Spring Break
Alternative break options far, wide for student volunteers
Erin Smith
Issue date: 3/30/09 Section: News
While many CSU students were enjoying their Spring break on white, sandy beaches far away from work and studies, 14 particular students toiled away in the dry dunes of a different kind of sand.
The Live Green community's Spring break trip to the Great Sand Dunes National Park was just one of many alternative Spring break trips that took students to various locations around the nation and world.
Ten other student trips, sponsored by CSU's Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement office, enlisted students to assist local populations in cities across the country and even in Panama.
"It's a great opportunity to connect you with volunteer opportunities around the world," said senior English education and Spanish major Kristen Majors about alternative break programs. "I just think the outlet is awesome … you can get out of town and help others."
Adam Beh, coordinator of the Live Green community, said that the Sand Dunes trip was part of a first-year seminar in environmental studies through the Warner College of Natural Resources.
The Live Green community, created in 2008, began as a residence option primarily for incoming freshmen in Summit Hall, Beh said. It has been expanded to include students of any academic level and an option to take the service-oriented seminar.
"I'm trying to turn it into a learning community … students will have one class together, do activities together and live together," said Beh.
He added that the Live Green community offers connections to like-minded students interested in exploring sustainable living options, and provides them with links to internships and job opportunities.
Beh said the purpose of the trip was to take the sustainable concepts learned during the first half of the environmental studies course and try to figure out what those concepts look like when applied to the Sand Dunes.
With the trip completed, seminar students will take what they learned and use it to develop a Web page for visitors of the Great Sand Dunes National Park Web site.
The Live Green community's Spring break trip to the Great Sand Dunes National Park was just one of many alternative Spring break trips that took students to various locations around the nation and world.
Ten other student trips, sponsored by CSU's Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement office, enlisted students to assist local populations in cities across the country and even in Panama.
"It's a great opportunity to connect you with volunteer opportunities around the world," said senior English education and Spanish major Kristen Majors about alternative break programs. "I just think the outlet is awesome … you can get out of town and help others."
Adam Beh, coordinator of the Live Green community, said that the Sand Dunes trip was part of a first-year seminar in environmental studies through the Warner College of Natural Resources.
The Live Green community, created in 2008, began as a residence option primarily for incoming freshmen in Summit Hall, Beh said. It has been expanded to include students of any academic level and an option to take the service-oriented seminar.
"I'm trying to turn it into a learning community … students will have one class together, do activities together and live together," said Beh.
He added that the Live Green community offers connections to like-minded students interested in exploring sustainable living options, and provides them with links to internships and job opportunities.
Beh said the purpose of the trip was to take the sustainable concepts learned during the first half of the environmental studies course and try to figure out what those concepts look like when applied to the Sand Dunes.
With the trip completed, seminar students will take what they learned and use it to develop a Web page for visitors of the Great Sand Dunes National Park Web site.
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