Students opt to help needy on spring break

Booze, beaches and bikinis or bottled water, vacant lots and tool belts.

That's not a tough choice for some students at Westminster College, which along with other Utah schools like Weber State University, promote spending spring break helping others or partnering with the likes of Habitat for Humanity.

WSU students left March 15 by bus for Spokane to build homes and feed the homeless.

At the University of Utah, the Alternative Spring Break program sends students into communities around the country to tackle a variety of needs.

For Laura Summers, a Westminster senior majoring in economics and international business, it was her third spring break with Habitat for Humanity, which this year drew her to Kauai in the Hawaiian islands.

"That definitely had some added bonuses," admitted Summers, president of the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. She has also helped build homes in Long Beach and Las Vegas on previous spring break trips.

Last month, Summers and about 20 students helped roof one home and drywall another. Each work day lasted about six hours with hard hats as required attire.

So, it's not a trip for everyone. In fact, one student got "bonked" on the head by a two-by-four and chose to go home early.

"We'd get back, and everyone would be exhausted," said Cullen Green, 27, an education graduate student and chaperone for the trip.

But there was plenty of time to hit the beach for a tan and romp in the surf.

"It was good, clean fun, that's for sure," Green said. "I think you gain something from doing community service. You gain a sense of pride and knowledge from learning how to work with other people."

A spring break trip with Habitat for Humanity normally costs students around $100. The trip to Kauai set Summers back another $630 for a plane ticket, which she paid for on her own. She made her parents proud.

"I think they're happy I'm doing something productive with my spring break rather than just playing around," she said.

Friends who opt for only fun in the sun tell Summers she's wasting her spring break time working so much. She tells them, "It's still a lot of fun — and you feel good about yourself when you get home."

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com