For 10 years, Western’s Alternative Spring Break program has developed compassionate leaders with global perspectives. This program embodies the Western experience by providing faculty, staff and students with unique opportunities to learn, contribute, connect and leave their marks on the world – with a streak of purple.

- Amit Chakma, President, Western University

What is Alternative Spr

ing Break?

Alternative Spring B

reak (ASB) is an ex

citing opportunity for

Western

University students t

o engage in a week

-long, hands-on comm

unity service

learning experience. S

tudents might join a

team to teach Eng

lish in the

Dominican Republic, p

rovide medical clinic

s to under-serviced

communities in

Costa Rica, or suppo

rt programs for at-r

isk populations in our

own community

of London, Ontario.

Coordinated collabora

tively by Housing & Ancillary

Services and The Stu

dent

Success Centre, ASB

is designed to encour

age students to do s

omething

different during Western’s R

eading Week in February. Each

year, we partner

with a variety of c

ommunity organizatio

ns, both locally and

across the globe,

that are anxious to

benefit from the kno

wledge, passion, and

dedication of

Western’s best and bri

ghtest.

When students participa

te in an ASB experie

nce, they have the

chance to learn

about different cultu

res, communities, and

social issues by work

ing side-by-side

with local citizens. Th

ey also have a uniqu

e opportunity to lear

n from their

teammates - on the

service sites, and in

the facilitated refle

ction that is a

hallmark of communi

ty service learning.

It is our hope that

students return from

their experiences w

ith a greater

understanding of the

challenges facing th

e community, as well

as the

community’s capacity

to enact sustainable

change. Year after ye

ar, students report

an increased sense of

civic engagement, a

deeper interest in th

eir academic

studies, and an appr

eciation of newfound

friendships with lik

e-minded peers.

The goals of the AS

B program are:

1. to develop mutually-

beneficial partnerships

between Western stud

ents

and community orga

nizations in London a

nd across the globe

2. to encourage active

participation in the c

ommunity and increa

se

students’ civic engage

ment

3. to support students’

academic success and

career

development

These goals connect

to the program’s mot

to, which

encourages participan

ts to be the change

they want

to see in the world

, and in themselves.

While we

recognize the limitat

ions of a one-week

experience –

for both the commu

nity and the student

– we are

consistently impressed

with the change st

udents are

able to effect in th

eir personal lives, wit

hin their

academic studies, an

d in their future co

mmunity

involvements.

10 Years Later

The ASB program started with five students and one community in 2003, and has grown to support approximately 160 students and seven community partners annually. What began as an ‘interesting idea’ has transformed into a large-scale initiative that contributes to two of Western’s core priorities: experiential learning and internationalization. Since 2003, more than 1,000 students, staff and faculty have participated in the program, serving in 20 communities in North and South America.

The program has contributed to a growing network of socially responsible Western graduates who continue to make a difference in their personal and professional lives. In these pages, we celebrate their passion for community engagement and honour the communities that have graciously provided our students with rich opportunities for learning.

Back in 2003 – the first year of the ASB program – it was difficult to believe

that we could really make a difference in the world. After

all, the world was

(and is) facing seemingly insurmountable problems (hunger,

homelessness, disease,

poverty) and we were seven people. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylv

ania. For one week.

When we returned from Pittsburgh, it became clear the d

ifference we had

made – and would continue to make – was twofold. First, there wer

e programs we

could support and people around the globe with whom we co

uld make meaningful

connections. Over the years, our partners have confirmed it

is the ‘being with’

part of service that is the most powerful. Second, and p

erhaps more tangibly,

we could have a significant impact on students’ personal deve

lopment, including

interpersonal skills, appreciation of diversity, and sense of

social responsibility.

Alternative Spring Break experiences can contribute to pos

itive change – for

communities and for students.

It wasn’t long after the inaugural year that we landed on a

fitting motto for the

program. Originating from Mahatma Gandhi’s inspiration to “be the change you wish

to see in the world,” Be the change has come to signify th

e hope of the ASB

program. If Western students can change their attitudes,

beliefs and actions to

represent the type of world they want to live in, maybe th

at world will someday

become the one we live in.

In 2008, I spent a week with 15 Western students in

San Jose, Costa Rica.

It remains one of the greatest learning experiences of my

career, and of my life.

We kept a team journal to capture some of the highlights o

f our experience, and

to share messages with one another. I haven’t always been

able to express the

purpose of the ASB program in ways that make clear its p

ower and potential, but

that week – in the team journal – I think I got very close. I offer those words

here, as a message to the 1,000+ students who have be

en part of ASB and

the thousands more who will ‘be the change’ in the years to come.

I hope you are reading this some long, lonely day in the fu

ture – wishing for

some inspiration, encouragement, or...at the very least...hope

.

It has been a tough day; certainly, an emotional one. We a

re here, at

the end of it, a little perplexed. We are grappling with big

, big questions;

questions to which none of us – at this point – have any comforting answers.

Alternative Spring Break: An Introduction

This is good. It is always better to have more questions.

It keeps you humbleIt keeps you working.It keeps you changing.And that, my dear amigos y a

migas, is what it’s all about.

So...what do I hope for you? Where to begin?

I hope that you will find the courage to tell somebody at ho

me about your

experience; somebody you trust – and trust they will value your

precious ideas.

I hope that you will find at least some of the answers to th

e questions

you’re asking today...and that the answers lead to more que

stions.

I hope that you will find the motivation to be the kind of p

eople, citizens,

parents, friends, doctors/nurses, teachers, etc. that make

a difference –

big or small.And I hope that the differen

ce (big or small) is the kind of catalyst the

world has been looking for.

With gratitude and hope,Stephanie

A heartfelt thanks to...

• the early believers who let us rent a van in 2003 and,

with that, let us build

a dream.• the faculty, staff and stud

ent team leaders who have spent countless hours

preparing, facilitating, guiding and enriching – you are the backbone of thes

e

experiences. • the community partners who

have welcomed us into your schools, churches,

hospitals, and community centres and treated us like ‘family’ – you are being the

change every single day.

• the students who continue to say “what if?” and make us believe that th

ings

can and will be different.

To the next 10 and beyond,

Stephanie Hayne Beatty Experiential Learning Team C

oordinator

The Student Success Centre: Careers, Leadership, & Experience

Every time I hear U2's “Beautiful Day,” I

feel a gentle pull at my heart, as I remember

seven of us in a van – lost, hungry, laughing

and crying (from happiness) in Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania. I have led and participated in many

service projects since, but none bring back such

powerful physical emotions as the ASB journey

to Pittsburgh. There was something about the

common purposes we shared that created – for

me – a template of what service trips should

be. Together, we wanted to: be in solidarity with

like-minded, change-the-world-type people; share

and learn from our experiences; be inspired by

others; and leave a positive mark on the world.

The group of us, I think, knew we could leave a

bigger mark collectively than we could individually,

so we got into a van and got lost in Pennsylvania

and, just as Bono promised, what we did not

have, we did not need and what we did not

know, we could somehow feel.

- Alydia Smith, Pittsburgh

I have very fond memories of the week I spent with a handful of other students in Pittsburgh. We all signed up knowing that it would be a ‘service-learning’ experience, without really knowing what the words meant. That week changed and helped mould me into the person I am today.When we learned about Bill Strickland – a man who created educational opportunities for those less fortunate in his community – I was inspired to give more and be generous with not only my possessions, but my time. When we spent the afternoon playing board games and talking with homeless men, it challenged my stereotypes. When we worked on renovating an old building into a community space for artists, it taught me to see the beauty in all different type of places. All of this happened in a few short days.

I realized we can find opportunities to make a difference in our own communities on a regular basis. Big or small, every gesture matters.

Ranjena Maloni, Pittsburgh

Project P ittsburgh was the beginning of a whole new way for me of understanding how higher education could interact in a meaningful way with community. The connections

students made from their f ields of study to community issues were almost instantaneous,

and the energy to learn more was inspiring. It had both personal and professional implica-

tions for me as wel l. Years later, I have worked in international development in East Africa,

completed a Master’s in Poverty Reduction and Development Management and have

worked as the Associate Director for International Service Learning at the University of

British C olumbia for the past four years. It was hard to know in the moment exactly how

Project P ittsburgh was going to change my trajectory, but the deep conversations punctu-

ated by bouts of singing U2’s “It’s a Beautiful Day,” had a wonderful energy and sense of

promise about it!

-Tamara Baldwin, P ittsburgh

It’s hard to

believe it h

as already b

een seven ye

ars since ou

r reading

week Journ

ey to Jacks

onville, or “J

2J.” I don’t

remember

the

names of a

ll the peop

le I worked

with, but

I do remem

ber certain

realizations

strengthenin

g within m

e as my sho

vel chipped

away at tha

t

great big ho

le – realizations

that have fo

rmed the b

asis of the

eight

years of life

, work and

service th

at have fol

lowed.

First, I disc

overed a lov

e for constr

uction work

. Getting d

irty, sweaty

and sore br

ings life mu

ch-needed

balance. While p

articipating

in

community li

fe is import

ant to me, I

discovered

during J2J

that my

body, as we

ll as my min

d and soul,

need to wo

rk regularly

for me to

be a whole

and balanc

ed person.

Second, my

love for tea

mwork was

strengthen

ed. There is

a deep

satisfaction

that comes

from collect

ively perfect

ing a delicat

e fascia

corner, or f

rom being o

ne of 20 p

eople hoistin

g a truss o

nto a roof i

n

a flurry of

coordinated

chaos. Finally,

the fine s

tudents and

volunteers

on the Jac

ksonville site

confirmed

my love for

people: for

serving

people, listen

ing to peop

le, being wit

h people. I

remain thor

oughly

convinced t

hat there is

nothing so

important

in life that

it should

distract us f

rom making

the service

of our fello

w human b

eings our

first priority

. - Christina

Edmiston (

Chabot), Ja

cksonville

It came together so fast we could hardly believe it. Yes – let’s build a house! Yes – let’s partner with Habitat for Humanity. Yes – let’s pick Jacksonville, Florida because it sounds like an interesting spot we can travel to by bus! And the rest, as they say, is history. As trip leaders, I remember it vividly – trying to anticipate the questions from our student participants: What’s it going to be like? What will our accommodations be like? What should we bring? What will we need while we’re there? What will our days be like? Oh my goodness...we had no idea! So we planned what we could, crossed our fingers and packed everything under the sun!Memories that stand out include:

·Meeting the homeowners – hearing their stories and seeing excitement for their new home as they worked alongside us.·The amazing students who, instead of heading to the beach, decided to sweat it out on a job site during reading week.·The unbelievable power of a team that literally raised a roof! ·The tangible progress that a day can make – from a bunch of boards to a semblance of a home!·Every night, when we reflected on our day, we knew this experience had changed us forever.This trip left me wanting more. I couldn’t wait to plan the next year’s service learning adventure!

- Nancy Stewart, JacksonvilleMy trip to Jacksonville turned out to be the highlight of my first year at Western. This quote is perhaps a relevant way of saying thank you:

‘Each of us has the potential to contribute...you have a great opportunity to make a new shape of the world.’ (Dalai Lama)ASB made this potential our reality. It gave us the opportunity to help build a more loving world and allowed us to see just the kind of impact we can make in people’s lives if we take initiative and act. Thank you, Western, for believing in this vision.

- Natalie Grella, Jacksonville

As an RA, I was familiar with the concept of service and

leaving the world a better place

than we found it, but

it wasn’t until my ASB experience

that I truly recognized

the ability within each of us to shape

someone’s future.

As a result of our efforts, a family now has a place

to

live that is affordable and susta

inable. ASB not only

shapes a brighter future for others, it shapes tho

se who

experience it. John Wooden once

said “sports do not

build character; they rev

eal it.” My Alternative Spring

Break experience has shap

ed who I am today and has,

without a doubt, revealed

my character.

- Tim Lade, Florida

Working with Orphanage Outreach changed the way I view the world

around me, and the way I understand myself in the world. It reminded me

to slow down, to be mindful and think critically, and to appreciate everyday

experiences. Some of my most memorable moments on ASB were teaching

English at a local school; visiting a Haitian batay (slum), where the hospital

consisted of rolled-out tin cans and a half-empty bottle of alcohol; and

simply playing with the kids – especially baseball, their favourite sport! It

taught me to find reward in the smile of a child, to celebrate our differences,

and that learning from one another transcends language barriers. It taught me

that although you can’t change the world in a week, every tiny effort is worth

it to make a difference in the lives of these children.

- Melissa “Lisi” Marcucci, Dominican Republic

Leading a group to Winterhaven, Florida was my first experience

with community service learning at Western. The concept was simple

enough: put 20 people on a bus, drive to Florida and work

with Habitat for Humanity for a week. The students thrived

together – their sense of work ethic, sense of belonging and sense of responsibility strengthened throughout the

experience. It opened the eyes of our engineering student

participants – they spoke firsthand about engineering stronger houses to better withstand hurricanes. It opened

the eyes of our sociology student participants – they spoke firsthand about the socio-economic conditions that new

Latin-American immigrants faced in the Southern US.And

unexpectedly, it opened my eyes. I anticipated going on this trip

to half-chaperone and half-facilitate our students’ learning only to

find the experience challenged my own beliefs, and I had just as

much to learn from this experience as our students did.

- Chris Alleyne, Florida

The highlight of my experience was how profoundly it changed my perception of service and helped me realize its relevance to civic society. Our group was based in a town not too far from the Haitian-border, and not only did we have the opportunity to facilitate English language lessons, we also were invited to construct accommodations for the next group of volunteers. In this way, we were contributing to a continuous chain of service that would, ultimately, help to transform this community. My ASB experience is still relevant to me, as I remind myself daily to live life with humility.- Philip Chow, Dominican Republic

Reflecting on my ASB experiences offers a sacred gift; a gift that

gives back generously as each memory surfaces about each of the

students I travelled with and the outstanding community partners

we met.My Florida experience was very special to me as it was my first ASB. The

feeling of community that builds immediately on a 24-hour bus ride is

incredibly unique and life-changing. The parallels of us as an ASB team and

of the home we were building were incredible: as the house took shape, so did

our team; as the house got stronger, so did we. It was almost all too easy to

think this experience was a large teambuilding exercise

over the course of five days.

Reality set in quickly the exact moment we locked eyes and

hearts with the family whose home we were constructing:

this was about giving of ourselves to make someone else’s

life better. Isn’t that what life is about?

- Becca Carroll, Miami

Louis, the youngest son of a family

building “sweat equity” through the

Habitat for Humanity Home Buyers

program, was one new friend I will never

forget. The most charismatic volunteer –

never without his plastic hardhat – Louis

was a master at directing traffic.

The frame of the house was about

finished when the request came from

our site leader: “I’m going to need a

few fellas to hop on up, and put up the

trusses.” Confident he wasn’t speaking

to me, I scanned the room, silently urging

my teammates to volunteer. Then, Louis

made eye contact. He marched over,

pulled on my pant leg and asked, “Señor,

who’s going to build my roof? If you

don’t build my roof, I’m not gonna have a

roof.”

With that simple statement, came the

challenge of change. If not me, who? If

not now, when?

- David Simmonds, Miami

Dominican Republic

I consider my involvement and experience

with service learning to be complementary

to my academic pursuits. In fact, to

be quite frank, I cannot even begin

to imagine what my undergraduate

experience would have been like had I not

taken the risk to get involved in ASB. The

time spent preparing and working with

other like-minded individuals infused my

time at Western with a richness that I

could not find elsewhere. At the heart of

my experiences, I came to see the wisdom

in a quote by Dr. Albert Schweitzer: “The

only ones among you who will be really

happy are those who will have sought and

found how to serve.”

- Vincent Fruci, Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

As a Staff Team Leader for ASB Dominican 2007, I was inspired – inspired by the local community, the organization we worked with and most of all by the student participants. Each day, I took away a feeling of hope, excitement and learning from these students, and from the program as a whole. I not only witnessed ‘aha’ moments with the students, but for myself as well. ASB wasn’t a one-time service-learning program for me – I was able to continue such service in my personal and professional life. ASB changed me personally, and I was able to ‘be the change’ and pay it forward to other faculty, staff and students at other universities and educational institutions. As an educator and past coordinator of ASB, I strongly believe community service-learning programs need to be an option for students in all levels of education and in both co-curricular and curricular models.

- Rich SwamiNathan, Dominican Republic

In 2007, I travelled to Cuernavaca, Mexico. I am currently pursuing my master´s in nursing and nurse practitioner designation, with the intention of working with marginalized groups. I plan to use my nursing knowledge abroad, and to link my passion for social justice with my love of health. My experience in Mexico has shaped many of my decisions in life: when I travel, I seek to make responsible decisions and stay at family-run lodgings. I see the environmental and human impact of my decisions and attempt to make sustainable and ethical decisions about what l consume.- Marilene Caetano, Mexico

A lot of kids go to school

wanting to be a lawyer,

doctor or other professiona

l. Lots of others are like

me. We arrive at Western

with pluck, enthusiasm an

d

a vague hope to someday m

ake a difference. I was

enjoying myself and learnin

g tons, but had a nagging

sense I was lacking direct

ion. For me, this changed

after going on my first of

three ASB trips to post-

Katrina Louisiana. Helping

to rebuild people’s homes,

hearing about the storm th

at destroyed them, and

seeing a community strive

to restore itself turned th

at

vague hope into a clear se

t of goals.

Before ASB,

I wanted to help people.

After

participating, I found ways

to tailor my studies and

experiences towards a futu

re career in disaster and

emergency management. Ri

ght now, I am developing

the skills I need to be su

ccessful in this career. I’m

not there yet, but ASB g

ave me something to work

towards. - Lucas Bailey, New Orlean

s

I would not have done a portion of what I have done in the last few years if it wasn’t for ASB. Because of what we saw and did – and more importantly, what we discussed in those reflections afterward – I knew the only way I could be comfortable with my contribution to the global community was if I immediately “stepped up my game” at home. I took what I know – the dis-ability community – and ran rampant with it. ASB showed me how a small idea can flourish and, without that experience, I never would have tried. I also would have stayed in my little Ontario bubble. In-stead, I have been out seeing the world and trying to learn and change from what I see and do. Hopefully, in the pro-cess, I leave it a little better than how I found it.

- Heather Molyneaux, Costa Rica

I was honoured to be one of the team leaders who accompanied a group of enthusiastic and committed Western students to work with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans. The primary goal was to build homes, but the real mission was to restore a sense of pride and dignity to individuals who had literally lost their very existence and purpose in life following Hurricane Katrina. These experiences had an enormous effect upon me, as I witnessed first-hand how humanity can form bonds beyond economic and geographic borders.I returned determined to make a difference in the field of service learning and, in 2010, led a dedicated group of teachers from the Faculty of Education to work in schools in Dominican Republic. I continue to follow my ‘path of passion’ for service education by monitoring local service learning placements for students at Althouse College as part of their teaching requirements.

- Jim Rule, New Orleans

Our team visited Winnipeg during one of the Manitoba capital’s decorated cold spells. Even with frozen faces, the kind and charismatic people of Winnipeg gave us something to smile about. We spent our days volunteering at Siloam Mission and Winnipeg Harvest. The moments that ring true for me are the times I spent listening to those facing hardship in their lives. Sharing my experiences with my peers helped me develop a collective consciousness, which I utilized to better understand the social and economic divisions that injure those less fortunate in our country.

My learning was profound. I couldn’t have asked for a more enriching life experience.

- Rich Caccamo, Winnipeg

There were two musicians on the corner, creating beautiful music: one guitarist and one violinist. My teammates insisted I sit in for one song on the guitar, but I brushed off their suggestion. Why? I was the leader. The trip shouldn’t be about me having fun, right? Wrong. At that moment, I realized my immersion into the experience and my pursuit of happiness that week was important for the team as well. I played one song with the violinist.On the final day of our Habitat for Humanity experience, we went to pick up some of our teammates at their build site. Thrilled about their building progress, they insisted we get off the bus and look at the house they had helped build for five days. My jaw dropped. At that moment, I realized the best decision I could have made had been to play guitar downtown on our first night. Why? The would-be homeowner was the violinist.- Blake Fleischacker, New Orleans

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly

what it was that ASB insp

ired in me.

I have always been keen on

social equity, ethics and hea

lth, and

ASB provided new perspect

ives and insights. My experi

ences with

ASB started me really think

ing about how to incorporate

social justice

into everything I do, and g

ave fuel to my thoughts abou

t the world’s

challenges. The experiences

and the people made (and

continue

to make) me think about th

e world and my role in it. I

put these

thoughts and passions into m

y current work as a master

of public

health student, but more im

portantly into myself, as a pe

rson. ASB

has shaped the way I live m

y life.

- Debra Kriger, Guatemala

My experience with the ASB program opened my eyes to the incredible talent, enthusiasm and compassion of the students we have here at Western. It al lowed me to connect with students from across the campus community and gave me a great deal of confidence in the future as these students move on in their lives, and I have no doubt, become the social, intel lectual and global leaders of tomorrow.

- Rob Esselment, New Orleans

Prior to boarding the bus, m

any of

us had acquainted ourselves

with the

initial aftermath of Hurrican

e Katrina –

– the harrowing stories of loved ones lost

,

the footage of entire neigh

bourhoods engulfed

in swells of dirty water. Yet

, the city we arrived

at in 2010 was colourful, v

ibrant and bursting

with pride after having won

the Super Bowl

days earlier. It became impo

ssible to see ourselves

as a benevolent force that

had come to help

improve some tragically dilap

idated place: everyone

around us was unabashedly

proud of their city

and we felt lucky to be th

ere. There was still

work to be done – long-term, frustrat

ing, ‘capital

W’ Work – but I was thrilled to be a

small

part of the huge, collective

push onwards

and upwards. That first day

of wandering

the streets and talking to N

OLA natives, I

experienced the strange rush

of falling in love

with a city that wasn’t my o

wn.

- Jasmine Irwin, New Orleans

Feeling good after completing what should have been a 10-minute walk (turned 50-minute marathon), I arrived with 20 other Western students at a small public school in the Dominican Republic. While soaking wet and shoeless – a lot of footwear was lost to the currents caused by rainfall in the small town – my comrades and I were still armed with fresh chalk and basic Spanish translations, ready for our week teaching English to begin. Despite the language

barrier, communication flowed smoothly and we were able to accomplish more than I had ever thought possible. The week was supposed to be about teaching, but I ended up doing more learning. ASB not only provided me insight into another community, culture and language; it also taught me lessons about myself and others that continue to influence me today.- Becky McLean, Dominican Republic

I was part of ASB 2011 to Costa Rica and

my experience was nothing short of an out-

of-body experience . . . SO .. . I traveled again in

2012 to Panama! It was amazing to meet

so many like-minded individuals striving to

have a positive, meaningful impact by engaging

in the welfare of others and participating in

the development of a more civil society. The

ASB program enabled me to build bridges

across communities, to foster meaningful bonds

and bring about social change by helping

others help themselves. These invaluable

experiences were a reaffirmation of my

interest for working in developing countries

and participating in their progress and

growth. The message is a simple one - BE

THE CHANGE - for a better world to live

in. It has to start with you and me.

- Tanya Rafiq, Costa Rica

Jeff gets up and puts his coat around his triage clinic patient, not because she is sick but because she has been sitting in the shade for some time and seems cold.Catherine listens with a stethoscope to a child’s heartbeat, then lets the little girl listen to hers as well, not just to be playful but to teach her about the importance of taking care of her own health and body.Phyllis speaks directly to an older gentleman about his cancer diagnosis, communicating not

only with the words that she uses (and are translated for him) but also with the genuine emotion that she puts into them.In only one week our team could give very little

to the under-served communities of Costa Rica, but Alternative Spring Break (2011) reminded us of the invaluable lesson that “The manner of giving is worth more than the gift” (Pierre Corneille).

- Elan Paulson, Costa Rica

It was the end of our trip, and the team had split

into pairs to distribute donations we had collected

to local families.Katie and I had spent the better

part of the last half hour showing clothes, toys and

school supplies to the family we were visiting.

Their house was small, dimly lit, and had livestock

scampering around the dirt f loor at our feet.The

family had been splitting the donations into two

piles, leaving Katie and I puzzled.Finally, we shared

a look of understanding. This family, that had so

little themselves, was taking the few items they

knew they would use, and building another larger

pile of items they would give to their friends and

neighbours.It was an act of pure self lessness that

taught me more about the human capacity for love

than anything else I’ve ever experienced.

- Kelly Hobson, Peru

In February 2012, I participated in the

Alternative Spring Break program and

traveled to Costa Rica with a group of

the most amazing individuals I have ever

met. In the short week we were there, I

am sure we were able to affect the lives

of the people we met through the work

we did. I also know the experiences we had

together will resound within us to mould

the paths we lead, and the that lessons

we learned will continue to shape our

lives for the better. Mahatma Ghandi once

said the best way to discover the self was

through the service of others. I cannot

speak more highly of the way Western’s

Alternative Spring Break allowed us

such self-discovery through its amazing

opportunities.- James im, costa rica

In my third year (2011), I travelled to Nicaragua as

part of a team of 18 incredible members of the

Western community. We worked with International

Service Learning to provide health care services to

a small, rural community outside of Managua. In my

final year (2012), I was selected as a Team Leader for

the ASB trip to the Dominican Republic. My team of

27 worked with Outreach360 to teach elementary

students basic English. In fact, our trip taught the

first portion of the English curriculum, and every

subsequent group of volunteers would build on this

initial skill development. This showed me the great

importance of “poco a poco,” or “little bylittle” in promoting positive change in the children’s

lives. Both of my ASB experiences influenced me

greatly, as I am now considering careers in either

medicine or teaching.

- Kevin Talbot, Dominican Republic

The ASB Team Leader experience in Panama 2012 was transformative in and of itself; however, one of the most rewarding aspects of the role was seeing the transformation that occurred in each and every one of our team members. After a week of building relationships, learning about and engaging with a new community, and witnessing medical conditions that were sometimes shocking, one of my most memorable experiences happened during our final team reflection in the busy Miami airport. Despite the hectic surroundings, each member of our team shared genuine reflections of their experience, and the unique effect it had on them. One participant shared a thought that has always stayed with me: “ASB brought something out of me that I didn’t think was there.” Regardless of students’ expectations going into this program, its impact is real, strong, and often unexpected!

- Rick Ezekiel, Panama

Thank you to our ASB Community partnersOutreach 360

(2005 – 2012): Originally incorporated in 1995, Outreach 360 focuses on education – English, literacy and community health – to provide children with opportunities to break the cycle of poverty. ASB has served in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic and Jinotega, Nicaragua

Habitat for Humanity (2004 – 2012): Nearly two billion people around the world live in slum housing, and more than 100 million are homeless. Habitat for Humanity provides simple, decent shelter to those in need. ASB has served in Jacksonville, Florida; Miami, Florida; Winter Haven, Florida; and New Orleans, Louisiana

Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) provides transition, career and enterprise services so young people can develop skills and lead positive lives. YOU believes thatinvesting in youth and strong communities go hand-in-hand, and knows many youth need guidance and support to reach their truepotential.

International Service Learning (2008 – 2012): ISL offers experiential, multi-disciplinary humanitarian health programs in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Mexico and Africa, and provides health care to more than 300,000 underserved individuals annually. ASB has served in San Jose, Costa Rica; Managua, Nicaragua; and Panama City, Panama.

Nexos Voluntarios (2008 – 2012): NeVo is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that promotes social development in Peru by providing opportunities for foreign volunteers to make significant contributions to the some of the country’s poorest communities. ASB has served in Piura and Urubamba, Peru.

Winnipeg Harvest is a non-profit, community-based organization that serves as a food distribution and training centre. Its goals are to collect and share surplus food with people who are hungry and to offer training opportunities that help people step up and out of poverty, while ultimately eliminating the need for food banks in the community.

Siloam Mission is a Christian humanitarian agency that works to alleviate the hardships of the poor and homeless, and assists with the transition toward self-sufficient and generous lifestyles.

Other valued community partners

• Union Project

• East End Cooperative

• Northside Commons

• The Boys & Girls Club of London

• Ark Aid Mission

• Merrymount Family Support

and Crisis Centre

• Habitat for Humanity ReStore

• London Food Bank

• Nokee Kwee

• Heart and Stroke Foundation

• McCormick Home

• Northbrae Public School

• Limberlost Community

• St. Leonard’s Community Services

• Manitoba ReStore

• Cuernavaca Centre for Intercultural

Dialogue on Development

• Cross-Cultural Solutions

• Heifer International