Break Through Marsing



How might we give students the chance to give back and make a lasting difference in their own community?

Small pieces…big pictures was the theme for Break Through 2012, One Stone’s alternative spring break project. The event was held in Marsing, Idaho, population 1,031.  Much of the two-day project was focused on turning tragedy into change, as this small town was still reeling from the loss of Taylor Sauer, a Marsing High School graduate who was killed while texting and driving. At the time of her death, Taylor was in college studying to be a teacher. As a memorial to her, the town had envisioned an outdoor classroom at Marsing Elementary School. With the help of the Break Through planning team, that vision became a reality as more than 100 high school volunteers helped to break ground on and pave a path to the memorial classroom named Taylor’s Corner in memory of Taylor and her vision to serve kids.  To further understand the impact of this tragedy, students heard from Taylor’s parents, and took a collective pledge to not text while driving.

In addition to creating this memorial, students painted a mural and school rooms and planted a special One Stone tree to commemorate the experience and inspiration of the “small pieces, big picture.”


In addition to creating lasting relationships with City leadership, and the legacy of Taylor’s Corner, more than 100 students took the pledge to abstain from texting while driving.