Ascender students Alexa Ortiz and Jazlyn Lara were two of nine students from Palo Alto College who attended Alternative Winter Break in New Orleans.  They went through an application and interview process.

Alternative Breaks offer students an opportunity to travel out-of-state for a week of service addressing a particular need within a community. These projects involve usually 20-30 hours of service as well as opportunities to explore the city and participate in individual and group reflections.

Students worked with Camp Restore to focus on environmental sustainability within the community, addressing the topic of how a natural catastrophe can damage a city, in this case the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. The students volunteered working at food banks, cooking food for kids in need, recycling, and cleaning houses for the homeless.