St. Norbert College Students to Participate in TRIPS Program Over Spring Break

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From St. Norbert College, March 15, 2019
by Hailey Barron, hailey.barron@snc.edu, (920)-403-3089

This spring break, which begins March 18, groups of St. Norbert College students will travel to different locations across the country to take part in the TRIPS alternative break service program. Organized by the college's Sturzl Center for Community Service and Learning, TRIPS (an acronym for Turning Responsibility Into Powerful Service) challenges students to put their beliefs into action by spending a week in service. Each trip focuses on a particular area of need. The Spring Break 2019 TRIPS programs and their participants are listed below.

Affordable Housing - Christmas in Action (March 15-23)
Spartanburg, S.C.

St. Norbert College students will work with Christmas in Action, a nonprofit organization with the vision of being a force in preventing substandard housing. The organization rehabilitates homes of the elderly or disabled. TRIPS participants will work on home repair projects alongside other volunteers and partners from the local community.
Participants include: Briana Scott (Germantown, Wis.), Kelly Haen (Appleton, Wis.), Jessie Zenz (Dekalb, Ill.), Nicole Wolf (St. Paul, Minn.), Kylie Rogers (De Forest, Wis.), Emily Mrozek (Spring Grove, Ill.), McKenna Lacy (McFarlend, Wis.), John Horan (Oak Lawn, Ill.), Emma Hirt (Hubertus, Wis.) and Sarah Bichler (Cedar Grove, Wis.).
Affordable Housing - Habitat for Humanity (March 16-23)
Little Rock, Ariz.

This group will spend a week painting, building and restoring homes. They will also help with projects in the ReStore, a nonprofit home-improvement store that sells new and gently used furniture, home accessories, building materials and appliances to the public at a discounted price. Participants will experience the rich culture of the South while participating in service alongside community members.
Participants include: Lauren Hoyer (Appleton, Wis.), Julia Novotny (Plymouth, Wis.), Brittany Wagner (New Holstein, Wis.), Brittny Thackray (Sheboygan Falls, Wis.), Emily Names (Wausau, Wis.), Michaela Koepp (Appleton, Wis.), Reegan Haines (Arcadia, Wis.), Kalista Arendt (Luxemburg, Wis.) and Tessa Badtke (Sheboygan, Wis.).

Aging with Dignity (March 16-23)
Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

During this trip, participants will learn more about the issues the aging community encounters and the daily realities of older adults. Participants will work alongside various organizations that work with or advocate for the aging population. The trip will take a holistic approach, exploring physical, social and environmental strengths, and issues surrounding the aging population and those who provide support to them. This trip allows for a balance of education and service about the social justice issue.
Participants include: Paige Bonner (Milwaukee, Wis.), Lizzie LeMere (Onedia, Wis.), Mallory Shefchik (Green Bay, Wis.), Kayla Mitchell (Algoma, Wis.) and Bayley Lau (De Pere, Wis.).

Environmental Justice: Planting Seeds of Conservation (March 16-23)
Asheville, N.C.

On this trip, participants will learn about environmental issues as they relate to the conservation efforts of the communities they will serve alongside, and will have the opportunity to experience nature and reflect on ways to create positive, sustainable environmental change. Projects may include habitat restoration (invasive plant removal and planting native species) and trail maintenance.
Participants include: Della Haanen (Green Bay, Wis.), Abby McIntyre (Menomonee Falls, Wis.), Sloan Wunder (Escanaba, Mich.), Alyssa Wegner (Waukesha, Wis.), Morgan Tollard (Fond du Lac, Wis.), Johanna Rolfs (Milwaukee, Wis.), Kylie Marsden (Montgomery, Ill.), Grace Knudsen (McHenry, Ill.) and Sam Kalies (Abrams, Wis.).

Academy of St. Benedict the African: Celebrating the Diversity of Our Talents (March 17-22)
Chicago

This is one of the longest running TRIPS experiences. Groups from St. Norbert College have been traveling to the Academy of St. Benedict the African for 30 years. Participants will work one-on-one with students and will help in the after-school program. Participants include: Kelly Heniff (Lombard, Wis.), Julia Runke (Wallace, Mich.), Hailey Buss (Appleton, Wis.), Olivia Hanson (Neillsville, Wis.), Ryan Nygaard (Plymouth, Wis.), Anna Sauer (Belgium, Wis.), Emma Scholler (Glenwood City, Wis.), Miranda Wilson (Salinas, Cali.) and Jasmine Babineaux (Lafayette, La.).

For more information on the TRIPS program, contact Jennifer Nissen, assistant director of community service and learning at the Sturzl Center, at jennifer.nissen@snc.edu or 920-403-3374.