Habitat for Humanity working with students to rebuild homes in Louisiana over spring break

03/15/07 - Supplies for spring break: sunscreen, bathing suit, beach towel.Hammer and nails?

For many students, spring break next week will include long days relaxing on a far-away beach. For 22 University of Rhode Island students, it will mean long hours of construction work with Habitat for Humanity.

The students are participating in URI's second annual Academic Alternative Spring Break. They and 190 other students from across the country will live together in Slidell, La., for six days, where they will help rebuild homes and create new ones for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Gail Faris, assistant director of student life and the Women's Center, and Dean of Pharmacy Don Letendre will accompany the students.

Habitat for Humanity's goal is to build 100 houses in East St. Taminy Parish, where Slidell is located.

Faris, the trip coordinator, sees it as a positive opportunity for students.

"You're working in the community, you get to know some other students pretty well, and you have a good time," she said.

Senior Sulina Mohanty said she is looking forward to next week's trip.

"I wanted to do something meaningful with my spring break this year. I thought this would be a great opportunity," she said.

Other students share her enthusiasm.

"[Alternative Spring Break] sounded like a great way to go somewhere and actually do something meaningful," junior Jeremy Hawkins said.

The trip is offered through a course at the university taught by Faris, Community Service 302. The class is open to all students.

Class topics include poverty, America's working poor, affordable housing and social change. Members also perform various community service projects, including local work for Habitat for Humanity.

Mohanty said she enjoys the community service course.

"For a three-credit class you get to do a lot of good work," she said. "You get a much stronger understanding of the community you're in and a community in another part of the country."

On Tuesday, the class went to a Habitat build site in Westerly to brush up on construction skills before its trip to Slidell.

Hawkins said he enjoys the hands-on aspect of working with Habitat for Humanity.

"It's really rewarding because you can actually see the results of what you're doing," he said.

After returning from Louisiana, students will create a portfolio for credit about their experiences.

"How well you pound a nail is not going to determine what your letter grade will be for the class," Faris said.

The students are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from Louisiana. But many other expenses are covered. URI has contributed $3,000 to the program. The money will be used for food and five rental vehicles in Louisiana for transportation to the construction sites.

"The university has given us an awful lot of support," Faris said.

Other donations have come from the Lion's Club and the Golden Key Honor Society, which donated $200 to each of its members who are making the trip.

Traveling to the South is not foreign to the Alternative Spring Break program. Last year's Habitat project was in Albany, Ga.

Faris said she wants her students to remember that a person doesn't have to travel very far to make a difference, however.

"Affordable housing is a crisis all over the country. People need housing everywhere," she said.