ABP

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Trips

Trips

In order to be a participant on any one of our experiences, students must attend our random selection process, Lottery Knight (time and date coming soon).

Some trips will require a deposit at Lottery Knight, while others will be required to be paid in full. The full prices, as well as the amount expected at Lottery Knight is as follows:

Fall:
Thanksgiving:
Winter:
MLK Weekend:
Spring:

Payment will be accepted through cash, check, or money order. We can’t wait to see you there!

Fall Trips
Thanksgiving Break Trips
Winter Break Trips

Rebuilding New Orleans One Nail at a Time: Rebuilding Community through Construction and Housing Development

Community Development

Trip Coordinators: Randy Larson & Brentton Ingraham

New Orleans, Louisiana

12/13/16 - 12/19/16

Blog

During this Winter Break trip, we will be traveling to New Orleans to work with New Orleans Habitat for Humanity, where we will be spending three to four days building a house from the ground up. In 2005, New Orleans was greatly affected by Hurricane Katrina, which devastated 80% of the city through flooding and housing devastation. This storm destroyed homes, took lives, and still impacts the citizens of New Orleans to this day. 11 years later, New Orleans experienced the Louisiana Flood of 2016, which resulted in the devastation of approximately 146,000 homes and is reported by many news networks as the “worst US disaster since Hurricane Sandy.” New Orleans Habitat for Humanity or NOAHH is a non-profit organization that was created in 1983 to aid in the building of affordable homes for low-income individuals, as well as those who were affected by Hurricane Katrina and the Louisiana flooding earlier this year. Through donations and assistance from volunteers, New Orleans Habitat for Humanity hopes to rebuild both homes and community from the ground up, a process that participants will be able to involve themselves in during their stay in New Orleans.

MLK Weekend Trips

Breaking Chains: A Deeper Look into the Juvenile Justice System & the Elimination of the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Youth & Mentoring

Trip Coordinator: Noelis Orochena

Okeechobee, Florida

1/13/17 - 1/16/17

Blog

During this MLK Weekend experience, we will be focusing on the social issue of youth and mentoring within the juvenile justice system; more specifically the school-to-prison pipeline and how it affects the teenage girls we will be working with. The school-to-prison pipeline is a term used to describe the prevalence of students who are being suspended, expelled, or arrested for minor offenses and is often associated with minorities who live in poorer areas. We will be looking deeper into this topic along with the zero tolerance policy, which is said to be the main reason behind this problem. For this experience, students will have the opportunity to work with the Okeechobee Girls Academy, a non-secure residential program for 32 female youth offenders, ages 13-18, who have been committed by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and are in need mental health overlay services. There our group will be able to learn about the facility and the justice system. The weekend will consists of activities such as making vision boards and learning step routines, as well as educating the girls on opportunities available to them once they leave the facility. In addition, we will have a fun day, where we are able to visit Okeechobee Lake.

Redefining the American Dream: Comprehending the Correlation Between Poverty and Immigration

Immigration | Hunger & Homelessness

Trip Coordinators: Christie Gomez & Ciarra Sutton

Immokalee, FL

1/14/17 - 1/16/17

Blog

For this MLK Weekend experience, we will be traveling to Immokalee, Fl. Immokalee is home to immigrant families and a population of working poor individuals that are often faced with adversity related to issues such as environmental racism, institutional racism, immigrant reform, and unfair labor practices. During this experience, we will be working alongside Immokalee Friendship House in order to delve deeper into how these social issues are related to food and housing insecurity. IFH is an emergency housing facility that provides shelter for up to 1,000 individuals and serves over 25,000 meals per year. IFH's ultimate goal is to lead individuals towards independence through providing additional support such as AA meetings, support groups, job interview preparation, and help finding affordable housing. Through this collaboration with IFH, we will be given the opportunity to help with organziational tasks, serving meals, and sharing conversation with individuals receiving IFH's services. Through these close experiences, participants will be given the opportunity to reflect on these social issues, understanding the lifestyles of the pepole in this community, many of whom work to drive our country's food supply.

Spring Break Trips

Giving To Guatemala Poco A Poco: Creating Big Change through Sustainable Health, Education, and Community Development

Community Development | Education

Trip Coordinators: Chelsea Malone & Marissa Hall

Antigua, Guatemala

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

Our community partner in Guatemala, Small Change 4 Big Change, started in 2012 and focuses on sustainability through health, education, environment, and community development. One in four people in Guatemala are illiterate, with the average school time consisting of only 3.5 years. In addition, over 85% of the population in Guatemala is living in poverty. Alongside these high poverty rates, deforestation is also prominent, as wood is a large source of income. During our trip, our English classes will help give students an advantage to combating illiteracy. Our work in gardens, as well as the building of tilapia ponds will directly provide food, as well as goods to sell for extra income. Our work building stoves will help replenish the forest, as the type of ecological stoves we will build use 65% less wood than standard stoves. Our health course will help families with basic hygiene, as the doctor-to-citizen ratio hits a low value of 0.0009:1. Our overall focus is sustainability through these various social issues and how we as a group can directly contribute to the overall well-being of the local population of Santa Catarina Barahona.

Esperanza, Hope, Espwa: Building Communities through Arts & Education

Education & Literacy | Arts

Trip Coordinators: Gera Versfeld & Ariadna Santos

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

Esperanza means hope. The political unrest between Haiti and the Dominican Republic has created social tensions that have affected the lives of the immigrant population with whom we will be working with during our time in Puerto Plata. Project Esperanza, a non-profit organization, works towards providing opportunities for both the immigrant and local population. Volunteers on this Spring Break program will help build hope in this community through arts and education. The service projects will be tailored for at-risk children and women that have faced abuse in the past. They will include activities with the children at the school, teaching new art skills at the fair trade art shop, and leading supplemental lessons. Each day, participants will be asked to reflect on their experiences and discuss how their actions will make an impact. Our last day in the Dominican Republic will be a free day to explore and immerse ourselves in the culture.

Pura Vida Agents: Advocating for the Animals

Animal Awareness

Trip Coordinators: Danielle Soto & Nicole Meyer

San Miguel, Costa Rica

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

The planet we live on is filled with animals, and believe it or not, the vast majority of them are not humans like you and me. There are many different animals that inhabit this earth. Instead of celebrating our differences with these other animals and finding a peaceful way to coexist, we, as a society, have monopolized the animal kingdom and continue to spread without regard to other animal life. We not only mass produce live stock for consumption, but we are tearing down entire ecosystems without considering what will happen to the animals currently inhabiting these locations. Costa Rica, one of the most biodiverse places in the world is right at the forefront of this issue. With little government interference, its rich rainforests and bountiful animal population are being rapidly destroyed. During our trip, we aim to not only bring awareness to this social issue, but to attack it head on and help aid with animal relief. On our trip, we will be working directly with the Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center, an organization dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of Costa Rican wildlife. By being in the heart of the problem, we will help advocate for animal rights as well as aid the center with completing daily tasks. This includes preparing food for the animals, feeding animals (monkeys, sloths, birds, olingos, and kinkajous), cleaning animal enclosures, playing with the baby sloths, general cleaning of the center, and preparing toys and exercises for the animals. Through our service we hope to leave a lasting impact and build strong relationships with our Costa Rican allies so together we can work towards creating positive social change for our animals.

Different Abilities and Homelessness in American Cities: Finding Ourselves and Finding a Solution

Different Abilities | Hunger & Homelessness

Trip Coordinator: Andrew Kidd

Nashville, Tennessee

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

Homelessness has long been a major problem of American cities, and is something we’ve struggled to fix for many decades. Many people think that by just creating programs to give money, food or clothing to the homeless that they are helping to solve the problem, but it’s just a temporary relief. We will spend our week together volunteering with two wonderful organizations, the Nashville Rescue Mission, and United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee. During our time with the Nashville Rescue Mission we will be learning about what real solutions might look like. Not only will we be looking into the issue of Hunger and Homelessness, we will also be learning about the issue of Different Abilities, which as we will see is so often intertwined with Homelessness. Our service will include working in the kitchen at the Nashville Rescue Mission to serve breakfast to the many hundreds of homeless they provide meals to, and working to organize the thousands of donated goods they receive in their warehouse. While serving with the lovely people at United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee we will work to organize and clean their warehouse and may even have the opportunity to build a wheelchair ramp for a family in need.

Slavery in Our Backyard: Understanding the Reality of Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking

Trip Coordinator: Mary Bozzacco

Miami, Florida

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

Slavery is not extinct. The buying & selling of human beings for forced labor or sexual exploitation, better known as human trafficking, is a present, widespread issue. It is currently a $150 billion a year industry with 20.9 billion victims globally according to the International Labor Organization. Unfortunately, many of the cases go unreported and unrecognized. This wave of injustice lacks awareness and education. Over spring break, we will be partnering with The Life of Freedom Center in Miami to learn how we can contribute to the end of human trafficking. Our time will be spent participating in their Alternative Break retreat which prepares individuals to effectively mobilize and respond to domestic sex trafficking within the community, as well as serving survivors and individuals that are at-risk of being enslaved by sex trafficking. Additionally, we will have a free day to experience the city of Miami. 

Nourishing the Minds and Bodies of Nashville: Planting the Seeds of Health and Hunger Related

Hunger | Health | Youth

Trip Coordinator: Nicole Mrvos

Nashville, Tennessee

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

Before a person runs, they must learn to walk.
Before a tree can bear fruit, it must start as a seed.

Our group will be going to Nashville to volunteer with two organizations dealing with the social issues of hunger and health. In the morning, we will work with The Nashville Food Project which is a group that started in 2007. In the beginning years, they made trips to local homeless camps a couple times a week. They wanted to do more for the community however, so they established a permanent location a few years later and focused on sustainability by growing their own food. They developed a garden project so anyone that is interested in growing their own food can have the resources available. During our time there, we will help maintain their gardens and prepare food that will go out to the homeless. In the afternoon, we will head over to The Boys and Girls Club. This organization strives to give children a safe place to learn skills that will help them in the future. Our group will teach elementary/middle school students about nutrition and other health related topics. Our goal is to also make connections on the effects that hunger has on health. We will also partake in a community wide meal to interact with the locals. The last day of the trip will serve as a free day to explore the music filled streets of downtown Nashville.

Before volunteerism exists, we must show others the impact that is possible.

Alleviating Abjection in Adolescence: Empowering Youth and Families through Immersive Social Activities, Landscaping Projects, and Community Involvement

Youth & Mentoring | Poverty

Trip Coordinator: Kim Batres

Charlotte, North Carolina

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

Youth development is the process of growing up; everyone goes through it, but everyone goes through it differently. Positive youth development is vital to the physical and emotional health of a child and stems from a healthy, nurturing home. Many children throughout the U.S are stripped of their childhoods at an early age because of poverty, abuse, neglect, and several other contributing factors. An unhealthy childhood has been linked to abusive, criminal, anti-social, and psychological behavior in adulthood. This is a world-wide social issue and unfortunately there is no possible way to solve it overnight; however, that does not mean we cannot help to alleviate the damage of poor youth development on smaller scale. During this trip, we will begin fighting this issue in Charlotte, North Carolina by working with two non-profits who focus on youth development and poverty. Participants of Alleviating Abjection in Adolescence will create a small but meaningful impact on the youth in Charlotte. During this trip, we will be working with Wings for Kids, an after school program that focuses on providing safe and fun learning environments for children. In addition, we will work alongside Charlotte Family Housing, a community shelter that houses families affected by poverty.

Establishing Immersive Communities: Addressing the Refugee Crisis through Education, Acceptance, and Awareness

Refugee Resettlement | Immigration Reform

Trip Coordinators: Tai-Lyn Parboosingh & Emily Monari

Clarkston, Georgia

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

This trip is a partnership with Global UCF. Participants may be Global UCF students or traditional students.
The violence and destruction in Syria has forced more than half of the country’s residents to flee their homes, with 4.8 million crossing a border to become refugees and another estimated 7.6 million who are displaced from their homes and still living in Syria. This crisis has highlighted the plight of refugees around the world, while also bringing fear and uncertainty to the countries they are fleeing to. We will be addressing this issue as we travel to Clarkston, GA a vibrant community—rich in diverse experiences, cultures, and by extension—foods. It is truly the melting pot of all melting pots with a high population of recently resettled refugees. Participants will be focusing on education about refugee resettlement and be provided with opportunities to serve refugee youth and families through participation in after school programming, prepping apartments for refugee families, and much more to help these families integrate into their new home! Students will learn about the humanitarian reasons for refugee resettlement and the challenges that come when new neighbors unite through partnerships with local organizations and Something New, a service learning geared program.

Protect our Oceans: Understanding How to Conserve the Coral Reef & Life Around It

Environment

Trip Coordinator: Jonathan Upegui

Key West, Florida

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

This trip is a partnership with UCF Outdoor Adventure. Participation is offered to all students.
We will be partnering up with UCF Outdoor Adventure and heading to the southernmost tip of the United States, Key West Florida, in an effort to explore the beauty that is the coral reef as well as learning about the threats it poses and how to conserve, protect, and restore it. Did you know that we roughly have around 74% of our coral reefs left? As our population continues to grow and the threat of global warming continues to exist our entire marine ecosystem will be threatened by the loss of our reefs. Our coral reef is being negatively affected by not only a growing population and global warming but other factors such as: ocean acidification, coral bleaching, unethical fishing methods, water pollution, sedimentation and other human activities. During this trip we will be working with Reef Relief, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving and protecting our coral reef ecosystem, where we will be cleaning up our shoreline by removing marine debris and stenciling storm drains. Alongside this organization we will be learning about the coral reef ecosystem and gaining a new found appreciation for the coral reef and marine life. Additionally, we will be camping out during this trip to appreciate our surrounding areas and adventuring into the water to snorkel and explore the beauty of our ocean.

Restoring Roanoke: Developing the Community One Repair at a Time

Community Development

Trip Coordinator: Randy Larson

Roanoke, Virginia

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

This trip is a partnership with the LEAD Scholars Academy. Participation is offered to all current or past LEAD Scholar students. During this Spring Break Partnership with the LEAD Scholars Academy, our group will be traveling to Roanoke, Virginia to work with a non-profit organization, Renovation Alliance. This organization has worked with over 600 homeowners to provide them with critical home repairs. Throughout the week, we will be working to increase the safety, accessibility and sustainability of each home we work on. Roanoke, Virginia has a large population that lives under the poverty line and the median household income is below that of the national average. By providing repairs for those that cannot afford to do so, we will be working towards improving the overall community. Then we will also have some time to explore the surrounding city of Roanoke.

Animal Awareness and Wildlife Education: Nurturing and Rehabilitation of Injured Animals

Animal Awareness

Trip Coordinator: Timothy Hill

Hubert, NC

3/12/17 - 3/18/17

Blog

For the Animal Awareness and Wildlife Education: Nurturing and Rehabilitation of Injured Animals trip we will be traveling to Hubert, North Carolina on the east side of the state and volunteering at Possumwood Acres Wildlife Reserve and Lynwood Park Zoo. Once there, we will be servicing injuring animals so that these beings may have the opportunity to return to their natural habitats. As a participant in this trip, you will have the opportunity to volunteer, give service and make an impact outside of UCF. Sleeping arrangements will be at Camp Albemarle on the coast of North Carolina to earn an appreciation for the natural life of the area. If you have an internal passion for animals and volunteering, this trip will suit your interests. By helping injured animals of both organizations we will surely leave a lasting impact that will help Possumwood Acres Wildlife Reserve and Lynwood Park Zoo.

Past Trips

Un Niño a la Vez: Improving the Quality of Comprehensive Healthcare through Youth & Adolescent Mentorship

San Juan, Puerto Rico, 12/13/16 - 12/19/16 (Blog)