AEC observes International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

Alternative Education Center observed the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2-3, 2023. The observance raises awareness of the major challenges journalists face in exercising their profession and the role they play in society. This year's theme focuses on the violence against journalists, the integrity of elections, and the role of public leadership.

Students at AEC explored courses and degrees that may lead to becoming journalists, journalism career opportunities, and journalists' responsibilities. They read a local news article Grant helps counselors take a different approach at AEC that promotes community awareness of recent counseling activities at AEC. Local journalists help communicate to the community what AEC does for at-risk students in Odessa. They also help spread awareness of the recent district bond election that impacts the students of Odessa. Students at AEC did a coloring therapy activity with a journalism theme and discussed ways to help eliminate violence against journalists. Students then related journalist violence with similar violence faced by teenagers by playing a modified Teenage Violence card game. They discussed how the observance promotes wellness practices and the global goal of peace, justice, and strong institutions.

AEC celebrates World Day for Audiovisual Heritage

Alternative Education Center celebrated World Day for Audiovisual Heritage on October 27, 2023, with the theme “Your Window to the World.” The celebration is a commemoration of the adoption of the Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images in 1980 by the UN's 21st General Conference. It provides an avenue for people around the world to raise general awareness of the importance of audiovisual documents and to take urgent measures to preserve them. 

Students at the Alternative Education Center watched a video depicting Odessa, TX, heritage and culture. Students shared their own heritage, culture, and identity. They drew and explained their cultural strengths inherited from their families. They then played a counseling card game called Superhero Strengths, recognizing that real-life superheroes accept their weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Students discussed how the celebration promotes wellness practices and the global goal of good health and well-being.

AEC celebrates International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

Alternative Education Center joined the world in celebrating the International Day for Disaster Reduction on October 13, 2023, with the theme, Fighting Inequality for a Resilient Future. This year’s celebration addressed the connection between disasters and inequality. Unequal access to services leaves the most vulnerable exposed to the danger of disasters. The theme aligns with the Sendai Framework, the international agreement to prevent and reduce losses in lives, livelihoods, economies, and basic infrastructure when disasters occur.

At AEC, students discussed the disasters they experienced in town and ways to address them to maintain wellness practices and achieve the global goals of climate action and reduced inequalities. Many remembered the most devastating winter storm of February 2021, with hails damaging cars and houses and snow causing power outages for days. However, Texans were resilient and stood back up after the disaster regardless of property damages or even deaths of family members due to the storm. Students identified careers of choice to help the city withstand disasters, drew what their future career contributions could look like, and discussed social skills needed to achieve their careers.

AEC global education project changes focus

Alternative Education Center changed its global education project focus from writing across the curriculum to counseling. The change aligned with the project founder's role transition from Math Department Head to School Counselor. The 2022-2023 school year focused on counseling and integrating global sustainable development goals and global competence through the lens of local issues and challenges. The project founder's Fullbright Fellowship in Canada equipped him with the knowledge and skills to continue advocating for global education while carrying the role of School Counselor. His visits to various highly performing schools and meetings with education agency officials and U.S. Ambassadors in Toronto and Quebec gifted him with innumerable ideas to share with the AEC community. 

In line with the identified school counseling need for intrapersonal effectiveness for S.Y. 2022-2023 and the global sustainable development goal of good health and well-being, Alternative Education Center streamlined its school resources for the smooth implementation of 7 Mindsets, the ECISD-recommended program to teach guidance and SEL skills. Furthermore, the school partnered with various local and national organizations to help promote students' health, well-being, and intrapersonal skills.

AEC celebrates International Day of Living Together in Peace

Alternative Education Center, Odessa, TX, celebrated the International Day of Living Together in Peace on May 16, 2022. Students studied the number of United Nations peacemaking missions from 1947 to 2021 and used regression to describe the trend mathematically. As their final exam review, students solved math problems by completing a math peace poster. They also completed a peace word puzzle for fun. They then wrote an essay on how the Russia-Ukraine war affected the global sustainable development goal of peace, justice, and strong institutions and what should be done to help end the war. Through the activities, students learned the purpose of the UN peacemaking missions, which is to prevent future conflicts between countries and support global stabilization and rebuilding efforts. They realized that peacemaking efforts to stop the Russia-Ukraine war unfortunately failed, but the world's prayers and wishes to end the war continue.