Some students from the University of Illinois Springfield will spend their spring break in Florida, but not for the reason you're thinking.
Students spent the day packing for the trip, which involves them getting down and dirty in the Everglades, helping remove invasive plant and animal species.
Some 28 students and university staff will remove unwanted species threatening wildlife and clean trails. They'll also be doing some light construction.
This is UIS student Paige Heiser's second trip. She encourages other students to get involved.
"What I got out of it was a lot of firsthand knowledge of things going on in the world, of things that maybe I'm not as aware of," Heiser said. "It helped me get out and get involved in something not in the Springfield community. Not involved in the Illinois community. But it's on a natural level."
The story was featured by WICS-TV 20 on March 8, 2013.
Watch the story online
