George Washington University Athletics
Colonials in the Community: Faith Weber & Alessandra Ponce
2/4/2019 12:45:00 PM | Softball, Academic Services, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
Softball pair traveled to Puerto Rico for Alternative Break
Faith Weber and Alessandra Ponce could have spent their final week of winter break relaxing at home, but the GW softball pair instead opted for a trip abroad with the university's Alternative Breaks Program to give back to the community.
Weber and Ponce traveled to Las Marias, Puerto Rico, from Jan. 5-12 to work at the Plenitud Eco-Educational Initiative, an organic farm centered around promoting sustainability in food production, resource consumption and waste management.
"Some of the projects entailed clearing land for surveying, harvesting various fruits and vegetables, propagating patchouli, composting, and laying down gravel to create a pathway for patients visiting a local homeopathic doctor," Weber said. "We also took part in cultural activities that included an herbal medicine seminar and a bomba dance lesson."
The pair cited their daily chores as a favorite memory.
"We were both assigned to water the greenhouse and harvest various plants and vegetables, which we then used for different meals throughout the week," Ponce said. "It was really cool to see our food go straight from the farm to the table."
Throughout the year, GW Alternative Breaks offers 12 different domestic and international service-learning trips that emphasize social justice, leadership and sustainability.
Last year, Weber and teammate Riley Tejcek traveled to Gainesville, Florida, to work on a Plenitud farm. Weber's experience inspired her to participate in a similar program again, this time with a different fellow Colonial.
"This trip not only expanded our knowledge on sustainable practices that we can implement in our everyday lives here on campus, but also taught us to always take time to serve, care, and love the people around us," Weber said.
Weber and Ponce returned from Puerto Rico eager to extend their passion for service into the greater D.C. community.
"We are so fortunate to have the opportunities that being a student-athlete gives us, and serving others in the community allows us to be a part of something that is so much bigger than ourselves," Ponce said.
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(2/4/2019) GW Softball Alternative Break
Weber and Ponce traveled to Las Marias, Puerto Rico, from Jan. 5-12 to work at the Plenitud Eco-Educational Initiative, an organic farm centered around promoting sustainability in food production, resource consumption and waste management.
"Some of the projects entailed clearing land for surveying, harvesting various fruits and vegetables, propagating patchouli, composting, and laying down gravel to create a pathway for patients visiting a local homeopathic doctor," Weber said. "We also took part in cultural activities that included an herbal medicine seminar and a bomba dance lesson."
The pair cited their daily chores as a favorite memory.
"We were both assigned to water the greenhouse and harvest various plants and vegetables, which we then used for different meals throughout the week," Ponce said. "It was really cool to see our food go straight from the farm to the table."
Throughout the year, GW Alternative Breaks offers 12 different domestic and international service-learning trips that emphasize social justice, leadership and sustainability.
Last year, Weber and teammate Riley Tejcek traveled to Gainesville, Florida, to work on a Plenitud farm. Weber's experience inspired her to participate in a similar program again, this time with a different fellow Colonial.
"This trip not only expanded our knowledge on sustainable practices that we can implement in our everyday lives here on campus, but also taught us to always take time to serve, care, and love the people around us," Weber said.
Weber and Ponce returned from Puerto Rico eager to extend their passion for service into the greater D.C. community.
"We are so fortunate to have the opportunities that being a student-athlete gives us, and serving others in the community allows us to be a part of something that is so much bigger than ourselves," Ponce said.
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