Howard University students give back to Aiken’s Horse Creek Academy during spring break

AIKEN, S.C. (WJBF) — Howard University students are spending their spring break not on a beach—but in Aiken—giving back.

Sixteen students from the university’s Alternative Spring Break program are at Horse Creek Academy, mentoring students, helping with school projects, and participating in community outreach. This year, more than 1,300 Howard students are serving in 22 cities as part of the program.

“We are just connecting with the students really just trying to help them with their homework and just have conversations,” Howard University student Saige Dehaney said.

“We are here under the initiative of community development and violence prevention and it was just really under the theme that it’s bigger than us,” Howard University student Madelyn Boamah added.

They’re not just in the classroom. The students are running the school’s book fair, assisting in the cafeteria, and offering guidance to older kids.

“Talking to kids about HBCU culture, the college experience, some financial aid as well,” Howard University student Chandler Jenkins shared.

“You can get into school any college that you honestly want with a good GPA. And then also to it is sometimes in college you still may get grades that you might not want but you can always come back for it from it. So like it was just good to let them know like, so relax a little like be proud of yourself for anything that you accomplished,” Howard University student Kiara Usher Jackson.

And their presence isn’t going unnoticed.

“Our students look up to them so much, even knowing them such a short time and our teachers,” Sarah Morris of Horse Creek Academy said. “I can’t walk through the halls so far the last two days without getting so many compliments on how amazing these students are.”

They also stepped outside the school—helping in the community, following Helene.

“This elderly woman who had, you know, her backyard destroyed, by the hurricane back in September,” Howard University student Starski Wilson shared. “So it was just a really nice opportunity to lend a helping hand.”

For the Howard students, it’s been just as meaningful.

“If you do a lot of comparison coming outta high school, so seeing people back inside their junior/senior year, I’m kind of able to reflect and be like, ‘You know what? I was still a kid then. You know what I’m saying? So, I’m okay to make mistakes. I’m okay to take my time,’” Howard University student Jarrec Raĉon McCarter Jr. added.

The students will be at the school all week before returning to Washington, D.C.