FSU’s 2019 Alternative Spring Breakers Head to Houston, TX

Every year, Frostburg students choose to give the time they have during their week long spring break to travel around the country and serve those whose lives have been affected by natural disasters, extreme poverty, and homelessness. Frostburg State is partnered with Break A Difference, a non-profit based in Baltimore, Md. that strives to engage corporations into helping with large service projects, training young leaders, and expanding the volunteer base with Alternative Spring Breaks (ASB) for students. Frostburg State is partnered with Break A Difference to offer ASB’s to students every year, and this past break, FSU chose to bring 12 students and 2 staffers to Houston, Texas to help rebuild after Hurricane Harvey left so many devastated in 2017. Organized by Director of Civic Engagement, Patrick O’Brien, along with National Service Coordinator, Ashley Daniels, and Assistant Director of Event Services, Jackie Buczkowski, the trip was planned, and the students attending the trip were chosen through an application process.

Before even the application process, there were interest meetings, student testimonials from previous years, and question and answer sessions, and of which made sure the students would be very prepared and know they were going to work, not to relax, in the Texas heat. After the attendees were chosen, there were further meetings to tell them about where they would be staying, what the camp was like, and who they were working with. The organizers were very straightforward with the students, sharing that they would be sleeping on cots in a gymnasium full of volunteers, waking up at 6:30 in the morning, the sites could be filled with mold, roaches, and mice, and hot water isn’t always a guarantee. But the students were going on a service project, spending their break helping people, and all of the things that may make many people cringe was just more motivation for the volunteers to help better the lives of those they were going to serve.

When Frostburg arrived in Houston, they were accompanied by three other Massachusetts universities, Berklee School of Music, Olin College of Engineering, and Middlesex Community College, with nearly 50 volunteers in total. All of the students were mixed together, broken up into small work groups, and then half of the groups were sent to one site and the other half to a second site. On day one, one group was painting the exterior of a home and garage that had flood damage, and installing new ceiling fans, AC unit, and air purifiers. Throughout the day, members of the home would come out to see the progress and be in awe, telling the volunteers that the house was being restored to how it looked in the 1960’s when it was first built.  Moments like those are the reason so many serve and strive to help those around them, so they can make another person’s life better or happier in any way. On the other site, volunteers began ripping out all drywall, insulation, and flooring from the floor to 4 feet up the wall. This home had been infested with mold since the hurricane, and all porous surfaces needed to be removed. At the end of the day, if you weren’t exhausted, you must have not been working. Throughout the week, the entire house was completely torn apart, tearing out everything in the bathroom and kitchen, then scrubbing all exposed studs. After spraying and painting them with mold repellent, the work on this site was complete. Fox News Houston interviewed students from Frostburg to get a taste of the experience of volunteering, and spread the word about the non-profits involved in helping people improve their lives.

With the ferocity the volunteers came with, students were moved from different sites as one would finish up, some moved to painting different homes, three homes were painted throughout the week, and others helped to organize the warehouse of the non-profit that supplies the tools and equipment needed for these repairs, The Toolbank, a non-profit that sells supplies at an extremely reduced price in order to make volunteer service possible. On a normal day, work would last from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., sometimes a bit later if the volunteers were determined to finish a project. But, the best part about any site was the words the homeowner said right before you leave.

It is hard to imagine a life affected by a natural disaster, and to hear how my actions have so positively affected another person’s life is truly impactful. Those words are the reason students decide to serve during their spring break and not go home and relax, the feeling of knowing you came and changed the life of someone else is something that can only be found in having human contact and putting in the work to help.

However, the entire week wasn’t all painting and destruction. Wednesday was a half day of work where students would be able to explore the city of Houston/ get lost in the city of Houston, to see the city they came to help. People adventured into different museums, universities, parks and shops, and got to see a city full of art and warmth, when in Frostburg during this week, it was still snowing. There was also lots of time to meet other students, bonding over the loss of hot water mid week, our reasons for going on an ASB, and sharing our experiences with college between one another. We also participated in a poverty simulation, partaking in an experience that showcased the harsh realities that poverty poses, and the extreme difficulty that is the concept of breaking the cycle of poverty.  Through service, you not only help individuals, you become more aware of yourself and the struggles in the world, while becoming a part of a community that supports one another and builds everyone up in an environment full of passion and drive to help those around them.

Frostburg’s Alternative Spring Break was the absolute best use of my time this spring break, and many other attendees would agree they would love to attend another one. Having an absolutely jam packed day, and going to bed exhausted knowing you helped change someone’s life that day is the absolute most rewarding experience I have had, and it inspires me to join more service projects and seek out more service opportunities. I want to thank Patrick, Ashley and Jackie for dedicating so much time into this project, and everyone who helped plan, fund, or assist in any way with this year’s Alternative Break. Everyone is so happy Ashley and Jackie could come with us to Houston, making the experience even better. We, as students, are so incredibly grateful for the opportunity FSU gave us with this year’s ASB, and hope that for next year even more students can get involved and dedicate their time to service, and helping better a community.