When you think of spring break, many think of sun, fun, sand and surf.

Students at Iowa Mennonite have a different objective for their time off in March. Students at IMS participate in Interterm, a week-long innovative learning experience that takes place outside of the normal classroom. The goal of the program is to foster a sense of community, serve others, expose students to a new culture or environment while providing educational enrichment and spiritual renewal. This program takes place every other year. The list of potential projects for students is wide ranging. They include, observing classes at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired and the Illinois School for the Deaf, helping at Camp David of the Ozarks, a camp that offers free summer camp to children of prisoners, service in Jackson, Pine Lake and Meridian, Mississippi, service in Markham, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, service at Casa Hogar, an orphanage in Mexico, science experiments with fourth graders at Mid-Prairie, service at a soup kitchen in Des Moines and outdoor adventures and work at Crooked Creek Christian Camp. Interterm this year was the week of March 20th.

Listen to In Touch With Southeast Iowa all week on KCII for stories from Iowa Mennonite students and faculty about their Interterm experiences.