Support real change in education. Funding is needed for innovative projects. An education revolution is rising in communities across the U.S. and around the world. Families and small groups of visionary educators are leaving standardization and oppressive testing behind to create democratic, student-centered learning alternatives - independent and charter schools, community learning centers, homeschool resource centers and other innovative models. This grassroots movement receives very little attention from the mainstream press and remains largely invisible to funders who would support its aims if they knew of its existence. On this page, AERO features brief descriptions of diverse projects in need of support. They may be new or established schools, networks or advocacy organizations, publications, conferences, or research proposals. We invite potential funders to review these projects and make contact with any that seem to match your philanthropic mission. If you have an alternative education project which needs funding, send a description of no more than 200 words, with contact information, to info@educationrevolution.org The AERO staff is available to advise donors about strategies for meaningful educational change. Contact Jerry Mintz at (516)621-2195 or jerryAERO@aol.com. Categories of Projects: Start-up Schools Seeking Funding |
| No. | ITC Equipment & Computer Peripherals | Amount | Prices (in US$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notebooks | 750 | $3,000 |
| 2 | Standing digital (video) camera | 1 | $1,300 |
| 3 | Handy (video) camera | 1 | $700 |
| 4 | Scanner | 1 | $70 |
| 5 | Laser Printer | 1 | $250 |
| 6 | Microsoft Office | 1 | $250 |
| 7 | Microsoft windows | 1 | $100 |
| 8 | Projector | 1 | $500 |
| 9 | Extended DVD RW | 1 | $500 |
| 10 | Tower for internet connection | 1 | $2,500 |
| T O T A L= | $9,170 |
Contact Information:
For these days we are online at:
www.kpml.multiply.com
Because after few days we will online at our new site: www.kampungpinginmaju.org
Email: smpkpm@telkom.net
Address: RT 02 RW 13 Ds. Bangsri, Kec. Bangsri, Jepara, Jateng, Indonesia
Northwest Free School (NWFS) is a brand new facility located in Renton, WA. We are beginning as a Home school Resource Center with the intention of growing into a full fledged holistic/democratic school as soon as possible. Initially our services will be from ages 4-9, but with expansion of room we will be able to expand our services as well. We have taken the necessary steps in becoming a non-profit organization and are in need of any and all funding. Because of a generous offer from a local building to provide our school with rooms at a greatly reduced price for a short period of time, we are in urgent need for funds to cover basic set-up and operating costs. We would like to offer all facets of our greatly diverse community an opportunity to be a part of our school by offering full and partial scholarships for those who are in need. We are in need of newer computers, books, basic supplies and playground equipment. Basically what we have are good hearts with great intentions, now we need financial backing to make our dream of changing the world come true.
Lara Randolph Northwest Free School 425-228-0345 northwestfreeschool@yahoo.com
"A program to encourage and support needy children to receive education"
Nepal's Education System:
Despite some reduction in poverty Nepal remains the poorest country in South Asia and among the poorest countries in the world. In a country which is breathing very heavily because of conflict, life is miserable; people are crawling; the children are suffering from either grazing the animals or lifting the guns. Education is the only one solution but still many children are deprived of this opportunity (and over half the population, and 2/3 of women are illiterate). Where to go? How to start a new life where at least VERY BASIC human needs are met? This is one of the greatest challenges now facing Nepal.
In principle, primary education at government schools is free. Furthermore, Nepal receives support from the international community to meet the Millennium Development Goal - universal primary education. Yet many children do not go to schools. Official statistics show only 84% enrollment rate (2005) and of those who enter Grade 1, more than half do not complete five years of schooling. Moreover it is mainly the children from Dalit (‘untouchable’) and other underprivileged ethnic communities who fail to receive an education. For example Dalits make up 13% of the population, but the representation of Dalits possessing graduate or higher education stands at only 1%. There are many factors behind this: discrimination, poverty, lack of awareness and on top of that parents themselves are illiterate. Some families want their children to support and help them with their household works and agriculture rather than receive an education. On the one hand they cannot afford the educational materials, uniform and school meals for the child, on the other hand they need them to work in the house, on the farm or in menial jobs. According to 2001 census 1/4 of children in Nepal are engaged in child labour.
We aim to help children who have lost one or more parents due to war or other circumstances, and to help children from the above mentioned poor communities. We would like to connect our well wishers through a program named "Educate A Child" so that their generous contributions and love would reach these children.
The program includes giving some financial support to mothers encouraging them to send their children for education.
Who will govern/guide the program?
Shanti Sewa Ashram will form a small group to govern this program headed by Dr. Chintamani Yogi. He is founder of HVP, SSA, YSP, SVE and NICM and gave birth to this scheme hoping thereby to serve those poor and excluded children who are seeking for helping hands. Generous people from any part of the world are encouraged to join in this sacred task, walking with the theme: "serving humanity through spirituality”.
How to get this program underway?
In the preliminary phase the program will address the needs of children from Dang, Saundiyar village, which lies 5 kms west of the Ghorahi Bazzar, the headquarters of Dang district. In future this program will be expanded to all the districts of the Rapti Zone, even including parts of western Nepal.
Dang is situated in the mid-west of Nepal and is believed to be the largest valley in Asia. It is the central district for business and trade within the Rapti Zone - the zone which includes five districts namely Dang, Rolpa, Salyan, Pyuthan and Rukum. It is of significance to both the Maoists and the Army for its geographic location and therefore has been severely affected in recent political tensions. The population is traditionally from the Tharu community although the town’s location has made it attractive to migrants from across the mid-West. The population now includes many Muslims, hill traders, Dalit and Madhesi.
As a start we aim to help 100 children including orphans, war victims, street children and children from the Dalit community and deprived ethnic groups. Preference will be given to girl-students.
Cost: NPR 400 a student per month (= £ 3 / € 4.5 / $ 6.5)
A income supplement of NPR 250 per month will be provided for mothers in the families that are selected by the local team on poverty based criteria. NPR100 will be deposited in a contingency fund (in case of urgent needs (eg medical care), start-up fund for new entrants and in case of withdrawal of sponsors) The remaining NPR 50 will be utilized for running costs to build up a local team of staff to select the participants, ensure the payments and monitor the progress of the children in the school. This will also cover the administration and communication costs.
Hindu Vidyapeeth-Nepal if needed will bear the cost of other expenses for the works such as overall supervision of the program, communication and contact with sponsors.
Where will they study?
The children will go to the local government schools so they can continue to help their families for household activities, before and after the school day.
Staff:
We hope to employ one part time staff to coordinate the overall program, and encourage one local person from each area to volunteer their services to help the program run smoothly, possibly with some minimal remuneration. Effort will be made to ensure that staff are also from an underprivileged community. Their job is to make sure that the sponsored children go to school regularly and will also include preparing a report to send our donors.
Duration:
This program will support the family throughout their child’s primary and secondary education. This potentially means supporting the family with a supplemental income for up to 12 years.
Sustainability of the program:
Along with “Educate A Child” program there is the possibility of running some kind of sustainable income generating scheme in the future.
To meet the immediate need the scheme will initially operate on a cash payment system in order to supplement income. A feasibility study will also be carried out in order to explore possibilities for income generation available to the target community. This may include micro-credit schemes to support livestock rearing, market gardening, handicraft and other cottage industry. Over the medium term, according to local situation, there could be a phased switch to payment-in-kind (eg basic foodstuff such as cooking oil) or other means of supplementing income.
Our Appeal:
A small but generous gift can make a significant difference in the life of a child. We kindly request you to consider donating to this noble cause…
Bank Details:
Well wishing individuals and organizations can make their generous contributions to the “Educate A Child” program through the following bank account:
Bank Account: Shanti Sewa Ashram Saving Account 23278 Rastriya Banijya Bank Ltd., Pulchok, Lalitpur Nepal
Contacts:
In Europe: Guy Banim E-mail: guybanim@scarlet.be Mailing Address: Rue de la Victoire 38 Bruxelles 1060 Belgium
In Nepal: Ghanshyam Yogi E-mail: hvpn@wlink.com.np Mailing Address: Hindu Vidyapeeth-Nepal Balkumari, Lalitpur,PO BOX 6807 Kathmandu, Nepal Tel:00977-1-5527924 Mobile: 00977-9841339068
Research - Information Exchange - Policy Advocacy
Standardization and high-stakes testing have dominated education in the United States for far too long. We are all aware of the challenges faced by teachers, schools, parents, and young people struggling to survive and push back against this stifling one-size-fits-all educational climate. Innovative schools are under attack, and self-directed learning, creativity, and critical thinking are being pushed out due to the focus on direct instruction and test-preparation. The values of liberty and democracy on which this country was founded are being undermined by the lack of learner-centered and personalized educational options available to our youth.
The recently founded New Education Organization (NEO) is dedicated to reversing this trend by bringing a non-conventional voice into the public discourse on schools, learning, and education policy. NEO’s mission is to support and strengthen learner-centered, personalized, and self-directed educational options through research, information exchange, and policy advocacy. Our goal is to provide schools, policy-makers, and the public with expert analysis and advocacy to understand the flaws and dangers of standardized education and sustain efforts towards learner-centered and personalized education.
Learner-centered and personalized education recognizes that human beings are natural learners and that each young person is unique. In contrast to conventional practice in which the state, school, and teacher determine what young people are going to study, how they will go about it, and when it is to be done, learner centered and personalized education gives learners significant influence or self-direction over their own education. The learners make many decisions regarding their own learning, and teachers primarily take on the roles of learning partners, coaches, and guides. This time-honored educational approach is grounded in constructivist theory and research on how the human brain functions and how people learn.
The founders of NEO – educators, academics, and parents, with roots and connections across the political spectrum – believe that all young people and their families deserve the opportunity as well as the responsibility to select from diverse educational options, especially environments marked by self-directed learning and learner-centered principles. This includes public, charter, and independent schools, homeschooling, learning centers, and other programs that offer young people a learner-centered and personalized education.
NEO is currently looking for start-up grants to support our initial infrastructure and projects. Estimated 2008 budget for NEO is $130,000. Please forward any inquiries to Dana Bennis at dana.bennis@yahoo.com.
Help us build a playground! Shenandoah Valley Community School is a learner-centered, democratic school in its second year of operation. We have a nice building furnished for our elementary-age students and a large fenced yard, but we have no playground equipment. Our students have requested "something to climb on." We have permission from our lessor, a plan for a climbing structure, and volunteer labor--all we need is money for raw materials. Our (volunteer) builder has estimated that our planned structure will cost $400 to build. We have $150 from a fundraiser already designated for this project, but we can't start until we have the funds for the rest. If you would be willing to help our school, please contact:
Sarah Beachy, Director Shenandoah Valley Community School PO Box 342 Lacey Spring, VA 22833
(540)867-5006 info@svcs.us www.svcs.us
Learning Curves—Planting the Seeds for Lifelong Learning
Project Outline
Kingdom County Productions (KCP), is seeking $80,000 in tax-deductible support for the production and distribution of Learning Curves, a feature-length documentary exploring new currents in education. The film will include photographs, interviews, animation, direct footage of teachers and students at work, and reflections from stake holders and leaders in the field.
Film Focus
Despite many challenges facing education, some schools are embracing new practices and discovering functional models for success. Learning Curves will focus on three currents in contemporary education:
1) Dynamic alternative schools that emphasize democratic practices to cultivate young peoples’ voices and critical thinking—to involve students in the shaping of their own learning experience;
2) New York City schools that are creating school subdivisions that emphasize smaller classes and more direct engagement;
3) Rural schools that are working to overcome cultural and economic marginalization by integrating their programs into key elements of their communities.
Filmmakers
Learning Curves will be co-directed by Jay Craven and Amanda Wilder. Craven is an award-winning narrative and documentary filmmaker who has worked in progressive education since 1975. Amanda Wilder has made six documentaries including Mayah, a poetic glimpse into the life of a home-schooled Vermont farm girl. She worked as assistant editor on The Devil Came on Horseback, the acclaimed documentary about the Darfur genocide, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Production advisor Ron Miller, Ph.D., has studied and practiced innovations in teaching and learning for more than 25 years. He is the author or editor of eight books, including What Are Schools For? and Free Schools, Free People.
For more information and a full proposal, contact: Jay Craven at jcraven@marlboro.edu
Mission/vision: My mission is to provide the optimal learning environment for urban and suburban children to learn together in a community of learners, discovering and uncovering each and every childs’ gifts and contributions to society, such that they are known, loved, cherished and capable of sustaining a lifestyle they aspire to, supporting themselves using their gifts and talents.
Description of the product or service to be provided: A multigenerational Co-housing community, complete with farm(animals etc), gardens, common house, educational facility and a transforming learning environment, driven by our childrens’ interests, facilitated by teachers who are trained in providing child-led learning experiences, and assisted by parents and grandparents who facilitate small group learning experiences and share their gifts and talents with the learning community.
Description of the market/population to be be served: inner city and urban youth and their extended families, local children and their families who are interested in learning as a community and participating in a co-housing community with a diverse community including inner city and urban youth and their families.
Strategy for accomplishing mission:
Enroll and educate urban families in what’s possible for children and their education when their parents participate in the daily educational activities in their child’s life and home community.
Allowing other families to find out about the opportunity to be part of something extra-ordinary as a community while providing the optimal learning environment for their child.
Providing an optimal learning environment: Teachers who allow children to lead the learning process by following their interests and excitement, parents who contribute both their time and talents to the learning process, children who have time to be who they are, time to think about who they want to be, time to explore what interests them, time to play, time to love, time to read. Places for children to explore loving people and animals, growing plants, and themselves, building for no reason and to accomplish something, like, building a barn,, exploring music and art from a childs point of view. Equipment to accomplish all of the above with. There will be an abundance of books, magazines, lectures by people for whom something matt ers to them. We will bring in experts on farming, gardening, artists, musicians, and leaders tovisit our community.
Contact:
Jennifer Dolphin
616.719.1632
jenniferdolphin@comcast.net
My name is Erin Moores and I am a student in the Bachelor of Independent Studies (BIS) program at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, where I have been studying alternative education and French. The BIS is an innovative alternative program that allows its students to create all their own non-graded independent coursework. The BIS program promotes educational freedom and the development of true critical thinking skills.
During the fall 2007 semester I will be completing a research project while working with a local non-governmental organization in the French-speaking country of Benin in West Africa. As a volunteer intern with the Beninese organization Solidarity for the Protection of the Environment and Integrated Development, I will be working directly within the school system doing research on the effects of standardized schooling on the advancement of gender equality in Benin.
All expenses, including my tuition, my flight and transportation costs while in Benin, and all daily living expenses are my own responsibility. The cost of this one-semester project is approximately $9,000 USD. I am therefore looking for financial support from any individuals or organizations that recognized the validity and importance of promoting global, alternative, experiential education opportunities for young people.
I would also appreciate any good tidbits and info from those who may have travelled to this area of Africa, as well as any useful contacts or words of encouragement!
Contact:
mooresie@gmail.com
REQUEST: $5,000 to create and launch (on the internet) brief clips of an award-winning prime time PBS special which brings progressive education alive.WHY DO THESE KIDS LOVE SCHOOL? is now being released as a DVD. This award-winning film features nine unique schools, both public and private, in which creative thinking, relationships, and direct experience are valued above memorization of facts. The film visits successful schools where teachers, students, parents and administrators are involved in creating supportive educational environments.
Many websites with high traffic, such as YouTube, accept clips of ten minutes or less. I would hire a producer to select a variety of clips from the timeline and create a master plan for putting those on as many websites as possible. An editor would craft each clip and arrange for them to be uploaded to these different sites. The Producer would contact as many groups and individuals as possible, around the world, inviting them to view and download the clips or the entire film. I have recently done this kind of outreach (successfully) with another film. The overall costs of this effort were about $5,000.00. My production company Concentric Media is a non-profit 501c3.
Dorothy Fadiman
info@concentric.org
650-568-4340
Description: Improve-Education.org is an ongoing site with 40,000 words of original content about culture, language, and education. The theme throughout is that education must be improved. Most people would probably describe the site as well-written and highly intelligent. The target audience is everybody, ages 10-100, especially teachers and parents.
Project needs: The site's operating expenses are minor. What's needed is a larger promotional budget. Improve-Education.org should be advertised in sophisticated publications such as the Smithsonian, New Yorker, National Geographic, and also in elite alumni magazines and magazines for teachers--wherever leaders read. In this way, a single visionary site can alter the education equation. Bottom line: any funds provided to Improve-Education.org will be spent entirely on spreading the word (i.e., marketing and promotion).
Contact:
Word-Wise Educational Services,
Bruce Deitrick Price,
757-455-5020,
wisewords@earthlink.net
Tamakoce Wilderness Programs is a wilderness awareness and natural living skills program designed to give experiential learning opportunities and rights of passage experiences to children and adults alike. The goal is to work with children and young adults in a mentoring way, guiding them gently into deepening relationships with the natural world, each other and themselves. I currently work with a group of homeschoolers on a weekly basis and offer programs free to the Albany Freeschool and the Harriet Tubman Freeschool High school. I've been doing this work for over 10 years with at risk teens as well as the Freeschool groups. Now, I'm in the process of setting up a nature center at a local county run park where we run our weekly homeschool program. I would like to develop a fulltime school based in the forest with 4 staff people and an internship program. It's also a priority for me to keep this type of programing available for inner city kids. Any and all funding would be of tremendous assistance in achieving this goal. At the moment we are 2 staff members, very devoted, but having to divide our time with other occupations to support our families. We're based in Upstate New york and have been blessed with two wonderful land bases to work off of. Thank you for your consideration.
Dan Yacobellis
1-518-658-0328
miye_yelo@hotmail.com
IDEC 2008 Vancouver
Descriptions: The International Democratic Education Conference is a yearly event, hosted by Democratic Schools and organizations that support democratic and freedom-based education around the world. Started in 1993, IDEC has grown from a handful of people to conferences of 300 plus with participant coming from 30 countries around the world.
IDEC 2008 will be hosted by the Society for the Advancement of Non-coercive Education in Vancouver, Canada at the University of British Columbia. We are currently looking for grants and others forms of financial support to ensure that subsidies are available to those who need them. We hope to create a conference that will be accessible to people from varied financial and social backgrounds.
David Gagnon
IDECvancouver@gmail.com
604-710-5346
My name is Helen Hughes. I taught for 7 years in the regular school system, and loved it. I noticed, however, that it did not work for all children, so 36 years ago I co-founded an alternative free school. I am retired now, but the school is still running. In all of those years in the trenches I read widely and participated in untold numbers of conferences, training sessions and retreats. From all of this I have come to the conclusion that relationships are the most important part of a person’s life, and that working collaboratively as a community is healthiest way of supporting people to lead compassionate and constructive lives.
I propose a Community Learning Center that will serve the learning needs of all ages, and provide a place where people can exercise their ability to run their own lives.
It will have a 24/7 child-care component supported by a rich physical environment, and staffed by people who practice profound respect. There would be support for play, but no curriculum.
It will have a Community Council Room, where any members of the community may gather at posted times to make all of the decisions concerning the Center. It will also have a Common Room with a kitchen and small stage for community events.
This Center will have a Learnary, similar to a library, and with many various sized rooms. It will be equipped with science, art, sewing and carpentering tools, where community members may arrange for classes and activities. Paid staff will manage the daily operations under the direction of the Community Council, while teachers, mentors and master craftspeople will be hired for specific times and events.
Lastly, the Center will have an Institute to train people who would like to be hired to work in such a place.
People, when they learn about things they are interested in, retain the both the information and their confidence and enthusiasm for learning.
I need financial backing and expertise to buy real estate in the low income section of Vancouver, BC where I would like to build a facility and begin the project in a small way.
http://whs.at.org/
hhughes@telus.net
The Alternative Education Resource Organization, which hosts this website, has many funding needs and many projects for which it is seeking funding. Here are some of them:
-
Alternative Education Alumni Association
We have started the process of setting up an Alternative Education Alumni Association. We have a listserve but have conditionally hired a software programmer to create a site for the potentially millions of alternative education graduates that would be similar to Classmates.com It will be proactive, with the alumni encouraged to support local alternatives and the movement in general. Initial cost $5000 -
Publicizing the New AERO online Database of Schools
We have been creating the AERO database of schools for four years. The site is www.alternativeeducationfinder.net but it is not officially open yet. We need funding the publicize its existence. Initial cost $2500 -
Support of Third World Participation in the Next International Democratic Education Conference in Vancouver, Canada, August, 2008
AERO spent $65,000 to bring 100 Third World people to the IDEC which we sponsored in 2003. The group in Vancouver will work through AERO and needs $25,000 to start this process. -
Support for low-income participation in the next AERO conference, June, 2008
We always try to be flexible but we would like to create a fund to give 20 low income people scholarships to the AERO conference, including room and board. Cost: $4500 -
Support for AERO’s representation to NEO, the New Education Organization Think Tank
Currently we have a paid representative. His current compensation comes to $8000 for the year. -
Seed money for a major fundraising event supporting AERO, based on its Alternative Education Hall of Fame
A professional New York fundraiser who does thirty of these a year said we would need $10,000 to kick this off. It would include people like homeschoolers Serena and Venus Williams, homeschooler Elijah Woods, free school founder Orson Bean, etc. -
Funding for hiring part time public relations and fundraising personnel
This has been badly needed for years. This person would put out regular press releases, help us with advertising, write grant proposals. $10,000 retainer. -
Support for cataloging and development of AERO’s video archive
We have the largest video archive of alternative schools, conferences, etc. We would find an intern to do this work. $5000 to start. Among other things we would develop a video CD ROM of alternative schools all over the world. -
Funding to help threatened democratic and alternative schools
We started this fund a few years ago but only have $500 in it. We’d like to help schools like Blue Mountain Charter Sudbury that are threatened with closure, and Booroobin in Australia that has already been forced to close but wants to reopen. $20,000 -
Development funding for AERO’s Institute for training teachers in democratic schools
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Scholarship and developmental funds for AERO’s online courses
We are already doing this out of our own pocked for many attendees, but there are many, many more who would have taken the courses with scholarship funds. $14,000 for 15 scholarships. -
Support for AERO’s internship program
AERO needs a flow of interns to help in the office. We need funds to cover expenses and room and boards. $12,000 a year for two interns.
Contact Info: Tel: 1-800-769-4171 & 1-516-621-2195 Fax: 1-516-625-3257 / E-Mail: info@educationrevolution.org 417 Roslyn Road, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 Copyright © 1996-2007, 2008 AERO. All rights reserved. For questions, comments, or concerns pertaining to this website, contact the webmaster |