1. This We Believe
Atlantic Beach Alternative Spring Break 2015
We believe in the ripple effect of positive change. The beauty of life is in this
inherent truth that every action has a positive and equal reaction. So, just as tossing
a single pebble into water can create millions of lucid ripples, the actions of one
person or a small group of individuals can create far-reaching ripples of positive
change. We learned life’s innate truth through multiple mini lessons this spring as
leaders of East Carolina University in our Alternative Spring Break trip.
“Individually, we can say something. Together, we can do something”
On our first day, we settled into our cabins at Camp Albemarle. The staff at the camp
led a series of team building activities so eleven strangers could establish a sense of
trust among one another. We didn’t understand how extremely important the
establishment of trust and good communication meant within a group at first. One
of our team building activities was rock climbing on a 10 foot wooden obstacle
course. Two individuals were on opposite ends of the wooden obstacle course, and
the objective was to find the right hand and foot pegs to be able to reach the flat
platform at the top of the obstacle course. As individuals each of us found that it was
less challenging to complete the rope course when we asked for help about which
peg to choose to climb up than not asking. It became clear that working together as a
group to reach a goal is much easier than working alone, and having good
communication all the while makes reaching a goal such as the top platform of a
rope course or creating environmental sustainability a lot easier. This mini lesson
about the importance of teamwork was our first action in creating a ripple of change
in the Carteret County area. We believe that as individuals we can say something,
but as a group we can do something.
“By educating the youth of today, we will make a better tomorrow.”
Through our ripple of an experience with Mrs. Dana Edgren class at White Oak
Elementary School, we created a wave within many young students' minds. By
helping with their project to plant various herbs and vegetables in a rain garden, we
helped inspire an enthusiasm for learning about the environment that will hopefully
stay with them for years to come. Little projects like these may seem trivial
or inconsequential to the current state of the environment; however,
simple initiatives such as these, educate the leaders of our future on the importance
of environmentally sustainable practices. The ripple we created at White Oak
Elementary School inspired young, eager minds to develop an appreciation for
making the world a better place through preserving the well-being of our natural
environment.

2. “All it takes is positivity from one individual, to change the atmosphere of a
situation”
One small word of positivity creates a Ripple. So contagious, that it can alter
people's attitudes, perspectives, and emotions. This ripple of positivity drives us to
accomplish our goals. At Bare’s Island, it only took one person’s positive words and
actions to help unite our group, even in the scorching sun, to clean the island, so that
both animals and humans alike could enjoy the beauty of nature. This was our third
lesson in understanding the ripple effect on life and creating a ripple effect of
positive change in the Carteret County community.
“Service of any sort with a willing heart, direct or indirect, is meaningful and useful”
We believe that helping to maintain environmental sustainability doesn’t just have
to be directly connected to working with natural habitat or animals. We voluntarily
painted kitchen walls and sanded picnic tables at Camp Albemarle, which had no
direct correlation to environmental sustainability and justice, our theme for our
Alternative Spring Break, but we learned that our small ripple of action in helping
the camp out with it’s maintenance duties, will allow the camp continue to host
families and school students year round, so that these people can enjoy the river
front view of the camp and it’s glorious outdoor activities, and learn to appreciate
nature and all it’s beauty, so one maybe one day the students and families that went
to this camp will think twice before polluting. Thus, serving directly or indirectly is
meaningful, and can have a ripple affect of change regardless of its untraditional
process.
Thus, witnessing the ripple affect and it’s power through teamwork, educating our
youth, positivity, and indirect service helped us set positive ripples of change in the
Carteret County community through environmental justice and sustainability.