#BreakingWest Alternative Breaks

Purpose

UWG's Spring #BreakingWest program immerses students into populations in need for one week with the goal of creating positive social change.

Participating in an alternative spring break program will be an experience you are unlikely to forget. All trips will include transportation, housing, and group meals. These trips are extremely affordable as several fundraising programs will be available for participants.

Although the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has delayed our 2021 adventure planning, stay tuned for more information soon. Take a look at last year's event to give you an idea of what we do, what we gain from events like this, and how you can get involved in future events. 

Previous #BreakingWest Trips

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Breakingwest 2020: Everglades and Biscayne National Parks; Homestead, FL

Environmental Stewardship

Volunteer Programs and West Georgia Outdoors teamed up to provide you the ultimate service and adventure trip during Spring Break 2020!

In 2020 we headed to Homestead, FL to work with the Everglades and Biscayne National Parks! We split our time between the two sites serving the parks, exploring the areas, learning about each other, and dedicating an entire day to adventure!

The Everglades National Park is a government-funded park that provides visitors with access to one of the most pristine and fragile ecosystems in our country. Dedicated to a dual mission of protecting but also allowing access to the American public, the National Park Service strives to maintain the balance of protection and enjoyment of natural places.

Volunteer projects at the Everglades include trail maintenance, pulling exotic species, beach habitat restoration, to maintaining a historic missile site and facility upkeep.

Biscayne National Park is an American national park guided by the preservation of Biscayne Bay and its offshore barrier reefs. Biscayne National Park protects four distinct ecosystems: the shoreline mangrove swamp, the shallow waters of Biscayne Bay, the coral limestone keys and the offshore Florida Reef.

Volunteer projects at Biscayne include cleanups to remove marine debris from shorelines at the sea turtle beaches.

This trip was designed so we can learn more about our natural world and how to respect it while we play - we learned about the environment, how to care for it, and how to have fun all while remaining aware and respectful.

While most mornings were dedicated to a variety of service projects with the parks, some afternoons and a full day were spent adventuring - canoeing or kayaking, hiking, and more!

Everglades Trip Details

  • Application was Open: September 23 - November 17. Although this event has passed, knowing these dates may provide you with an idea of when to check back so you can apply for the next Spring adventure!
  • Trip Dates: March 15 - 21
  • Price: $200 - 250
  • Spaces Available: 10
  • Skill Level: Beginner - no experience required
  • What's Included?: Gear, Instruction, Travel, Food

Spring #BreakingWest trips are week-long events of service, reflection, personal growth, and fun! Each trip has a focus on a particular social issue, such as poverty, education, public health, and the environment. Students learn about social issues and perform week-long projects with local non-profit organizations, around these respective issues.

Applying for the Trip

Step 1: Apply online on Wolf Connect

Go to: Wolf Connect > Forms > Search Spring Breaking West 2019 Application and submit your application BEFORE November 18, 2019.

Step 2: Selection

Keep an eye on your UWG email to see if your application has been accepted. Selection is based on the substance of written work.

Step 3: Registration

If selected, follow the instructions to pay your registration fee dispersed throughout several payments leading up to the trip.

 

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2016: We traveled to North Fort Meyers, Florida and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization established to address and act upon the issue of poverty housing. The organization spends countless hours constructing and renovating housing projects that are given to families who are in need of a safe and secure structure in order to help raise a successful family in a stable environment. Habitat for Humanity strives to be a beacon of hope for communities nation wide and truly believes and appreciates the volunteer hours provided by individuals all across the globe!
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2015: We volunteered with Give Kids the World in Orlando, Florida. Give Kids the World is a nonprofit storybook resort that offers cost-free vacations for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. For these children, a typical week is filled with doctor's visits, treatments, pain, and medication, but at Give Kids the World, they are treated to a magical, memorable vacation where they can relax, have fun, and be a "normal kid. Volunteers play a crucial role in making Give Kids the World a place that inspires hope in children.
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2014: We volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Mobile, Alabama and Dauphin Way Church. We worked with Georgia Tech and Brockport College from New York to build three houses for three amazing families in need.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don't have any experience?

This trip is beginner-friendly and is lead by experienced trip leaders. No prior knowledge or experience is necessary.

Where do we stay?

To reduce costs and create an impactful experience in every aspect, breakers stay in hostels or at local campgrounds in cabins or tents!

What’s In It for Me?

The purpose of this experience is to contribute volunteer hours to communities in need. Concluding the trip, breakers are empowered to take educates steps toward valuing and prioritizing their own communities in life choices such as recycling, donating resources, serving through volunteering, and so many more.

The adventure component of this trip allows you the opportunity to venture outside of your comfort zone, experience new horizons, and learn the elements of the outdoors.