Spring Break is usually a time for college students to relax. Tristan Evans, however, takes this time to dedicate herself to improving communities that extend farther than her college campus.

Tristan traveled to Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic for Alternative Spring Break in 2008. She worked with an organization called Orphanage Outreach which provides care and an education to the orphans in the Dominican. “It was a great experience to step into the shoes of the Dominican students and teachers, live a slower paced life, and see how innovative and appreciative they are for what they have," Tristan says.

Tristan recently organized a lecture through the Bonner Leaders Program that featured writings from the students at Fraser Elementary. Each child wrote down how they felt about the school closing.

The College of Charleston Bonner Leaders Program is a scholarship opportunity that allows service oriented students to earn money through work-study, AmeriCorps Education Awards and other means, while serving the community in a more meaningful way than "traditional" jobs allow. The students commit to 450 hours of community service throughout the year in addition to leadership and service training. The College's Chapter was established in summer 2008 and is one of just 50 institutions nationwide with a Bonner Leaders Chapter.