South SFV Today

This spring break, junior Yana Kim and a group of classmates visited Miami, not for leisure, but to learn about the city's climate change preparedness. Kim shared, "We studied the effects of rising sea levels on the communities in Miami, and specifically how that’s going to affect the city’s land use and planning and residents’ access to affordable housing."

Kim is part of a larger effort at Stanford University called Stanford Alternative Spring Break (ASB), coordinated by the Haas Center for Public Service. This initiative is replacing traditional spring break activities with volunteer-focused learning opportunities. Kim, also serving as ASB's co-president, explained the program’s purpose: “Students typically go home during spring break or they can take a vacation. But this program is giving them an alternative to participate in a service-learning experience where they can give back to communities that they care about.”

Participants in the program travel within the United States to volunteer with underserved communities. These experiences cover a range of social issues, from health care in California's Central Valley to educational inequalities in Boston. This year, the initiative organized 10 different trips. One group, led by juniors Jason Cui and Isaias Martinez, journeyed to Alaska to study healthcare access challenges. "Working with the hospital staff, we traveled to village clinics that are tens of miles away to see how these remote environments affect people’s health,” shared Cui.

The Miami trip, co-led by Kim and Erin Su, involved engaging with professionals across various sectors to understand and address the effects of rising sea levels, including implications for affordable housing. Kim shared, “Scientists predict that Miami is going to be underwater in less than 100 years,” explaining their interest in studying the community's response.

The team also contributed to local conservation efforts by working with the Urban Paradise Guild to plant and restore native mangrove species, key in protecting against flooding. Kim stated, "We worked with our community partner, the Urban Paradise Guild, to plant and restore some of the native mangrove species, which have historically served as a first line of defense against flooding."

ASB, funded by the Associated Students of Stanford University, dates back to the 1980s. Its continued existence is a testament to student commitment. Kelly Beck-Sordi, associate director of programs at the Haas Center, commented on its cultural significance at Stanford: “It’s something that students have remained committed to and something they really feel is part of the Stanford culture.”

The program includes a structured planning process, beginning a year in advance. Students propose trip ideas, become trip leaders, and enroll in a dedicated program, EDUC 98, to plan and execute the trip. Cui and Martinez are among those contributing to the end-of-year ASB symposium with a documentary about their Alaska trip. Cui emphasized ASB's broader impact: “Alternative Spring Break is so much more than just time off from school. It’s about connecting with new people and connecting with the important issues that affect the world today.”

Applications for next year’s trip leaders open in May, with participant applications starting in the fall.