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“Do public schools prepare our youth for the future they face?”
This is the first question posed by UpLift Austin and is often used as our launching point for community dialogue. Consider the following:
- 1300 scientists found that 15 of the 25 ecosystems vital for life on earth are now degraded. By 2050, they predict climate change will create 150 million refugees.
- U.S. 15-year-olds severely trail peers from industrialized countries in their ability to apply math and science knowledge in real-life contexts
- In 2008, 17 out of the 50 largest U.S. cities had graduation rates lower than 50%.
A planet in peril, an unstable economy and an ineffective education system all threaten our collective well-being. In response to these interrelated problems, UA joins green leader Van Jones in saying, "We want to build a green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty… This country can save the polar bears and the poor kids too.”
Far from advancing the vision for a sustainable future, our nation's school system compounds our environmental and socio-economic problems. Most school buildings waste scarce resources while failing to provide healthy learning environments. Students practice rote memorization instead of developing the critical thinking skills. Furthermore, the school system deepens our nation's economic divide, often leaving low-income students in failing schools, isolated from the resources and opportunities.
When the problems are interconnected, so must be the solutions.
UpLift Austin is an elegant and innovative model which creatively responds to several great challenges of our day: the environment, the economy and public education. By introducing low-income students to concepts of sustainable design and connecting them with "green" professionals to renovate their own schools, UA will empower young people to jumpstart the new green economy. The UpLift Austin model is a timely and attainable solution to an economic and environmental crisis that concerns us all.
