The Center of Community Service’s Alternative Spring Break took place in Oklahoma. Last year on May 20th, an EF5 tornado tore through Moore, Oklahoma destroying many buildings and land. When students traveled down to Moore, one of their goals was to plant new trees where a forest used to be.

“We went to an area that was hit by the tornado it used to be an open forest. It had a lot of trees, a lot of wildlife and it was just hit by the EF5 tornado and it’s just like everything was ripped apart and when you looked at the area you couldn’t even believe that there used to be like a whole forest, “ said sophomore Danielle Novak.

Interestingly enough, students from the University of Connecticut also went on the same trip so students from both schools were working alongside each other. Sophomore Robert Dozier said, “When we were planting trees we were like which group can plant the most trees the fastest. That was an incentive to work harder.”

Along with helping rebuild the forest, students spent their mornings eating with the homeless in the shelters, and getting to know their stories.

On their last day, they spent their times at a camp, intended to ensure a bright future for inner-city kids and partook in a program to tutor these students.

Overall, students seem to think that this trip was unique experience that also gained them new friends.

“I was able to meet so many people on campus that I wouldn’t have met otherwise and just knowing that there are so many people on our campus that are really willing to lend a helping hand, wanting to get involved and just do good for their community,” said Novak.