May Means Service
JMU students help rebuild
a house in New Orleans, La.
When most James Madison University students were packing up for the
year and heading home, 48 students quickly shifted gears from focusing
on their studies to focusing on others. JMU's Alternative May Break
participants packed up and loaded a bus bound for New Orleans, La. This
is the seventh Alternative May Break trip JMU students have made to New
Orleans.
Started in 2005 as a response to Hurricane Katrina, JMU has
broadened the focus of the trip, dubbing it "AMB: Rebuilding New
Orleans." Misty Newman, assistant director of Community
Service-Learning for Alternative Break Programs said, "While the focus
remains rebuilding houses and communities, our trip incorporates
whatever type of work is most necessary at the time of arrival."
JMU's volunteers will stay at Camp Hope whose mission focuses on
housing volunteers who are rebuilding and providing new construction for
New Orleans. Trip participants are assigned to a small group of eight
or nine with one student leader and one faculty or staff leader for each
group. Students paid $300 to participate.
Junior Renna Wirchin participated in last year's AMB and signed up
this year as a group leader. She said her first trip to New Orleans
left her shocked by how much was still left to do. "The trip instilled
in me a deeper passion for service as we worked on the houses affected
by Katrina and heard stories from so many amazing people," said Wirchin.
"Despite their unfortunate circumstances, the residents of New Orleans
had such a positive outlook and zest for life which was highly
inspirational as well."
Wirchin's commitment to New Orleans echoes JMU's ongoing
relationship with the city and the issues that affect it including
rebuilding, the more-recent oil spill and the general state of poverty.
"I am looking forward to returning to see all that has been rebuilt
since last May and I am very excited to continue to further rebuild New
Orleans to become even more beautiful than it already is," said Wirchin.
Alternative May Break is part of JMU's award-winning Alternative
Break Program, which coordinates opportunities for students to assist
people while learning more about societal issues, including
homelessness, education, immigration and health problems.
JMU's Alternative Break Program is a two-time recipient of the Break
Away National Program of the Year award in recognition of the
university's commitment to active citizenship. Break Away honored the
JMU program in 2010 and 1999. The national nonprofit organization
supports the development of quality alternative break programs by
providing training and information to colleges and nonprofit
organizations interested in creating lifelong active citizens.
Related Links:
Alternative Break Program http://info.jmu.edu/csl/abp/
Service at JMU http://www.jmu.edu/service/.
Community Service-Learning: http://www.jmu.edu/csl
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May 9, 2012
