The class photos are here:
[link]The backstory to what the Alliance HighSchool actually is follows here:
In our town, there is only 1 highschool. There is only 1 middle school, and there is only 1 elementary school. Now while themany blessing of a small town allow us to have a school system that is relatively free of crime and fairly safe, it is still a school system subject to the failings of every system run by one set of people : there is a tendency for certain kinds of students to fall through the cracks. I the last 3 years, our tiny town (Pop. 4000) has seen the emergence of a new charter school as well as a cyber-school/web-academy. We have had the option to attend the private christian school in the past which, due to a fabulous financial aid program, was made available to many who wanted something different for their students.
Its all about choice.
So anyway, all grades have now had a choice with the exception of the highschool age students.
After 8th grade graduation, a number of students voiced the desire to not attend the public highschool - each with their own varying reasons.
It became important to create an option. So The Aliance Highschool was born. At this time, it is a "home-school" co-op. All of the students attend a full day - 8am to 3pm. They study varying maths taught by certified teachers,(parents) as well as history, media arts, electronic media, English, leadership, Spanish, biology, PE and drama and speech. They go to the city on a quarterly basis to serve the homeless by washing their feet, giving haricuts, creating meals which they serve under the bridge for free, along with a hug and a smile and listening ear. They serve the community locally by stacking wood for the elderly, raking leaves for the elderly and visiting nursing homes etc.
It is a fabulous education. The school is based on the tenets put forth by the HArris Family, the teen sons of which have authored a new book entitled "Rebelution: Do Hard Things." The basics behind the concept are that until the 20th century, there was no such distinction made for seperating people who happened to be in the teen ages from other adults, and how our modern Western culture has done a disservice to modern people of that age group by relegating them to a nether-age defined by nebulous behaviours, undefined. The Alliance students (Teachers an dPArents included), through studying the concepts put forth in this book, have recorded major contributions put forth by allowing students to take the lead and define their own goals.
I have been humbled to work along side these people - at first thinking they were "mere Teens," I am humbled to realise that when given the respect and opportunity, they wish to succeed and change their world just like everyone else - and whats more, they have they energy and experience to carry out their desires.
It has been a VERY humbling year.
I feel blessed and honoured to encourage them in their bents.
So... THat is the backstory behind The Alliance Highschool. I have far too many fotos to upload to devart. I would not want to do that to them.
Instead I have uploaded abreviated resolutions/sizes to my own website and I offer the URL here so that you too may enjoy the fruits of the students labours. The only thing I claim is that the Appliance Dump location was my idea BUT - they were all over it once the possibility was out there!
I ave to also add thanks to the other parents such as Mark Francis and Laurie Francis as well as Brenda Jacobson who also shot some of these photos. My hope is that every one of you have had, will get the opportunity to collaborate on such a magnificent project!
The photos are located here:
[link]Enjoy!
Neutral
)
