EXECUTIVES MESSAGE

L-R: Alison Suffet-Diaz, Founder, Kennedy Hilario, Executive Director, Jenni Taylor, Asst. Principal.

ECHS’ magic formula lies in our dual mission. We provide a college preparatory curriculum that delivers on its promise, and we transform our students into environmental and social leaders in their own communities. 2008 has been an amazing year for ECHS on both fronts.

First, we finalized our move to our new campus in January, including a $500,000 construction for the upper campus where we house the higher grades. Then, we started using a State Farm grant ($100,000) and other donations to support our award-winning Green Ambassador programs to make our campus greener – both literally and figuratively.

Green Ambassador program director Sara Laimon, her staff, and students in the program have formed numerous partnerships with local businesses and government agencies that will be critical in helping ECHS turn our campus into an environmental-learning model for Southern California and eventually the nation.

On the academic front, Alison Diaz our Principal, Jenni Taylor, Assistant Principal and the entire staff have put together an academic plan that promises to take our API scores and students to the next level. In 2008 ECHS achieved an API score of 713, breaking the 700 barrier in this important performance metric for the first time. Our score has climbed 54% since opening eight years ago.

We are now implementing this academic plan, with new classes to teach and reinforce the fundamentals, and with technology through our computer lab that will help us reach an API of 800 in the next several years.

Two other major accomplishments that will support our academic plan are a Library Grant award of $229,000 which will allow us to build a library on campus, and the continuation of our After-School Program grant award, which supports our sports clubs and academic program.

We have also strengthened our administrative support structure and improved the working environment to help our staff focus more of their valuable time on teaching – instead of administration.

Expansion Strategy

ECHS has engaged Abacus Consulting to help refine a Strategic Business Plan that calls for creating a network of eight schools in the next 10 years. We are also finalizing our middle school charter petition for submission to Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) with hopes of opening a middle school in Gardena.

                                                                              Kennedy Hilario, Executive Director

GREEN AMBASSADORS

Discovery Network Discovers EHCS

A Discovery Networks’ Planet Green show recently featured ECHS’s environmental program Green Ambassadors. Planet Green is the first and only 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network, reaching 50 million homes. On the show, alterECO, hosts helped our students sell reusable water bottles to reduce plastics waste.

Discovery Networks joins The Sundance Channel as a cable TV network that has covered ECHS’ Green Ambassadors. Earlier in the year Sundance Channel program Big Ideas for a Small Planet covered our program in an episode.

ECHS’ award-winning Green Ambassadors program exemplifies our service-learning philosophy. It creates opportunities for youth to build leadership skills and address critical environmental issues facing our planet.
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STAFF SPOTLIGHT 

Lauren McCabe

Job: 12th grade English and Government teacher. Girls soccer coach.

Educational Background: BA in journalism, Michigan State University, emphasis in broadcast. Graduated Summa Cum Laude and received the award for excellence in broadcast journalism. Teaching Credential from Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Before ECHS: Before coming to ECHS, Lauren worked at several TV stations in Michigan as a reporter and producer. After college she served as a corps member with Teach for America, a teaching program serving students in the nation’s lowest-income communities. “My first experience with teaching occurred after graduation when I subbed in the district I grew up in, Livonia, Michigan for 6 months. After this I moved to L.A. where I began my training with Teach for America and taught summer school at Locke High School in Watts.”

Best ECHS Experience: “The most rewarding experience I’ve had so far at ECHS was the senior trip this past year. It was so exciting to see the seniors face challenges as a group, and as a result become more united – on top of all the fun activities, and places we got to visit! The most rewarding moment has to be the day the senior class wrote a thank you letter to teachers for the trip. It made all the hard work, extra effort, and hours of preparation all worthwhile.”

On ECHS: “I feel incredibly lucky to work at this school with these students and staff. My hope for ECHS is that it keeps growing in both academics and after-school activities. After the campus change I really saw a growth in our community. It is unlike any other school I’ve ever experienced. It is my hope that by coming to ECHS students will be prepared to compete with their peers across the nation, and made ready for the challenges of college and beyond.”

When Extracurricular: “My passions include theater, singing, soccer, and current events,” says McCabe, who minored in Musical Theater and has performed on stage since the tender age of 7. The ex-reporter and confessed news buff loves how she can share her passion for current events with her students. “We engage in current event discussions daily in my classroom,” she says.
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María I. Fleck

Job: Teach Spanish for Native Speakers and Spanish AP. Coordinates testing for California High School Exit Exam, California Standards Test, and California English Language Development Test.

Recently she was approved by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to contribute passages and review content for the Standards-based Test in Spanish (STS) used by California’s Department of Education.

Educational Background: Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from US Davis. BA and MA in TESL and Literature in English from the University of Tucumán in Argentina. Single Subject (Spanish) California Teaching Credential. Certificate in Online Teaching from UCLA Extension and onlinelearning.net

Before ECHS: Taught Spanish for one year at a private school, and prior to that she was a full-time lecturer and instructor at Cerritos College, UCLA, Cal State San Bernardino, and UC Riverside. Also taught at Cal State LA and Long Beach.

Best ECHS Experience: “My most rewarding experience at ECHS has been publishing books of students’ work in Spanish, which showed the amazing creativity and writing ability of my students. Another rewarding experience has been seeing students pass the AP Language and the AP Literature exams in Spanish.”

On ECHS: “I would like to see ECHS continue to expand its innovative programs such as the Green Ambassadors and Internships,” says Fleck, who has taught for four years at ECHS. She expects that “ECHS will maintain its academic rigor while also allowing for experiential learning. ECHS students will graduate and go to the finest colleges and universities.”

When Extracurricular: “My biggest accomplishment is my family. My second biggest is finishing my doctoral dissertation and getting my Ph.D,” says Fleck, who is currently in a Master’s program in Educational Leadership. When not working Maria likes to spend time with her family (including a son in high school), friends, her dog Sammy, and likes to exercise, read, watch movies, and cook.
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Mickey Donovan-Kaloust

Job: 9th grade teacher. 11th grade advisor, co-leader of GSEA.

Educational Background: BA Spanish and BA International Relations, Goucher College. Phi Beta Kappa. Summa Cum Laude. CSU Single Subject Spanish Credential

Before ECHS: “I came into teaching straight from college through Teach for America. I had studied abroad in Ecuador where I taught second and third grade math at a school for street children. This got me interested in educational equity in my own country.”

Best ECHS Experience: “Our 10th grade trip to Joshua Tree was amazing. I saw boys who had struggled to contribute positively to a classroom environment transform into great leaders, helping all students achieve success in challenges like rock-climbing and caving. I saw girls who were fearful to try anything new overcome their nervousness and reach the summit of mountains.”

On ECHS: “ECHS is a school that does things differently, integrating experiential learning and community leadership with a rigorous college prep program. I want to see our kids pushed beyond their comfort zones not only on the transformative outdoor education fieldtrips, but also within the classroom walls. And I want to see them finding the joy and sense of accomplishment that comes with struggling with challenges and succeeding!”

When Extracurricular: “I love dance, reading, cooking, the outdoors, hiking, travel, and time with my family, plus my “L.A. family” - the great friends I’ve made on the ‘Left Coast.’ My greatest passion right now is being an aunt.”
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INSPIRED STUDENTS

ECHS Student joins Hillary Clinton and Bon Jovi as Speaker at Green Event

ECHS student and Green Ambassador Jordan Howard joined Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, LA City Councilman Eric Garcetti, and rock stars Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora as a presenter at an environmentally themed fundraising event in October.

Crediting her ECHS environmental studies courses and the Green Ambassadors program with inspiring her green education message, 16-year-old Jordan delivered an educational speech to the 470-person audience.

Later at the event - the first carbon-neutral and zero-waste fundraiser of its kind - Bon Jovi and Sambora electrified the crowd with a musical set. The event raised $100,000.

Earlier this year, through Green Ambassadors, Jordan traveled to Costa Rica with 13 other students to learn about solutions for environmental sustainability.
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OTHER NEWS – CELEBRATING SUCCESS

To celebrate our students’ success ECHS hosts a yearly Prize Patrol rewarding kids for improvements and advanced performance on standardized tests. 
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OUR PARTNERS – A BIG GREEN THANK YOU

We thank our corporate, professional, and community partners for supporting ECHS. From generous financial and in-kind assistance, to time and expertise, your support is helping us inspire and educate like never before.

Our many sponsors and partners

EVENTS

Main Event! November 17th ECHS and the National Hispanic Environmental Council
(NHEC) Career Day at ECHS!

Following last year’s smashing success, we are holding another Career Day so ECHS students can learn about careers in the environmental and natural resources fields, with our partner NHEC.

Career Day features classroom presentations by volunteer Latino/minority "role model” professionals who help teachers discuss environmental issues and related careers. Role models offer career insights and mentor students.

Exhibits from environmental agencies (federal, state, city and county), corporations, and presentations by elected officials add to the event’s value to participants and students.

A non-profit organization with 6,000 members nationwide, NEHC actively assist Latinos and minorities in pursuing career, educational, and policy opportunities in the environmental and natural resource fields.

ECHS Students & Teachers are also participating in these
upcoming local and national events!