kippaustincollegiate.

       UpLift Austin is proud to say that our first year at KIPP Austin Collegiate was a phenomenal success! Both students and staff praised the UpLift course for the many positive changes it brought to the campus and community. Below you will find a summarized list of our accomplishments:

STUDENTS SERVED: UpLift Austin provided over 780 hours of programming, reaching 199 students. On average, each student spent 90 hours in UpLift programming, both in and outside of the classroom.

STUDENT PROJECTS: Both semesters, UpLift students were divided into four classrooms, each of which had a specific project focus. Collectively, the eight classes of students accomplished the following:

• Installed rainwater harvesting system flowing from downspouts of roof to collection barrels, with overflow into built drainage bed/creek.
• Designed and installed landscape design project including a recycled glass mulch walking path, planter boxes, limestone edging, burms, and planting native and xeric vegetation. Donations of mulch, compost and plants were made by the City of Austin, Husband Nursery, the Natural Gardener, Recon and Structura.
• Built outdoor benches and swings out of recycled materials such as tires and shipping palates.
• Built two large structures in garden out of new and recycled materials. Structures will be utilized as a tool shed and a covered outdoor work/recreation space.
• Implemented campus-wide Recycling & Composting System including a “how-to” educational video which was shared with the entire school. Signage and decals were designed by students and donated by Build-a-Sign. 45 recycling bins were donated by Freescale.
• Installed six organic garden beds and built bamboo fence around the parameter of the gardens.
• Painted two murals in the central hallway of the school representing the culture and community of KAC as well as a message of respecting the environment. Paint & supplies were donated by City of Austin & Home Depot.
• Installed public art projects, primarily chain-link fence weavings made of recycled materials such as tarps, construction tape, aluminium cans, plastic bottles, and compact discs.

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER DAYS: UA organized seven community volunteer days in which adults visited KAC over the weekend to assist in the project implementation. In total, over 100 adult volunteers assisted the UpLift program at KAC.

COMMUNITY EVENTS & INVOLVEMENT: UpLift students were involved in many community events throughout the year, including the following:

• On January 25th, Design Voice and the American Institute of Architects hosted an event inviting youth to come learn what it takes to become an architect, sharing stories and experiences from the field. Of the 30 students who attended the event, 25 were from the UpLift KIPP class.
• On March 12th, UA brought 80 sophomore students on an all-day field trip starting at Hornsby Bend where they learned about waste management, followed by City Hall. Councilman Chris Riley spoke to the students about the city's sustainability initiatives. Students toured City Hall and learned about all the "green" aspects of the LEED building. The day wrapped up with a tour of Auditorium Shores park with discussions of urban green space and public space.
• April 23-25, 2010: Green Living Home Expo - UpLift partnered with Show Technology to provide waste diversion services to the Green Living Home Expo at the Convention Center. Ten students from KIPP Austin Collegiate and ten students from Garza Independence spent the entire weekend working the Expo. Students were tasked to monitor the recycling and composting stations, measure the waste diverted, and assist with stage presentations.
• On Friday, May 21st, UpLift Austin & KIPP partnered with the Entrepreneur Foundation of Central Texas and hosted over 200 corporate volunteers who spent the entire day working on beautification, construction and landscape design projects. UpLift assigned four team leaders with specific projects. The day was incredibly productive and fun and resulted in wonderful relationships with new volunteers.

To see more please check out the KIPP Austin Colligiate Photo Album!