KIPP Spring Project Seeks Donations!

Please read through our wish list - You may see a way you can help UpLift the KIPP Austin Collegiate community!

Rain Water Cistern
Working with local AIA Design Voice architects including returning Project Leader Catherine French and members of the S.H.I.R.E. (Sustainable Habitats Incorporating Renewable Education) students are in the process of designing and implementing a rain water harvesting system for the school garden and landscape areas.

Project Time Line: April 6-May 21, 2010

Estimated Cost: TBA

Materials (We will have a more specific list once the students have finalized the design and we are happy to provide the schematics upon request.)

Lumber
Corrugated metal roofing
Gutter system: hangers, downspouts, piping, conveyances
Hardware: nuts and bolts, masonry screws
Hosing
8 spigots for 55 gallon barrels
Netting
Fly wire
Gift cards and Cash donations graciously accepted.

General Project Supplies
70 pairs of work gloves
10 Shovels
28 Trowels
10 Rakes
5 Power Drills
Outdoor Wood Screws
Exacto Knives
2 Wheelbarrow
10 Paint Brushes
10 Paint Rollers
Plastic Tarps & Drop Cloths
Duct and Masking Tape
Outdoor Tool Shed

Sponsors will get the benefit of being recognized at our CommUNITY Volunteer Days and Celebration Events, having your logo displayed on the UpLift website and on email campaigns to over 4,000 Austin residents.
We are a 501(c)3 organization and offer the opportunity for a tax deduction.

Please contact Jen at Jen@upliftaustin.com for more details!

KIPP students meet with Council Member Riley

On Friday, March 12 the entire 10th grade class of KIPP Austin Collegiate took a field lesson at City Hall.

Council Member Chris Riley spoke with the students in the chamber about his work and addressed some of their questions regarding green roofing, transportation, and green spaces.




Prior to the field lesson at City Hall, each Uplift class held a MEETINGinaBOX where they identified strengths and weakness of the Austin community in attempt to contribute their ideas to the comprehensive plan.

More green roofing systems
Better public transportation
Disparity in East Austin
Equal and diverse education
Stricter enforcement of recycling
Sustainable practices in restaurants businesses, schools, public space

Many thanks to Fred Evins of the Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services who made this field lesson come together so seamlessly, to the kind folks at City Hall who helped 75 students and 10 adults navigate the space, and to Council Member Riley for sharing his story to our students

CommUnity Day Success: One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade. (Chinese Proverb)

30 + tools from Keep Austin Beautiful's Took Shack
21 Adult Volunteers
7 9th Grade KIPP Austin Collegiate Students
1 Vision to Uplift our school



Last semester, with the help of a landscape professional, 9th graders designed this project to beautify and uplift their campus for generations to come. The rainy winter prevented the projected from being completed on schedule creating a very real-world experience for these future green leaders.



Committed to excellence, our students did not give up.
Two more Community Volunteer Days were scheduled for 2010 and on Saturday, February 20, 30 people showed up to lend a helping hand. In four hours, students were finally able to see their project completed! (Below are the before an after pictures.)










For information on how to get involved in our CommUnity Days, please contact Jen at jen@upliftaustin.org.

KIPP Austin: Campus-Wide Recycling is Live!

On Monday, February 1 at KIPP Austin Collegiate (KAC), four 9th grade students stood before 100 peers, teachers, and faculty members and presented the new campus-wide recylcying and composting program. "80% of what schools throw away is paper, and that can be recycled," shared Edgar A. and Guillermo F. KAC will not only recycle paper, but plastic, glass, and cans.

In the fall semester, four Uplift Austin health classes learned about Waste Management, Air Quality, Energy, Water Resources and Healthy Agriculture and then synthesized their knowledge to design and implement a campus wide program that would promote the health of students, staff and the planet. 4th period was charged with the task of designing and implementing the recylcing and composting program which rolled out earlier this week.

How does it work? Each class now has recycle bins and advisory classes will rotate recycling pick up duty each Thursday during advisory period, making it a true campus-wide collaboration. Ecology Action picks up the recyclables each week.

As a final touch to the promotion of the new recycling program, students worked with a professional videographer and created a recycling awareness video that debuted at the assembly.

Next Post: How Composting Works at KAC!