Southeast Serves offers students second alternative spring break trip

Southeast Serves is offering students an alternative spring break trip in partnership with the American Hiking Society to Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park in Middle Brook, Missouri, March 13 through 17.

Students from Southeast Missouri State University will spend a full week providing community service throughout various areas of the park.

The second spring break trip ever planned by Southeast Serves, the outing at Johnson's Shut-Ins will be different than last year's trip, according to Pamela Avila, graduate assistant of student engagement for Campus Life and Event Services.

"This year we are going to go the entire week of spring break," Avila said. "Our service is going to be more focused on the environment. We're going to be working on the trail; cleaning the trail, removing rocks from the trail. There will be a lot more work outside where students will be immersed in nature."

Last year the organization took 10 students to Pontotoc, Mississippi to assist Habitat for Humanity in construction projects.

Recruitment of students to attend the trip has begun, according to Avila. Nine spots are available to interested students, and Avila said they will be easy to fill.

"The students here are amazing, we usually don't have any trouble recruiting students," Avila said. "They're all excited to try something different and try a service trip."

Students are required to pay a nonrefundable fee of $50 to confirm their spots for the trip, which goes toward fees the organization pays to the American Hiking Society. Southeast Serves will begin fundraising in the spring to help cover additional fees.

According to Avila, funding for the trip is almost entirely paid for by students and fundraising.

"Last year we weren't able to fund the trip entirely, so hopefully this year we can fundraise enough to cover those additional charges," Avila said. "Luckily, Johnson's Shut-Ins has cabins within the park that we'll be staying in. We won't have to pay for lodging, but we will have to provide our own food."

Avila said attending a service trip can teach students skills that they may not expect to learn otherwise.

"I think that everyone should try some kind of service trip while in college," Avila said. "In just a couple of days you learn a lot and there's a sense of pride and satisfaction in being able to help someone or something like the environment. It pushes you out of your comfort zone and it's also rewarding. Hopefully this becomes a tradition where we can offer students these opportunities every year."