While college students around the nation have flocked to sunny shores for spring break, several are choosing alternative destinations.

Students Today Leaders Forever offers students the opportunity to join their Pay It Forward Tour, which sends out charter buses from multiple college campuses to do service work in different communities, said Nick Miller, a sophomore and leader of the Michigan State University chapter.

The group of Michigan State University and St. Louis University Students began their trek in St. Louis, traveling to Pocahontas, Ark, Memphis, Tenn., Hot Springs, Ark. and then to Vicksburg. Wednesday night, the group went down to their final destination, New Orleans, where they will meet up with other groups for a final celebration.

In Vicksburg, STLF partnered with Mountains of Faith Ministries to tidy up the shelter.

Mountains of Faith Ministries house manager Patricia Luckett said she appreciated the help.

“They called me up yesterday and offered their services to me, and it was just wonderful because I always need good help,” she said. “They’re very easy to talk to, and they want to do something for you.”

The type of service varies greatly from community to community, Miller said.

“We’ve done work in a greenhouse where we planted seeds in St. Louis,” he said. “In Hot Springs we worked with Habitat for Humanity on two separate houses.”

Junior Kristy Getty is leading the group from St. Louis University, and she said this is her second year participating with the tour.

“The first year I wanted to go because I did service trips all through high school, so I was interested in continuing that over spring break because I think it’s a good opportunity to see different communities and help people throughout the United States,” she said. “It’s a really unique trip because we get to go to a different city every day. That’s what really drew me in.”

Michigan State sophomore David Cohn said he’s glad he ended up signing up for the trip.

“I actually signed up originally not really knowing what I was getting into,” he said. “It’s been above and beyond what I could have expected.”

Cohn said it’s part service but there’s also the bonding aspect.

“I got to meet 40 other people who are diverse but genuinely great people,” he said. “I’ve gotten to do things I wouldn’t have done otherwise, see places I wouldn’t have seen and help people I wouldn’t have seen.”

Building relationships is another relationships with other participants is another perk, Miller said.

“A big part of the trip is just meeting all of the participants,” he said. “I didn’t know anyone going on to the trip and afterward we were all pretty good friends. I still keep in contact with a good amount of them.”

Tuesday night, the students stayed at Crawford Street United Methodist Church.

, which was coordinated after Miller, a member of the Loins Club at Michigan, reached out to local Loins Club president Susan Johnston.

“It was a very nice stay, and they provided us breakfast this morning,” Miller said. “They were the prime example of southern hospitality.”

Due to the limited amount of time between trips, Miller said they didn’t have as much time as they would have liked to explore Vicksburg.

“I took a walk last night, and it was a beautiful night just walking down the main street,” he said. “I’d definitely com back again.”