DUBOIS, Pa. — For students, 春假通常被认为是他们可以从课堂上抽出时间的时间, campus and perhaps travel to an exotic destination to relax. 然而, 来自365英国上市杜波依斯分校和365英国上市大阿勒格尼分校的几名学生通过另类春假项目将他们的春假旅行提升到了另一个层次.
Traveling to 西雅图, Washington, as part of an embedded travel experience in CIVCM211N, 12 Penn State 杜波依斯 students, along with seven students from Penn State Greater Allegheny, spent their spring break on a full week of service and learning, 最终目标是帮助西雅图地区尽可能多的人.
今年春天，学生们在另类春假旅行中整理捐款箱，这是他们服务的一部分.
西雅图, along with many other metropolitan areas in the United States, 看到一些居民在贫困和无家可归方面的挣扎.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2021年，西雅图地区约有10%的人口生活在贫困线以下. For a city its size, that equates to nearly 74,000 people. 西雅图 has also seen its struggles with homelessness in recent years. 该市在2020年1月的一个晚上进行的一项研究发现，超过11人,500 people experiencing homelessness. Of those people, 47% of them were completely unsheltered that night. 美国商务部(State Department of Commerce)最近的数据估计，大西雅图地区有超过15家,000 homeless people, 在美国所有主要城市中，无家可归者人数排名第三. (Only New York City and Los Angeles had more at the time of the study.)
另一个经常与贫困和无家可归密切相关的社会问题是粮食不安全. This means that an individual does not have access to sufficient food, or food that is of adequate quality to meet their basic needs. This is not limited to those living in poverty or without a home, 许多家庭必须在食物和医疗保健之间做出艰难的决定, medicine, transportation, utilities and rent. To make ends meet, food is often cut out.
学生们花了一周的时间参加志愿者活动，试图在春假期间产生尽可能多的影响. Marly Doty, 旅行组织者兼365英国上市杜波依斯分校人类发展和家庭研究讲师, 注意到今年是自2020年以来，由于疫情的限制，学生们首次能够完成整整一周的服务. In what she described as a bittersweet experience, 学生们亲身体验了贫困和无家可归的人正在经历的事情, 但也要学习和参与帮助人们的行动和项目.
看到学生们解决课堂上讨论的问题，并将其转化为人们面临的现实生活问题，我感到很震撼—Marly Doty , Lecturer, human development and family studies
“在许多地区(如西雅图)，获得经济适用房的情况更糟，导致无家可归者人数增加,” Doty said. “It was powerful, 虽然, 观看学生如何解决课堂上讨论的问题，并将其转化为人们面临的现实生活问题.”
“When I first heard about alternative spring break, I knew that it was something I had to be part of,” HDFS student Skylar King said. “I will admit, I was skeptical at first. 把整整一周的时间奉献给别人对一个忙碌的大学生来说是一个可怕的想法. It turns out, I wasn’t giving anything away. 而不是, I was given the opportunity to meet new people, learn new things, and above all, serve people whose stories I will never forget.”
During the week in 西雅图, students worked with numerous organizations to complete various tasks, 例如:在巴拉德路德教会和塔科马救援任务中准备和提供食物, 通过图克维拉食品储藏室和西北丰收的SODO社区市场，帮助那些需要新鲜农产品和杂货的人获得这些食品, 通过无家可归者和贫困管理基金会协助个人的住房需求, as well as through the Low-Income 住房 Institute (LIHI). 学生们还参加了西北酒店和救世军的项目.
“有机会帮助不同的组织和基金会完成他们的使命, to help those in need, was the best way I could’ve spent my spring break,” finance student Alicia Bryan said. “One act of kindness at a time is how we can change the world.”
许多参加这次旅行的学生反映的一个共同主题是，他们的经历不仅使他们能够帮助别人, it allowed them to learn more about themselves as well.
“另类春假是一次大开眼界的经历，让我走出了自己的舒适区,” actuary science student Madalynne Heckman said. “我不仅能够更多地了解无家可归和贫困的人, but I was able to learn more about myself and what I can do to help.”
Business major Aaron Gankosky echoed those 虽然ts. “这是一次难忘的学习经历，不仅让我了解了那些无家可归的人, but also taught me more about myself.”
Above all, 那些从这些学生的服务中受益的人将永远不会忘记他们, 整个经历也是学生们永远不会忘记的.
“It was an incredible, unforgettable and insightful experience,” broadcast journalism major Louise Bennett said. “我很感激能在西雅图和这么棒的人一起服务!”
This sentiment was shared by HDFS major Jordan Bundy. “I had an unforgettable experience on the trip. 我能够建立个人联系，了解其他无家可归者的故事, food insecurity and poverty. 这是值得的所有努力工作和时间我们一起在整个星期.”
