More than 50 Fresno State students will engage in community service projects during spring break in partnership with the Shinzen Friendship Garden Inc., Betty Rodriguez Regional Library and Every Neighborhood Partnership.
This marks the 16th year of the Fresno State’s Alternative Spring Break program, hosted by the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning at the university.
Three student teams will complete over 600 hours of service from March 30 to April 2. Students will engage in a variety of tasks to enhance their leadership, communication and organizational skills. These events center on the community partner’s needs.
The students are expected to develop leadership and communication skills, enhance their personal and professional development and network with other students and community-benefit organizations.
“Alternative Spring Break is a meaningful way to connect with and give back to the community. Our goal is to provide a space of relief and sense of normalcy in the midst of our busy and challenging lives as college students,” said Melody Xiong, a Richter Center student leader and Alternative Spring Break site lead.
The first team, led by student leaders Imaandeep Bual and Jacob Henderson, will work on environmental projects with the Shinzen Friendship Garden Inc. from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 29 through 31. Volunteer duties include habitat restoration, native wildlife preservation, and education site development.
The second team, led by student leaders Ginger Hang, Olivia Britter and Emily Vang, will focus on leading and facilitating art workshops for the Betty Rodriguez Regional Library’s mini Arthop event. The workshops will be from 1 to 4 p.m. on April 2 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 3.
The third team, led by student leaders Melody Xiong, Rose Miranda and Julissa Topete Sanchez, will focus on leading and facilitating craft and physical activity stations for first- through sixth-graders from Every Neighborhood Partnership. Volunteers will be helping from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 30 through April 1.
There is also a one-day service event planned at Scout Island from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 2, led by students Celeste Jones and Julianna Quintanilla.
Volunteers will be encouraged to familiarize themselves with their community partner’s mission in addition to connecting with their target population. Site leads will also facilitate reflection activities at the conclusion of each service day. These activities promote learning and strengthen the students’ personal and professional development.
For live coverage of Alternative Spring Break and more information about future service events, follow the Richter Center on Instagram, @RichterCenter.
For more information, contact Kayla Ferreira, student programs and events coordinator at the Richter Center, at kferreira@csufresno.edu or 559.278.2339.
(Story by Kayla Ferreira)
