International Falls resident Madeline Kennedy spent spring break serving others through James Madison University’s Alternative Spring Break Program.
Kennedy, an anthropology major, scheduled to graduate in 2016, traveled to Paix Bouche, Dominica to volunteer with Dominica (ANTH).
The student-led ASB trips took place from March 5-12. Each trip focused on a social issue, such as homelessness, resettlement, environmentalism or community wellness, in a specific region. Almost 250 students embarked on 25 spring break trips around the country and world. The students spent the week living simply, focused on service in their destination community but also on teamwork and reflection within their group.
This three-credit anthropology course on Dominica integrates first-hand experience with ethnographic research with service-learning projects. Alongside the Paix Bouche Health and Development Committee, participants engaged in activities including going to work with villagers, attending local guest lectures, and visiting rural, urban, and indigenous Kalinago (Carib) communities.
This break included a weekly course meeting to explore Dominica’s history, culture, social institutions, and languages leading into Alternative Spring Break to Dominica to carry out their own ethnographic research project and participate in community service-learning.
For information about JMU’s Alternative Break Program, visit www.jmu.edu/abp.
