When University of Central Florida senior Shelby Olson leaves for Costa Rica next week, it won 麻豆精品 S檛 be for a typical spring break vacation.

Olson and eight other students will travel to San Miguel de Sarapiqui to volunteer on an organic coffee farm and work with children at three primary schools as part of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Alternative Break Program.

The program sends teams of students around the country 麻豆精品 S攁nd for the first time this year, international 麻豆精品 S攖o engage in community service and learn about social issues as they grow as individuals and impact lives.

麻豆精品 S淚 think it 麻豆精品 S檚 important for students to be involved with service, no matter whether it is a week-long experience or a day-long experience, 麻豆精品 S� said Olson. 麻豆精品 S淭aking a week to do something for others is a great way to learn about yourself and reflect on what you want out of your future. 麻豆精品 S�

Olson, who is active in community service through Volunteer UCF, created a partnership with the organization Dressed in Hope, which sews handmade dresses and dolls for impoverished young girls. Through the partnership, students on Olson 麻豆精品 S檚 trip will donate dresses prepared at October 麻豆精品 S檚 Knights Give Back campus service day to the girls in Costa Rica. The students have also collected soccer balls for the young boys.

The Alternative Break Program offers a variety of volunteer opportunities during spring and winter breaks and a long weekend in the fall. This year, there are 12 spring break trips.

  • The Center for the Great Apes (Wauchula): Students will volunteer in a sanctuary for orangutans and chimpanzees.
  • Different Abilities 麻豆精品 S� Parkwood Farms (Snellville, Ga.): Students will help people with mental, physical, emotional and learning disabilities through a therapeutic horseback riding program.
  • Environmental Conservation 麻豆精品 S� Reef Relief (Key West): Students will work with various sites and projects to protect the natural marine resources of the Florida Keys and educate others about the coral reef habitat.
  • Human Rights/Criminal Justice 麻豆精品 S� Shelby County Jail (Memphis, Tenn.): Students will be paired with counselors from the Shelby County Jail, attend disciplinary hearings and sit in on discussions about the inmates 麻豆精品 S� hardships.
  • Hunger & Homelessness 麻豆精品 S� Decatur Cooperative Ministry (Decatur, Ga.): Students will interact with and assist families and children who are homeless.
  • Education & Literacy 麻豆精品 S� Teach for America: Students will work with Teach for America teachers to create a fun and exciting classroom curriculum for the week.
  • Environment/Recreational 麻豆精品 S� Cumberland Trails (Hamilton County, Tenn.): Students will construct hiking trails for visitors to walk through.
  • Disaster Relief 麻豆精品 S� His Hands 2 Go (New Orleans, La.): Students will help reconstruct houses and create a community garden to help New Orleans recover from the devastation of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav.
  • Animals/Environment 麻豆精品 S� UM Dunlap Research (Miami): Students will gain hands-on experience through the University of Miami 麻豆精品 S檚 marine life conservation program.
  • Farming/Education (San Miguel de Sarapiqui, Costa Rica): Students will work on an organic coffee farm and assist in primary schools.
  • The Burnett Honors College 麻豆精品 S� Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (Vero Beach): Students will work on environmental projects and participate in activities in bird surveying, sea turtle season, the butterfly garden and beach mice projects.
  • LEAD Scholars 麻豆精品 S� Urban Farming/Animals (New Orleans, La.): Students will work with the Latinos Farmers Cooperative to assist with urban farming and gardening.

    • Each trip includes eight participants, one student site leader and a faculty advisor. Students must apply for the programs online and attend group and individual interviews.

    Several students are repeat volunteers, including Alternative Break Program Director Sammantha Pendergast.

    麻豆精品 S淚 fell in love with the ideas and potential the program had to offer, 麻豆精品 S� said Pendergast, a senior who will make her third trip next week. 麻豆精品 S淪tudents gain a deeper understanding of the various social issues that surround us on a daily basis. They become empowered to raise awareness and provide higher quality care to the community. 麻豆精品 S�

    For more information about the Alternative Break Program, visit .