2008 Woodie Awards
Choosing charity over celebration
Junior attends MTV's Alternative Spring Break
Andrew Abel
Issue date: 4/10/07 Section: Mosaic
While most college students spent their Spring Break at beach resorts or relaxing and enjoying their free time, junior Amanda Williams spent the week learning how to put a roof on the house of Mrs. Marva, a hurricane victim living in Louisiana.
"I could build you a roof now if I needed to," Williams says.
Williams, a 21-year-old education major, was part of a four-week project hosted by the United Way, aimed at helping those who are struggling in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Williams has been involved in numerous community service projects in the past, but she has never taken one on as daunting as this.
After seeing an advertisement on MTV, Williams went online and filled out an application to be part of its "Alternative Spring Break."
She didn't think anything would ever come of it, but when she found out that she had been chosen out of the thousands of applicants, she says she was ecstatic.
"It was so awesome," says Susan Williams, Amanda's mother. "I couldn't wait to tell all my friends and family. We were so proud."
MTV picked 100 people for each of the four weeks the program ran. Williams chose to attend the fourth and final week because it coincided with the university's Spring Break. After paying her airfare, she flew to Louisiana to meet a group of 60 strangers.
Williams' group arrived at Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish. Just 20 minutes to the north is Cameron Parish, an area located on the beach that was hit hard by Hurricane Rita approximately four months after Katrina. Cameron Parish doesn't get as much attention as other areas because there were no casualties, but the devastation was just as bad, Williams says.
Because of Hurricane Rita, children were kept out of school for four to five months. The Marsh Bluff Middle School was almost obliterated. All that remains is the gym. However, a new middle school has been built since then and the old one has been renovated and currently houses volunteers and aid workers such as Williams.
"I could build you a roof now if I needed to," Williams says.
Williams, a 21-year-old education major, was part of a four-week project hosted by the United Way, aimed at helping those who are struggling in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Williams has been involved in numerous community service projects in the past, but she has never taken one on as daunting as this.
After seeing an advertisement on MTV, Williams went online and filled out an application to be part of its "Alternative Spring Break."
She didn't think anything would ever come of it, but when she found out that she had been chosen out of the thousands of applicants, she says she was ecstatic.
"It was so awesome," says Susan Williams, Amanda's mother. "I couldn't wait to tell all my friends and family. We were so proud."
MTV picked 100 people for each of the four weeks the program ran. Williams chose to attend the fourth and final week because it coincided with the university's Spring Break. After paying her airfare, she flew to Louisiana to meet a group of 60 strangers.
Williams' group arrived at Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish. Just 20 minutes to the north is Cameron Parish, an area located on the beach that was hit hard by Hurricane Rita approximately four months after Katrina. Cameron Parish doesn't get as much attention as other areas because there were no casualties, but the devastation was just as bad, Williams says.
Because of Hurricane Rita, children were kept out of school for four to five months. The Marsh Bluff Middle School was almost obliterated. All that remains is the gym. However, a new middle school has been built since then and the old one has been renovated and currently houses volunteers and aid workers such as Williams.
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