Just like physical skills, cognitive skills grow rusty over time unless they are regularly used and practiced so academic breaks can have negative consequences on student learning and success. The Keeping in School Shape (KiSS) program is an engaging, innovative, and cost-effective intervention that harnesses the benefits of retrieval practice by…

Alternative breaks represent a new tradition in collegiate service learning (Campus Connect, 2011), wherein students forego traditional break activities (e.g., vacations) to participate in community service with their peers through university sponsored programs. Despite their growing popularity these programs are understudied. Research that has…