By Dana Klosner-Wehner
“I wanted to do something meaningful,” Dizon said. “I didn’t want to sit around at home.”
Operation Breakthrough, a non-profit corporation that helps underprivileged children in the Kansas City area, is one of five alternative spring break programs offered at Ithaca College. Dizon was one of 52 students who took part in the programs, which included a trip New Orleans to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina; Washington, D.C. to work in a homeless shelter; and West Virginia to work in a camp for homeless children.
“These programs are a great opportunity for students to do something out of the ordinary,” said Alison Christiansen, alternative spring break coordinator at Ithaca College. “A lot of [students] say it is a great experience. Some call it life changing.”
Operation Breakthrough's mission is to help children that are living in poverty develop to their fullest potential by providing them a safe, loving and educational environment, Christiansen said. The organization also strives to support and empower the families through advocacy, referral services and emergency aid. The children are between six weeks and 18-years old.
“While we were working with Operation Breakthrough, we worked with their preschool from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.,” Christiansen said. “Our group was split up and put into classrooms with kids ages 2-5 years old. In the mornings, we worked in the classroom doing a variety of tasks such as arts and crafts projects and reading. In the afternoon we worked with other colleges who were volunteering to do other jobs. These ranged from working in the warehouse to making bulletin boards for the faculty. “
As a volunteer, Dizon worked one on one with the kids.
“We took them out to the playground,” Dizon said. “They would have music therapy where a musician would come in and they would sing songs. While singing, they would learn the alphabet and numbers and engage in social interaction.”
Dizon, who said she wants to work with children when she graduates from Ithaca, used her Christmas money to pay the $350 cost for the trip.
Debbie Skaggs, volunteer program director for Operation Breakthrough, said that volunteers like Dizon are great role models for the children.
"We love our spring breakers," said Skaggs. "They teach the kids the importance of going to college and serving the community. They touch them in a way that they've not been touched. [The children] get to see and talk with people that are very different from their world."
Constantly forming close bonds with the children she worked with, Dizon said she remembers one boy who always followed her around, and at when it came time for her to leave, the child gave her a big hug and told said he loved her.
"These kids are from abusive homes and broken families," said Dizon. "I learned to appreciative what I have. I didn't realize how influential schooling was."
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