Spring break may just be a week off from school for some students, but for others it is an opportunity to get involved and help people in need through participating in a service trip.

This spring break, Marywood has four trips scheduled to Philadelphia, West Virginia, Missouri, and Honduras. On each of these trips, students will participate in a variety of service activities to help these damaged communities.

According to Assistant Director for Service Learning and Community Service, Ann O’Brien, is directly involved with helping students organize spring break service trips. She said that participating in service trips during spring break is a way for students “to live that value of service and combine it with personal interest in learning about the world we live in.”

According to the campus ministry website eight students will be traveling to St. Vincent de Paul Center in Philadelphia, PA on March 4. They will be living among one another with one main goal in common: to serve at-risk youth, the elderly and individuals who are homeless.

Last year in Philadelphia, students worked on in-dwelling housing rehabilitation. They also aided people with mental handicaps, helped out in soup kitchens, participated in clothing drives, and also helped with after-school programs.

Another trip that will be taking place is Habitat for Humanity in Franklin, West Virginia. This trip is March 4 – 10 and will include 12 students. These students will be working with construction supervisors in the building and restoration process of homes located in the West Virginia community.

Joplin, Missouri is another place you can find Marywood students this spring break helping with disaster relief. This particular area of Missouri has been hit by a damaging tornado. Ten students will work with the organization Citi Impact to help aid the members of the community in rebuilding many of the fallen buildings.

The last trip will take place from March 2 – 10. This will be an international trip to El Progreso, Honduras. Fifteen students will be helping to rebuild a children’s school, tutoring local children, and learning about the Spanish culture.

One student in particular, Mackenzie Goodwin, freshman pre-physician assistant major, said she is looking forward to this trip. Goodwin needed to fund raise $900 in order to attend. She has been selling Fair Trade chocolate bars and coffee, as well as participating in group fundraisers.

“I have [also] been working on a Valentine’s Day candy-gram fundraiser with Andre Wycheck and Paige Costanzi, both senior criminal justice majors who are also going on the trip.”

“Community service has always been a very important part of my life, and I am very excited to be taking it to the next level this spring in Honduras,” said Goodwin.