At each Boise State home football game, the “Blue Turf Thinkers” series honors outstanding groups and initiatives on the world-renowned Blue Turf. The Nov. 22 game’s “Blue Turf Thinkers” featured alumni, students and staff from the Honors College’s Alternative Spring Break program.
Since 2021, the Honors College has partnered with the YMCA of the Redwoods in Boulder Creek, California, allowing students to spend their spring breaks in service of others. Each spring, 12 honors students are chosen to volunteer with Camp Campbell’s Outdoor Science School, where they lead hands-on activities that deepen children’s understanding of science, build character and foster a love for nature.
The trip begins with a day of team building and a visit to Santa Cruz, followed by a day of training with YMCA staff. From there, students spend the rest of the week leading fifth- and sixth-grade campers in outdoor education. Campers get to explore ecosystems, learn how to compost and practice caring for their communities. Over the course of the week, each honors student completes nearly 90 hours of service.
The Alternative Spring Break program was established by Assistant Director Madison Cunningham to create an accessible, domestic service experience for students. The trip is made possible through the Honors College Student Leadership and Community Fund, which subsidizes costs so participants can attend for only $50. This donor support ensures that financial barriers do not limit students’ access to the experience.
Though initially led by honors staff, in recent years the trip has become entirely student-led. Honors students who have taken part in the program in prior years can return in a leadership capacity: selecting volunteers, organizing travel and mentoring new participants.
Alternative Spring Break allows participants to grow in their leadership development and sense of community. In the words of Robert Acevedo, one of the first students to both attend and later lead the trip: “The best part came from the joy I felt giving youth a positive experience at camp while forming an inseparable bond with my fellow camp counselors … [Through volunteering] I have learned how to facilitate and develop community. How to take a group of total strangers and form enough connections to make lifelong friendships and memories.”
As the program enters its fifth year, the Honors College remains committed to creating meaningful service opportunities that help students connect their education with real-world impact.
Boise State offers a variety of alternative break options, both within and outside the Honors College. Interested undergraduates, graduate students and faculty can fill out the Alternative Break Interest Form for more information.