When students envision the quintessential spring break, many picture cresting waves that froth when they crash onto the warm and comforting sand, accompanied by excited shrills of children and vacationers tanning away their stresses in the sun. Yet behind these scenes are overlooked crises around the world — including in one of the top tourist destinations in the world: Hawaiʻi.
Aligned with the university’s commitment to civic engagement, Tufts offers a meaningful opportunity for students to volunteer their time to make a difference for communities in need through Jumbo Spring Break. This year, the trip’s destination is Lāhainā, Hawaiʻi. Combining service and travel, Jumbo Spring Break allows students to connect with one another while grounding the experience in community-oriented work.
“[Jumbo Spring Break] offers an alternative spring break where service goes hand in hand with tourism,” student coordinator Zaynab España wrote in an email to the Daily. “Volunteering during our trip provides meaning … and makes participants engage with the community in a different way.”
This year, Jumbo Spring Break is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to support recovery efforts after the devastating 2023 wildfires.
“Homes are built for and with families who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity,” Kevin Kraft, associate dean of students and Jumbo Spring Break program coordinator, wrote in an email to the Daily.
For Kristen Ching, president of the Tufts Hawaiʻi Club, the project hits close to home. She witnessed the effects of the wildfires firsthand and explained how the fires culminated in a housing crisis among local residents.
“The biggest problem [in Hawaiʻi] is that houses keep getting more expensive [but] salaries don’t match that,” Ching said. “The median price for a single-family home is about $850,000, [and] up to $1.1 million on Oahu, which is the most crowded island. … I would say that this is where native Hawaiians are mostly affected — they have the greatest economic disparities.”
While Jumbo Spring Break’s goals are undeniably beneficial, the idea of a trip to Hawaiʻi raises concerns about the line between civic engagement and voluntourism. As Kraft wrote, the program is intended for students who are “interested in making a difference in the world” and “value civic engagement” — but how can these students ensure they do not slip into a ‘voluntourist’ mindset upon arrival?
Ching elaborated on the issue.
“I know that [some tourists love] to romanticize Hawaiʻi, and they don’t really see the problem. I know that everyone is always like, ‘Well, the tourists can be so rude.’ I think a big part [of this is] that they see [their trip to Hawaiʻi] as only [a] vacation, and so they’re kind of oblivious,” Ching said.
This mindset can lead to serious issues for both local communities and the local environment. From tourists illegally taking lava rocks from Hawaiʻi’s shorelines to water restrictions being placed on Hawaiian residents (but not tourists), tourism can have negative impacts on Hawaiʻi that Jumbo Spring Break participants should strive to be conscious of and avoid.
“We have a lot of endangered animals, and so we have a lot of systems in place to protect these animals. Our biggest one [is the] Hawaiian Monk [seal],” Ching said. “You have to be 50 to 100 feet away from them, but [tourists] will go straight up to them [to] pet them, touch them [or] try to take pictures with them, [which] then freaks the [seals] out, of course. There was one instance not long ago where … [a seal] bit someone.”
Ching emphasized the importance of cultural awareness for Jumbo Spring Break participants. Participants, she said, must approach this cause with humility and a genuine desire to understand Hawaiʻi’s history, culture and ongoing recovery.
“Just being respectful [and] being humble in the place where you are. … [Students will] be interacting with locals, so, just learning their stories, understanding the personal level of why what’s happening and what they’re going through — I think [that] would just really help,” Ching said.
Education and mindful engagement are key tenets behind Jumbo Spring Break’s mission. España stressed that the program’s civic component is meant to be the driving force behind the trip — not serve as an accessory to the excitement of traveling to a new place.
“I think [Jumbo Spring Break] adds … meaningful value to a touristic trip,” España wrote. “This service value also connects the participants with each other heightening the fun social time.”
In a world where leisure tourism dominates travel, Jumbo Spring Break strives to distinguish itself by emphasizing intention, education and a commitment to making a difference. Heading into its third year, the program asks students to understand the context of the places they visit and engage deeply with local communities. Ultimately, the program offers more than a vacation — it offers the chance to explore the world while contributing to long-term change. Participants return with a deeper awareness of issues in the world around them and a clearer understanding of the significance of activism, beginning with showing up for others.
“[Jumbo Spring Break] is designed to help you see that you can make a difference in your community, and to set you up for a lifetime of civic engagement,” Kraft wrote. “The biggest takeaway we hope people have is seeing the power they have to make a difference for others, and to [let] that feeling motivate them … throughout life.”