About Me: Margo Hoffmann

      Hi everyone! My name is Margo and I am a sophomore elementary education major. I was born in Portland, Oregon but my family moved to Massachusetts when I was 7 and I have lived there ever since. I have an older brother who goes to the University of Pittsburg and a younger sister who is still in high school. I also really love animals and have two dogs and a cockatiel.

      I have never been on an alternative break here at UMD (although I did do one in high school) so I am very excited to go on this one in the spring. 

      I chose to go on this alternative break because I am an education major and I have always been interested in the possibility of one day teaching in an urban school; so I think this experience will be really eye-opening for me. I have also never been to Chicago so I am really excited to visit a new city! 

About Me: Susan Volinski

 

Hi everyone! My name is Susan, and I am a senior Elementary Education and Chinese double major. I was born in Moldova, a small country in Europe near Ukraine and Romania, and I moved to America when I was almost 4 years old. I have lived in California, Hawaii, and now Maryland! I have one younger brother who is 18 years old. My favorite hobbies include running, triathlons, drinking A LOT of tea, figure skating, reading, and exploring new places!

      I also love working with children! I have been a tutor for three years now, and I tutor students ranging from 4th to 11th grade in various subjects. Additionally, I volunteer at an elementary school in my free time during the semester, and I work as a camp counselor during the summer. I hope to be an elementary school teacher one day.

      I went to Chicago two years ago for another UMD alternative break trip and absolutely fell in love, so I decided to go back for a different cause. I love education and positively impacting the lives of children, and hope that I can help and inspire students to become the best they can be. I also hope to learn more about Chicago and the education system! I can't wait for this trip to start, and I believe it will be a very memorable and rewarding experience.

About Me: Janet Adeola

   Hello everyone, my name is Janet and I am a junior neurobiology/physiology and public health double major. I was born and raised in Nigeria and I moved here with my family in 2007. I have two younger sisters and an older brother who also attends UMD. I went to Largo High School in Upper Marlboro, MD.
   I have been tutoring for about six years now with varying organizations and I really enjoy helping others excel. I have been on two previous AB trips to the Chesapeake Bay and to Nashville, Tennessee. This will be my first time as an experience leader, and I am really excited for this new experience and I hope everyone is too.
   I really enjoy traveling and exploring new places, especially new restaurants. I love reading as well, especially books by international authors.
   This is an article I found on school closings in Chicago that was really insightful for me. It talks about public school closings and gentrification and it's impact in the lives of those who live in those parts of Chicago. I believe this trip will be a great learning experience for each and every one of us.