HIGH POINT, N.C., March 15, 2016 – High Point University students traveled around the world on their spring break during the week of March 7-11 to make an impact on the lives of people in Haiti, Florida and South Carolina.
Building a Home in Haiti
For the third year in a row, a group of students went to Haiti, which was ravaged by an earthquake six years ago. Through the Be Like Brit Orphanage, students built a home for a mother with three young children who were living under a tarp in the dirt. The students shoveled the foundation for the home, mixed and poured concrete by hand, built the framing of the roof, and put up all four walls for the home.
At the end of each day, the students would play sports and spend time with the 67 children at the orphanage.
“This trip was so much more than helping the people of Haiti for a week or building a house for a family in need,” said HPU student Lily Kate Tollison. “Haiti is a beautiful, culturally rich country with some of the most caring and faithful people I have ever met. This is a place where we built a home for a woman who will stay in our hearts forever and where 67 children taught us the meaning of unconditional love.”
Restoring a Historical Landmark in Florida
Students from the HPU chapter of Alpha Phi Omega (APO), a co-ed service fraternity, spent their spring break preserving the historic preservation of the San Antonio Water Battery at Fort Barrancas in Pensacola, Florida. The fort was used as a part of defense systems to protect against foreign attacks until the late 1800s. During the week, students painted the interior and exterior walls, caulked cracks, mixed and applied stucco to damaged parts of the fort walls, and updated door hinges to prevent original doors and windows from deteriorating.
“I was fortunate to be able to volunteer on this alternative spring break,” said HPU student Jess Dow. “Being able to help preserve parts of our country’s history was an honor. During this trip, I grew as a leader and I gained perspective and appreciation for those who work year round to preserve historical landmarks.”
Restoring Damaged Homes in South Carolina
In October 2015, South Carolina had major flooding that brought damage to much of the state. A group of HPU students helped repair two houses in Hemingway, South Carolina, by installing new floors, replacing ceiling tiles and repairing damaged walls.
Alternative Break trips are one of many ways that HPU students, faculty and staff contribute more than 100,000 hours of service locally, nationally and internationally each year.