2/25/2004

Contact: K.E. Schwab  -- 724-738-2199;  e-mail: karl.schwab@sru.edu

86 SRU STUDENTS, STAFF TO USE SPRING BREAK TO HELP RESIDENTS OF SEVEN COMMUNITIES

ACROSS THE UNITED STATES IN ‘CARE BREAK 2004’ PROGRAM

          The “Care Break 2004” project is an ongoing effort of SRU’s Institute for Community, Service-Learning and Nonprofit Leadership, explains Bobbi Jo Wendel, a community counseling major from Slippery Rock. “This year, our theme is ‘Connecting with the World, One Community at a Time,’ and we’ve line up service programs that will hopefully make a difference in the lives of those we are helping – and in our own lives,” she explains.

          Specific projects lined up at Phoenix include working with high school boys in parole situations at treatment facilities with specific programs to help them learn to make better decisions. In East St. Louis, SRU students will lend a hand to some of the city’s neediest children, then spend their evenings with both teens and seniors. At Memphis, students will work with Leadership Memphis and the Memphis Exchange club helping women and children in poverty.

          Those headed to North Carolina will help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Isabelle as part of a disaster relief effort, and those visiting Kansas City will team with fellow environmentalists to provide a safer, healthier community through work on environmental projects. The SRU team traveling to Baltimore will join the Civic Works Corps to develop urban parks and homes during the day, then offer academic and recreational after-school programs in the evening, while the San Francisco Care Break team will focus on the environment as well as needy children, AIDS education, diversity and poverty while earning one hour of academic credit.

          Individual “Care Breaks” will see 10 to 12 students participating in the service-learning experience. Each group is accompanied by a university faculty or staff member as adviser.

          “This exciting program has been under way since 1994,” explains Alice Kaiser-Drobney,institute director and assistant professor of government and public affair, “CareBreaks allow our students to accomplish two major goals during traditional spring break: Students not only get to travel, they get to help others. Some will help with environmental projects while others will offer tutoring and after-school recreation programs, but in total, all participants will see how their individual efforts can bring about a greater good for all concerned.”

          As part of the program, each Care Break group must raise the funds necessary to pay their way. At each location, the student groups work with SRU alumni, civic or religious groups or businesses located near the Care Break site to establish meals, lodging and in-town transportation. The students provide the manpower to complete planned community-service projects.

“This program gives students tremendous growth in leadership as they plan, organize and implement not only the overall trip, but the specific community-service projects they want to accomplish. All past-year participants have returned to campus tired, but deeply enriched by their experience. Its gives them something to talk – and brag – about for the rest of their lives,” Kaiser-Drobney explains.

           

Those interested in joining or sponsoring the program should call 724-738-2273.

 

PN, PgN, WPN, PR

SLIPPERY ROCK CARE BREAK 2004

 Participant List

 

BALTIMORE, MD

Name                        Major                        Hometown

DeEmilio, Mike                        Health and Physical Education                        West Grove, PA

Kekez, Anka                        Political Science                        Split, Croatia

Ortel, Monte                        Sport Management                        North Carolina,

Bacha, Beth                        Community Programs                        Bethel Park, PA

Culava, Natalia                        Sociology                        Chisinau, Moldova

DiMatteo, Emily                        Health and Physical Education                        Glenshaw, PA

Frazier, Amy                        Sport Management                        Butler, PA

Hall, Jeremy                         Special Education                        New Castle, PA

Owen, Colby                         Sport Management                        Kittanning, PA

Wyckoff, Kimberly                        Environmental Studies                        New Galilee

Hamilton, John                        Undeclared                        El Paso, TX

 

EAST ST. LOUIS, IL

Name                        Major                        Hometown

Pietro, Beth                        Elementary Education                        Beaver Falls, PA

Wendel, Bobbi Jo                        Community Counseling                        Johnsonburg, PA

Burkett, Jamie                        Special Education                        Vandergrift, PA

Contes, Alexa                        Special Education                        Beaver Falls, PA

Cywinski, Michelle                        Health and Physical Education                        Erie, PA

Ely, J. Stacey                        Elementary                        Easton, PA

Gold, Danielle                        Special Education                        Lower Burrell, PA

Mercinko, Emily                        Elementary Education                        Derry, PA

Shaffer, Emily                        Elementary Education                        Portersville, PA

Williams, Darcie                        Elementary Education                        Burgettstown, PA

 

GREENVILLE, NC             

Name                    Major                        Hometown

Butler, Davina                        History                        Butler, PA

Newman, Myrna                        Sustainable Systems                        Clinton, PA

Browarny, Stephan                        Computer Science                        Harmony, PA

Hake, Laura                        Environmental Education                        Baltimore, MD

Hamric, Rebecca                        Therapeutic Recreation                        Bradford, PA

Hart, Julie                        Elementary Education                        Cochranton, PA

Healy, Jessica                        Environmental Studies                        Fair Haven, VT

McDowell, Nathan                        Political Science                        Washington, PA

Tobias, Amanda                        Social Work                        Millersburg, PA

 

KANSAS CITY, KS

Name                    Major                        Hometown

Lubbert, Candice                        Psychology                        Ambridge, PA

Penniman, Sarah                        Biology                        Hermitage, PA

Hall, Carl                        Park and Resource Management                        Lenhartsville, PA

Anderson, Melia                        Park and Resource Management                        Ford City, PA

Anderson, Travis                        Park and Resource Management                        Ford City, PA

Banyas, Lisa                        Spanish                        Cheswick, PA

Knecht, Christopher                        Biology                        Erie, PA

McGaffic, Holly                        Psychology                        Pittsburgh, PA

Shikakume, Mika                        Psychology                        Toyama, Japan

 

 

MEMPHIS, TN

Name                    Major                        Hometown

Kissiedu, Rita                        Accounting/Finance                        Lagos, Nigeria

Weller, Tanya                        Elementary Education                        New Castle, PA

Adamczyk, Jennifer                        Community Counseling                        Franklin, PA

DeForest, Jeanette                        Special Education                        Slippery Rock, PA

Harman, Wayne                        History                        Slippery Rock, PA

Millslagle, Emily                        Elementary Education                        Scottdale, PA

Rieder, Cynthia                        Management                        New Castle, PA

Sikora, Michael                        Elementary Education                        Scottdale, PA

Sumner, Kaytlin                        History                        Loretto, PA

Vogel, Sarah                        Social Work                        Pittsburgh, PA

 

PHOENIX, AZ                  

Name                    Major                        Hometown

Kean, Amy                        Special Education                        Pittsburgh, PA

Taylor, Curtis                        Political Science                        Corry, PA

Baverso, Amy                        English                        Pittsburgh, PA

Braley, Emily                        Community Programs                        Sugar Grove, PA

Damico, Mark                        Sport Management                        Ellwood City, PA

Donelson, Rachel                        History                        Murrysville, PA

Kucik, Vanessa                        Elementary Education                        Farrell, PA

McClain, Chase                        Sport Management                        Waterfall, PA

McDanel, Blythe                        Communication                        Beaver Falls, PA

Songer, Derek                        Sociology                        Sharpsville, PA

Stussy, Leah                        Undeclared                        Beaver Falls, PA

 

SAN FRANCISCO

Name                    Major                        Hometown

Brown, Autumn                        English                        Kittanning, PA

Koller, Ab I                        English                        Washington, DC

Cashdollar, Sarah                        English                        Butler, PA

Copp, Erin                        English                         Cranberry, PA

Figler, Peter                        English                        Natrona Heights, PA

Kosior, Shawn                        English                         West Pittsburgh, PA

Martin, Melanie                         English                         Belle Vernon, PA

Pollio, Deborah                         English                         Grove City, PA

Remic, Victoria                        English                         Export, PA

Turnbull, Robert                        English                         Aliquippa, PA

Kaczmarczyk, Antoinette                         Undeclared                         Hermitage, PA

Kemmerling, Adam                        Elementary Education                        Ewa Beach , HI