip Dates: Saturday, March 21 - Saturday, March 28, 2020

Meet the Site LeadersCourtney (left) and Julia (right), the two Site Leaders for this Alternative Breaks trip, pose for a photo with the flatirons in the background.

Hey there! Our names our Courtney Romero (she/her/hers) and Julia LaForce (she/her/hers), and we are your Site Leaders for Hunger Never Takes a Break trip in Nevada! Courtney is a junior at CU studying psychology, theatre, and public health. Julia is a sophomore at CU, majoring in biochemistry and French. This will be our first time going on an Alternative Breaks trip, and we are so excited to lead this trip to Three Square and learn more about food insecurity in different communities. We hope you join us on this super fun trip to learn more, make friends, and most importantly, make an impact! 

  • Trip Description: Enjoy your spring break volunteering with dogs! Around 4 million dogs and cats are adopted from animal shelters each year, but many animals still need our help. This Wildlife and Animal Sanctuary works to provide abandoned and abused dogs with medical care, shelter, and adoption services. Our mornings will entail clearing and hauling off debris, removing tree limbs, mulching the exterior of the property, and general cleaning in and outside of buildings. Afternoon activities will include socializing, grooming, and training dogs.
  • Location: Tennessee
  • Trip Dates: Saturday, March 21 - Sunday, March 29, 2020

Meet the Site Leaders

Wynne (left) and Maggie (right), the two Site Leaders for this Alternative Breaks trip, pose for a photo with the flatirons in the background.Greetings! Our names are Wynne Royer (she/her/hers) and Maggie Hearn (she/her/hers) and we are super excited to be leading Paws and Think About it: Becoming Animal Advocates Through Caring and Compassionate Service! We are both seniors at CU; Wynne is studying Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences and Maggie is majoring in Applied Mathematics. We have both been involved in Alternative Breaks for four years. These trips are so awesome because they connect students through meaningful service and leave a positive impact on the community. This spring we have the opportunity to socialize dogs and learn about the critical issues facing animals today - join us on our trip!