Spring break can lead to all sorts of adventures. For four students, break 2010 meant traveling with the University of Oregon’s Alternative Spring Break program and a week spent volunteering. This year the projects were as varied as they were successful: some traveled to San Francisco to work with HIV/AIDS patients, others headed east to combat rural poverty, and still more went to Los Angeles to work with at risk youth. Whatever the individual project, each student came back with stories to share. Join Ethos Online as we present My Alternative Break, the experiences of four girls and their personal Alternative Spring Break adventures.
Lizzie Falconer – San Francisco
Lizzie Falconer is a junior majoring in International Studies and Spanish. Frustrated with the state of the world and the lack of solutions presented by her major, she jumped at the Alternative Spring Break trip when her friend recommended it. Her specific trip was located in San Francisco, and the group worked with organizations fighting poverty, homelessness and HIV/AIDS in the Tenderloin District. When she’s not fighting social injustice, Lizzie enjoys running excessive amounts of miles, writing, and drinking an unhealthy amount of caffeine. She hopes that her blog entries can give the reader a glimpse of the fantastic nonprofit work people are doing in San Francisco, and push the message that Alternative Spring Break is better than a week of binge drinking in Mexico. Probably.
Read Lizzie’s first blog post: “Good Guys/Bad Guys”
Read Lizzie’s second blog post: “The Big Win”
Read Lizzie’s final reflection
Lexi Stickel – San Francisco
Lexi Stickel is a senior at the University of Oregon. She is majoring in Spanish, Journalism, and International Studies. After returning from a summer spent in South America where poverty was readily apparent, she went on the Alternative Winter Break trip to Portland to work with issues of homelessness and poverty. Inspired by her experience she decided to also sign up for Alternative Spring Break. Her specific trip went to San Francisco to work with various nonprofits combating issues of homelessness, poverty and HIV/AIDS. In addition to her Alternative Break experiences she was the co-director of Dance Marathon 2010 and serves on the executive boards for University Day and Alpha Phi Omega (a co-ed community service group). In her spare time Lexi likes to travel looking for trinkets of her spirit animal, the elephant, and frolic in nature with her friends. After graduation she hopes to pursue a Master’s degree in Conflict Despite and Resolution.
Read Lexi’s first blog post: “A City’s Contradicting Words”
Read Lexi’s second blog post: “Fish, fishing pole or both?”
Read Lexi’s final reflection
Elaine Ramos – Eastern Oregon
Elaine Ramos is a junior majoring in Photography within the Art department. She grew up in Corvallis and attended Southern Oregon University in Ashland before transferring to the University of Oregon. When not in the darkroom surrounded by chemicals, Elaine also enjoys dancing, eavesdropping and people watching. Last year, while attending S.O.U. her roommate went on an Alternative Spring Break trip to New Orleans and had an amazing experience. So this year when Elaine was surfing the U.O. website and caught sight of Alternative Spring Break opportunities, she jumped at the chance. Helping others is a goal Elaine has always had but hasn’t been too successful in achieving. She wanted to go on this trip to make a difference and to begin to become the person she wants to be.
Read Elaine’s first blog post: “Hungering to Help”
Read Elaine’s second blog post: “Lessons From the Klamath Tribes”
Read Elaine’s final reflection
Keeley Tillotson – Los Angeles
Keeley Tillotson is a freshman at the University of Oregon majoring in Pre-Journalism and minoring in Art. While attending Tualatin High School in her hometown of Tualatin, Oregon, Keeley was very involved in the school paper and school art program. Besides writing and art, she is passionate about service, especially concerning education and working with children. Keeley applied for the Alternative Spring Break program this year hoping to jumpstart her volunteering efforts at the U.O. and in the Eugene area. This experience has served not only to re-inspire her enthusiasm for public service, but has also provided Keeley with new insights on the issues surrounding poverty and education.
Read Keeley’s first blog post: “All It Takes Is a Spark”
Read Keeley’s second blog post: “Thanks, But I’d Rather Not Go Back To Normal”
Read Keeley’s final reflection

Gallery • 8 Photos

My Alternative Break