The Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement (SLCE) and their sub-group Sharks and Service (SAS) is partnering with Youth Rebuilding New Orleans (YRNO) to host a spring break trip to New Orleans, LA from March 5-11.
The trip’s purpose is to help the community with continuous disaster restoration in the area.
Schae Maynard, senior environmental science major with a minor in marine ecology and SAS site leader, discussed how the restoration would benefit the community.
“Even though it’s been 10 plus years since Hurricane Katrina hit that area, there’s still a lot that needs to be done,” she said. “We will be building homes, refurbishing homes and restoring homes with the idea that they will be sold to teachers at discount prices because we want the teachers to come back to the area to educate the youth.”
This is not the first spring break trip SLCE as a whole office has hosted; however, disaster restoration has been the main focus over the last couple of years.
Mariah Knowles, sophomore finance major, student office manager of SLCE and student site leader for SAS, said that the spring break trip has occurred for over five years.
This trip is impactful, not only for the community, but also for the students who participate.
“The larger impact on the university that both the spring break trip and other SAS trips as a whole provides is a sense of community,” Knowles said. “Students get to meet to new people, build relationships and get the experience to serve the community.”
Maynard discussed how the trips allow students to learn more about each other, about the people from the community in need and about themselves.
“By meeting new people, you get different perspectives,” she said. “Taking all of that away from what you learn from each individual, you could understand where you fit in, and it opens up your mind to different possibilities. And no matter what your life goal is, there is always an opportunity to help somebody, even in a small way.”
Maynard mentioned that about 10 to 11 students generally attend, along with five or six graduate assistants and site leaders; however, SLCE and SAS welcome any and all students to register for this trip.
The cost of the trip is $285, but the cost is split into two separate payments. A $100 deposit is due during the online registration, and the remaining $185 is due before the trip begins.
The registration form for the trip can be found at www.nova.edu/springbreaksas. The registration deadline is Feb. 13.
For more information, contact Liz Mazorowicz at em1404@nova.edu or call 954-262-7195.
Pictures
Caption: The participants of the 2016 SAS spring break trip.
Credit: M. Knowles
Caption: 2016 SAS spring break trip participants help repair house.
Credit: M. Knowles
