Sheetrock and Spring Break: Sarah Lawrence College’s Alternative Spring Break Back with a Bang

Nothing says ‘spring break 2023’ like the thwack of a hammer and perfectly seamless drywall, right? Instead of heading to the coast to rest up before the end of the semester, 11 Sarah Lawrence students opted for a different kind of break and spent their time serving the community they call home during their college years. 

Senior Connor Richardson ’23 said of his experience, “It was a really great opportunity for me to take some time to volunteer in places that are right in Sarah Lawrence’s backyard. As someone who is now also looking for work experience as my college career winds down, I learned a lot about hands-on construction skills in a team setting, meeting new people from the school and Westchester communities.”

Students spent two days working in Westchester County with the Fuller Center for Housing, a nonprofit that seeks to eradicate poverty housing by building and rehabilitating homes for people in need. "We have been blessed to help engage many thousands of students, from high schools and colleges,” said Jim Killoran, executive director for the Fuller Center of Greater New York City, “Students come to learn how to build during an Alternative Spring Break, building energy efficient homes to help families and change lives forever with home ownership.”

Alternative Spring Break is a program offered through the College’s Office of Community Partnerships that seeks to broaden the perception of community through sponsoring week-long service trips. The College’s first alternative spring break since 2019, this year’s group contributed their talents to the construction of homes for those in need. "Getting the opportunity to be part of an Alternative Spring Break was immensely gratifying,” said junior Alejandra Pasquel ’24. “Working alongside peers and encouraging mentors made the experience not only fun but educational." 

Due to weather, this year’s assignment was cut short but nevertheless, the group had a productive two days. One day was spent converting a 200-year-old Quaker Meeting house in Chappaqua, NY, into an energy-efficient two-family home for low-income families. Students put up sheetrock, worked on mudding, deconstruction, and cellulose insulation. The second day was spent in Mamaroneck, NY,  where students worked on an African American Church that was flooded during Hurricane Ida in September 2021. They helped with painting, framing, and job site clean up— crucial work for buildings that experience disaster-related flooding. 

First-year student Keilani Talma ’26 came away from the experience with a better understanding of both the need for affordable and sustainable housing solutions and an appreciation for her newly learned construction skills. "I enjoyed being part of this year’s Alternative Spring Break program as I was able to understand the history and the impact the Fuller Center of NY is having on communities. To add to this, I learned construction skills that are fundamental to the creation of any home and I was able to meet many interesting people during the work days."