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Two members of Lafayette’s Alternative School Break Club recently returned from a national conference in San Francisco where they met with student leaders from around the country to discuss HIV/AIDS in the United States. Students from Alternative School Break clubs from 27 colleges and universities attended the meeting.
Co-presidents Jillian Gaeta ’07(Middletown, N.J.) and Stephanie Mishik ’07 (Mantua, N.J.) participated in workshops to develop leadership skills and strengthen individual school chapters. They also took part in a service trip. Each year, Lafayette sends two students to the conference hosted by Break Away, a national nonprofit organization that trains student leaders to implement its programs in their schools and communities.
“I went on an Alternative School Break trip in my sophomore year, and I had such a great experience I wanted to become more involved,” says Gaeta, a double major in international affairs and French. “[It] is a unique organization because it provides students with a tangible opportunity to create direct change in their national and international communities. Connecting to social issues through service has been one of the most powerful experiences I have been part of at Lafayette.”
At the conference, Gaeta and Mishik worked with nonprofit organizations such as the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Project Open Hand, San Francisco Food Bank, and Richard Cohen House. They packaged clean needles for distribution to drug users, prepared nutritious meals for HIV/AIDS sufferers, and cleaned Richard Cohen House, which takes in those with HIV/AIDS who are homeless and suffer from mental illness.
Mishik, a double major in psychology and government & law, arrived three days early to receive extra leadership training and was a site leader for the service portion of the conference. She also led reflections after the service project was completed and acted as a liaison between students and Break Away staff.
“The training for the service experience taught me how I can best utilize my assets and deal with my weaknesses in order to provide the best service opportunity to a group of students,” says Mishik. “The most demanding aspect of my time in San Francisco was monitoring my group’s dynamics in order to create a safe but challenging environment for participation, discussion, and learning. The lessons I learned as a site leader and participant in San Francisco were invaluable, and I have begun to incorporate them into my work style, not only with Alternative School Break, but in the rest of my life.”
“This was an empowering and humbling experience,” adds Gaeta. “Having the opportunity to talk to students from across the country with various opinions about this controversial issue challenged my thinking and gave me a new perspective. It was inspiring to see so many students who are strong agents for change and dedicated to living their lives as active citizens.”
For the last 13 years, Lafayette’s chapter of Alternative School Break has traveled throughout the U.S. and abroad for community service projects. This year, it is planning six trips to various locations. In the past, it has focused on issues such as sustainable development, affordable housing, Native American issues, and hunger and homelessness.
“Since I joined Alternative School Break, I have strongly felt that every student should have the chance to experience direct service paired with a strong educational component in order to allow for the individual to become an active citizen while engaging in personal reflection,” says Mishik. “I cannot imagine my time here at Lafayette without my involvement in Alternative School Break. My major, career choices, and personal growth have been fueled by my experiences with the social issues and leadership roles I have had the opportunity to tackle through the club.”
Last year’s president Stephen Caruso ’06 attended the Break Away conference and now serves on its board of directors. Alternative School Break operates through the Landis Community Outreach Center.
Rounding out the group’s executive board are secretary Amanda Barba ’08 (Palisades, N.Y.), an American studies major; treasurer Martha Petre ’08 (Chautauqua, N.Y.), an international affairs and Spanish double major; and fundraiser Jillian Carinci ’08 (Wilmington, Del.), a biochemistry major.
For more information or to get involved, contact Gaeta or Mishik.