By Staff Writer Shreya Narayan

For most students, spring break is a great time to lounge on the beach, visit colleges, or just relax at home. However, sophomore Morgan Hubbard has something else in mind.

She’s going to spend her spring break giving back to those less fortunate – and she’s doing it on a global scale.

According to Hubbard, she and her family will travel to Costa Rica for ten days to renovate, construct, and re-paint infrastructure alongside their local hosts. Although her family will not know the exact extant of their activities until they arrive in Costa Rica, Hubbard said that she is excited for any and all assignments nonetheless.

“I like helping people and seeing reactions in [their] faces when someone does something good,” Hubbard said.

According to Hubbard, Costa Rica marks her family’s first international trip. They planned their service work through IVHQ, an international volunteer society. This will also be their first year working with the international organization. Hubbard said that her family chose Costa Rica because it was the only option offered by IVHQ for spring break this year.

Naperville North’s Key Club is helping the Hubbard family in their efforts by hosting a drive for Costa Rica’s less fortunate. During the week of March 3-7, Hubbard and Key Club will be collecting Spanish-English pocket dictionaries and band-aids in the large café during all lunch periods, according to Hubbard.

These items will also be collected on Saturday, March 8 in the NPAC entrance. Key Club sponsor and Spanish teacher Abby Walter recognizes the value of the experiences Hubbard will soon gain.

“[Volunteering is important for high-school students], especially in Naperville because it exposes them to what other people are going through in life,” Walter said. “I feel like it not only helps other people, but it also helps [volunteers] and gives them a sense of self-worth.”

Hubbard couldn’t agree more. She said that volunteering is an exceptionally important part of her life, and she has been volunteering with her family from a young age.

Hubbard and her family started volunteering at Hesed House, a local homeless shelter, when she was eight years old. Volunteering has been a big part of Hubbard’s life ever since. She has since volunteered at Naper Settlement during middle school, and she has spent previous spring breaks volunteering for the Naperville Humane Society.

Even in the eighth grade, she pushed herself to make a lasting impact. Hubbard created a business, Animals for Animals, to raise money for the Naperville Humane Society. She sold fleece toys for $5 each and raised $300 in total.

More than anything, Hubbard finds that the people she meets while volunteering make her efforts worthwhile.

“I love hearing stories about people and what their life has been like and how they are trying to better themselves,” said Hubbard.