Alternative Spring Break

Winter break may be barely over, but now's the time to think about spring break, especially if your child's idea of a good time is one of those beer-swilling, wet T-shirt, beach bacchanals made famous by MTV. Why not encourage him to consider a healthier, feel-good option such as the alternative spring breaks planned by colleges across the nation? For the last decade, the University of Washington's Pipeline Project, for example, has been sending student volunteers to tribal and rural communities across the Pacific Northwest to work on literacy and science projects at grade schools over spring break. Transportation, accommodations and food expenses are all covered. And American University in D.C. runs philanthropic student programs not only over spring break, but winter and summer too. Need other ideas? Check out this spring break alternative article.