This spring break, instead of turning up in Miami or gambling my tax refund in Vegas, I decided to go on an alternative break trip. University of South Florida host a variety of alternative spring, winter, and summer breaks called Bull Service Breaks. These trips give students the chance to explore a new place, continue learning during break, meet new people, and help a community in need. This spring break I attended the Inner City Youth Outreach trip in Tennessee. I wasn't sure what to expect, but along the way I found myself forming deep relationships with my trip members, while learning way more about the struggle of living in an area with a high crime rate.

During our trip we worked closely with the police force and community activist who strive to form better relationships with children in the community in an effort to lead them away from a life of crime, violence, and drugs. As someone who one day hopes to work in the correctional system, it was such an immersive experience. I learned the true value of being a police officer, and the way in which these officers reach out and aid the community in unimaginable ways. It us, this generation and the generation below us, that will change this world for the better, and this spring break trip brought me one step closer.

Along the way, we took in everything Memphis had to give. Of course we hit Beale St. and went to the Stax museum to learn all about soul music. However, the most eye opening excursion was the Civil Rights Museum, created from the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated. The museum takes you through years of civil rights history, ending with an extensive map of evidence, suspects, and conspiracies that surround Martin Luther Kings death. I can't think of a better way to have spent my spring break. I did not once feel a fear of missing out while I watched my friends partying on the beach. Yes, it looked like fun, but I knew I was working for something bigger than me and I take pride in that.