Wilkes University

Eight Wilkes University students participated in a LEAP-AB trip to Dominican Republic March 2-9. LEAP-AB stands for Leadership, Education, Advocacy, and Partnerships-Alternative Break, coined by student leaders in 2016. Students worked with the organization Guanin, which aims to help young people discover, develop, and achieve their full potential as adults, citizens and leaders. Students donated their time doing work which addressed English as a second language and habitat and community outreach in a women's health initiative. The students shared information about women's health issues such as pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and hygiene.

Seven Wilkes University students participated in a LEAP-AB trip to Jamaica March 2-9. LEAP-AB stands for Leadership, Education, Advocacy, and Partnerships-Alternative Break, coined by student leaders in 2016. Students donated their time working with RSVP Caribbean Volunteers. Students worked at the Mike Town Early Childhood Institution where they painted and redecorated the sickbay, the reading room, as well as made storage compartments and hopscotch game in the play area.

Eight Wilkes University students are participating in a LEAP-AB trip to the Carolina Tiger Rescue in North Carolina. LEAP-AB stands for Leadership, Education, Advocacy, and Partnerships-Alternative Break, coined by student leaders in 2016. Students are donating their time at the tiger rescue, doing work which addresses animal welfare issues. Activities include general sanctuary maintenance including daily animal care tasks and the building of new enclosures.

Sixteen Wilkes University students participated in a LEAP-AB trip to Costa Rica March 2-9. LEAP-AB stands for Leadership, Education, Advocacy, and Partnerships-Alternative Break, coined by student leaders in 2016. The students learned about the intersection of ecotourism development and ecology by visiting a number of environmentally sensitive sites in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. Students also completed community service with park rangers at Rincon de la Vieja National Park, maintaining hiking trails around the park. Students were also able to observe many species of flora and fauna in their natural habitat.

Wilkes University students participated in field research in Hawaii during spring break. The trip was in conjunction with the spring course, "Geology of Hawaii" taught by Sid P. Halsor, professor of geology and coordinated with the GeoExplorer Club and Bobby Karimi, assistant professor of geology. Students spent several days in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park exploring the volcanic features associated with Kilauea volcano, the most active volcano on earth and in continuous eruption since the current cycle began in 1983. Highlights included a tour and presentation by US Geological Survey geoscientist at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, close-up observations of active lava flow on the volcanic field and night-time view of the vivid red glow over the Kilauea summit crater where lava fountaining was occurring.

Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip in Costa Rica volunteering with the sports committee of San Marcos. The students worked with the organization to paint the playground, basketball court and assisted with the sand box installation. Isolated from the main provinces of the central valley of Costa Rica, San Marcos and the region of Los Santos have a lack of services and extra curriculum activities for children and youth.

Two Wilkes University pre-dental students, Jasmin Patel and Victoria Bilski, participated in the Benco Family Foundation's Lessons in a Lunchbox event on Feb. 1. The event catered to second and third graders in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District and taught the importance of proper nutrition and oral hygiene.

Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip in the Dominican Republic, volunteering with The Guanin Center, Inc. in La Piedra, Santo Domingo. The students worked with the organization to teach the community English. The children and community leaders took English second language classes taught by Wilkes students. Students also interacted with the community members of La Piedra. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork and critical thinking skills. Crystal Cool, assistant director of diversity affairs; Erica Acosta, associate director of diversity affairs; and Tyisha Williams, assistant professor of biology accompanied the students on the trip.

Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip in Kentucky, volunteering with Christian Appalachian Project. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork and critical thinking skills.

A group of Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork and critical thinking skills.

Nine Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip to Playas del Coco, Costa Rica. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork and critical thinking skills.

Accounting students at Wilkes University's Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership will offer free tax assistance to the public through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program.

Wilkes University students chose to spend their break contributing to underprivileged communities in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and rural Kentucky. In Costa Rica, students created planters, outdoor seating, and tables from recycled and painted tires and cement for Costa Rican schools.

Under the Alternative Spring Break program, Wilkes University students spend their break contributing to underprivileged communities in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and rural Kentucky. Students in rural Kentucky worked on construction projects with Christian Appalachian Project members.

Under the Alternative Spring Break program, Wilkes University students spend their break contributing to underprivileged communities in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and rural Kentucky. Students participating in the Alternative Spring Break program in Guanan, in the Dominican Republic taught English as a second language in the public school system and completed a water project.

Six Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip to San Marcos, Costa Rica. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork and critical thinking skills. The students assisted local schools with construction and other maintenance projects.

A group of Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork and critical thinking skills.

A group of Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip to Asheville, N.C., where they volunteered with the local Habitat for Humanity.

Twenty-eight students from Wilkes University's pharmacy and nursing programs volunteered with Lehigh Valley Hospital at the hospital's free drive-thru flu clinic at Dorney Park in Allentown, Pa. The students aided hospital staff in preparing and distributing vaccines to over 14,000 people.

Seven Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip by volunteering with the Native American Fatherhood and Families Association in Mesa, Ariz. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.

Four Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip in Kentucky by volunteering with the Christian Appalachian Project. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.

Seven Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break trip to the Dominican Republic. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking skills. There they taught English to children from public and private schools and members of the larger community.

Seven Wilkes University students participated in an alternative spring break experience in Costa Rica. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.

Wilkes University freshmen enrolled in a first-year foundations course called "The Power of Story" completed a flood stories project. A first-year foundations course is a course required by all Wilkes freshmen. The students collected oral histories of individuals who survived the September 2011 flooding in the Wyoming Valley.

Wilkes University freshmen students completed an oral history project as part of a first-year foundations course called "Be the Change." A first-year foundations course is a course required by all Wilkes freshmen. "Be the Change" focused on a service learning project that gathered the oral histories of northeast Pennsylvania veterans. During the semester, students met one-on-one with the veterans whose service ranged from World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

More than 60 Wilkes University students, faculty and staff particpated in the annual Alternative Spring Break from March 2-9. Students participating in the program spend their spring break performing community service to help people in this country and around the world. Destinations for Wilkes' 2013 Alternative Spring Break were Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Missouri, and New Orleans. Volunteers from your local area are listed below:

Environmental engineering students on the Relay for Life team "Captain Planet and the Planeteers" found creative ways to raise money at Wilkes University. Members of the team collected dresses at Wilkes from faculty, staff, students and community members and then sold them at an event on March 16. The team collected over 230 dresses and raised $1,711, which will be used to support the University's Relay for Life event benefiting the American Cancer Society.

A team of four Wilkes University pharmacy students joined Bernard Graham, dean of Wilkes' Nesbitt College of Pharmacy and Nursing, and over fifty health care professionals from the United States and Canada to aid the Glens Falls Medical Mission Foundation on a trip to Nueva Santa Rosa, Guatemala, from April 28 to May 7. The students worked as pharmacy technicians and translators, helping physicians choose appropriate drug therapy for their patients, negotiating with local pharmacies for special medication, and providing basic medical care for needy villagers. The team also visited an orphanage for young girls where they donated toys and clothing. Team members from Wilkes University include:

A Wilkes University team of three students, one staff and one faculty member traveled to Jinotega, Nicaragua to work with Orphanage Outreach from May 21-28. The team taught colors, shapes, and numbers to underprivileged preschool children in the mornings and spent their afternoons teaching English at a local elementary school. The team learned about the Nicaraguan culture by visiting a Women's Cooperative, touring a coffee farm, and walking through the impoverished areas around Jinotega. They were introduced to a community leader who talked with them about the particular need for education and sports outlets in their country, to keep children out of gangs and away from drugs. The Wilkes University team members include:

More than 20 Wilkes University students, faculty, and staff participated in the 19th annual Alternative Spring Break, a program created so students can spend their spring break performing community service to help people in this country and around the world. Four trips were planned for the 2011 Alternative Spring Break, including Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Kentucky, and New Orleans.