Many college students look forward to spending spring break on the beach.

But Brittany Huff had a very different idea.

The 2012 Seneca Valley High School graduate has spent her breaks from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, traveling to cities across the country, helping with community outreach programs ranging from LGBT advocacy to a food pantry in Texas.

“I've always loved serving the community,” Huff said. “I love helping others and helping out the community.”

For the past year, Huff has participated in the college's Alternative Break Program, in which students spend their spring, Christmas, Thanksgiving and summer breaks helping at outreaches across the country.

The program, which began nearly 20 years ago, sends groups of students from the college to sites to tackle problems ranging from hunger and homelessness to environmental issues and women's empowerment, according to Christy Walkuski, director of the David and Francis Brain Center for Community Engagement, which oversees the program.

Huff has been to Boston, San Antonio and West Virginia with the program, during her past two spring breaks and a week of her Christmas break last year.

Last month, Huff was the trip leader to West Virginia during the school's spring break. She and seven other students partnered with Grow Ohio Valley to tackle the problems of homelessness and poverty in Appalachia.

As trip leader, Huff was charged with organizing the outreach, setting up community meals and arranging healthy community days.

“Every day was different,” she said. “Every day was long but very rewarding. It was amazing.”

Huff got involved in the Alternative Break Program after friends “talked me into it,” telling her she would love it.

“It's a way to get away from your natural environment and out of your comfort zone,” she said.

Alternative Break participants don't pick which trip they will take but rather are placed in an outreach that will challenge and benefit them the most, Huff said.

Huff's first alternative break trip was in 2016, when she traveled to Boston to work for an LGBTQ advocacy group.

“I've never done anything like it,” she said.

“You're not going to be the savior, but you know you're doing something small that is part of the bigger picture.”

After a positive experience in Boston, Huff reapplied and spent a week of her Christmas break last year in San Antonio, doing everything from working at a food bank to picking broccoli.

“We're here doing something pretty great for this community,” she said of the trip. “You get to know the people in the community, see it from another point of view.”

Modeled after the national program Break Away, Alternative Breaks had 140 students participating in this school year, Walkuski said.

Another 18 trips are planned for the 2017-18 school year, with 200 students participating in those. All trips are planned by student leadership teams, who go through a six-week training program before departing on their trips.

“The goal is to give students the opportunity to give a deep dive into learning about social justice issues,” Walkuski said.

Students apply for the program and make a one-year commitment of service. Walkuski said the participants represent a diverse slice of the student body, drawing people from different years and majors.

What's next for Huff after graduation next month?

She plans to continue helping people, moving to Columbus to attend nursing school.