Earlier this year, eight Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) students traveled to New Orleans to participate in an Alternative Spring Break trip, focused on community service and experiential learning. Organized by the Student Life Community and Global Engagement Department, the trip paired hands-on volunteer work with cultural education.
The trip exposed students to topics surrounding food insecurity, disaster response and recovery. Accompanied by the director of community and global engagement, the group spent the week engaging directly with local organizations and historical landmarks.
The group’s community service consisted of preparing and planting a local community garden and working at a food bank, where they separated and repacked donated food for distribution to member agencies.
In addition to agricultural and distribution efforts, the itinerary featured educational and cultural experiences. Students explored the French Quarter and participated in a walking tour of Louis Armstrong Park and Congo Square, where they learned about a local artist’s recovery and experience with Hurricane Katrina. The students also took a boat tour through the swamplands of the Jean Lafitte National Park and Barataria Preserve.
“The Alternative Spring Break trip was extremely rewarding on all accounts,” said EKU student Rachel Hesse, an anthropology major from Simpsonville. “I love to travel, and this was a great way to travel for a low cost while also being able to connect to a community that I wouldn’t have been able to connect to if I had traveled there in a different manner. Overall, it connected me to EKU better as well, because I met an exceptional group of people who I can now reach out to on campus!”
Student Anna Barlow, a forensic science major from Bardstown, echoed the sentiment, saying, “My time spent on the Alternative Spring Break was extremely fulfilling and an amazing opportunity. It was a perfect balance of learning about the culture and history of New Orleans while doing hands-on work in the community and local areas.”
The firsthand look at disaster recovery left a lasting impression on the student volunteers as they witnessed how residents rebuild after hardship.
“In New Orleans, I saw what community resilience looks like, neighborhoods growing their own food, starting their own food banks, and preserving their culture in the face of disaster and disinvestment,” said student Ameris Parks, a cyber systems technology major from Richmond.
The experience also inspired students to bring these service concepts back to campus and their own local communities.
“The Alternative Spring Break was such an amazing experience,” said student Lauren McClellan, a forensic science major from Shelbyville. “I loved seeing how service can directly impact the community and how the community can bounce back in times of hardship. EKU gave a way to show how to give back and how to make an impact in any environment you go into.”
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