Fall Break Provides Leadership Opportunities
Last spring, one of Georgia Tech's Alternative Service Breaks was in the Dominican Republic. Students helped build bottle houses that have a cement foundation and a wooden frame, and the insulation is made of recycled plastic bottles to both reuse waste and protect homeowners during extreme temperatures. Photo courtesy of the Center for Student Engagement.
Alternative Service Breaks (ASB) is partnering with the Center for Student Engagement to host a Fall Break trip this semester to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cherokee, North Carolina. Georgia Tech’s Fall Break is Oct. 7 – 10.
ASB trips are group-oriented community service trips that promote student leadership development, personal reflection, and education around service issues. During the national park trip, students will partner with park rangers to work on forest and trail restoration and maintenance. In addition to the service work, they will hike, camp, and cook within in the park.
“Joining an alternative service break expedition to the Great Smoky Mountains is an educational adventure that empowers students to become environmental advocates,” said Jayde Nelson, director of Civic Engagement in the Center for Student Engagement and advisor for the trip. “By restoring the forest, assisting in ongoing field projects and helping protect and preserve the natural and cultural resources in the park, they not only renew nature’s splendor but also their own sense of purpose and responsibility.”
Alex Canedo, a first-year industrial engineering major, is one of the trip leaders. “Some of my best memories come from the time spent with my family at national parks observing the natural beauty of America,” he said. “When I heard about the opportunity to lead a service trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, I thought this would be a fun way to give back to the National Parks Service while also learning about the important work that goes on behind the scenes to maintain these beautiful places.”