California State University, Fresno students will participate in community service projects at Fresno’s Rotary Storyland and with the Fresno Street Saints during the break from classes that begins March 27.
About 20 students have signed up to volunteer four days in the 2010 Alternative Spring Break Program through USU Productions and the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning at Fresno State.
Two student teams of 10 will undertake the community service that also enhances personal and professional development, said Mellissa Jessen, assistant director of the Richter Center. The students will earn up to 25 service hours as well.
The project with the Fresno Street Saints, a community-based organization in southwest Fresno, is led by students Jonathan Munoz, a senior majoring in both history and Chicano and Latin American Studies, and Daini Vargas, a junior biology major.
This team will work with children and families in the Bigby Villa Apartments on Florence Avenue. During the four days, they will coordinate a family fun and literacy event that includes a book distribution, a craft activity, a physical fitness program, lunch, a movie day and assisting in the agency’s spring break day camp.
At Rotary Storyland, located within Roeding Park on Belmont Avenue at Freeway 99 in west-central Fresno, the second team will be led by Lorena Lozano a senior who is double majoring in recreation administration and interior design and Dana Elkins, a junior psychology major.
They will work to improve the overall appearance of the park through painting projects and renovating displays and playground structures.
Loan Le, an alumna volunteer, is using her experience participating in last spring’s pilot program to provide guidance and administrative support to both projects.
At the conclusion of each day of service, the teams will reflect through discussion of the impact of their service on the recipients, service agencies and themselves and underlying issues and root causes affecting the community. The students also will review the overall Alternative Spring Break experience and suggest improvements.
“Structured reflection is key to a meaningful service experience,” said Jessen.
For more information, contact Shawna Blair at shblair@csufresno.edu, Mellissa Jessen at mjessen@csufresno.edu or the Richter Center at 559.278.7079.
Classes will resume April 5.
(Copy by University Communications news intern Sadie Thomas)
