On Monday, March 4, 2019, Lily Eskelsen García, President of the National EducationAssociation, will serve as keynote speaker for Austin Voices' annual "Stand Up for Schools" luncheon and fundraiser at Dell Children's Medical Center/Signe Auditorium. Lily is a passionate advocate for public education, and will speak to two important priorities for Texas: adequate funding for [...]
(Update-May 20, 2018) What if you couldn't read well enough to help your child with homework? That is the situation "Rosalita" found herself in, with a son at Webb Middle School. She enrolled in Webb's daytime ESL class, studying for 16 hours each week. Over two years, she has completed ESL, coursework from Mexico through [...]
With rising housing costs in Austin, many AISD families find supplying the basics a struggle. AVEY's four food bank locations, in partnership with the Central Texas Food Bank, can make the difference. In the 2017-18 school year, AVEY has distributed over 100,000 pounds of food to 1,100 families, including fresh produce, eggs and milk. Located [...]
On December 16, 2017, Burnet Middle School hosted its first Burnet Holiday Fair, in partnership with Austin Voices. While it was cold and a little rainy outside, over 800 attendees enjoyed the warmth of a holiday celebration that included family resources (employment, housing, legal, health and more), free lunch, music, raffles, clothing, games, crafts, ponies, [...]
Save Texas Schools, Austin Voices’ statewide program to support public education, is getting ready for the 2017 legislative session. Started in 2009, Save Texas Schools has seen several pieces of legislation pass that support our most at-risk students and schools, as well as mobilized over 30,000 Texans through rallies and other events. In 2015, STS held [...]
Community School Alliance Meetings Austin Voices holds dozens of school and community events and meetings monthly, including five "Community School Alliance" lunch meetings that bring together 25-40 community partners to plan around supporting a group of schools. Monthly meetings are at Burnet, Dobie, Eastside Memorial, Lanier and Webb (St. John). AVEY has also begun bi-monthly [...]
With hundreds of refugee families arriving each month in AISD, Austin Voices is providing basic needs, as well as helping parents support the educational needs of their children. We work closely with AISD's Refugee Family Support staff, as well as local campus and community groups. Welcoming Refugee Families at Hart Elementary One of the priority [...]
The Ambassadors youth leadership program, facilitated by Austin Voices youth program director Gabriel Estrada, presented to a community luncheon at Eastside Memorial High School on efforts by their school to become a recognized “Eco School” by the National Wildlife Foundation and Keep Austin Beautiful. Students presented for 45 minutes on their efforts and led a [...]
How do you tap the energy and creativity of middle school students? By starting Innovation Academies! At Webb and Martin Middle Schools, Austin Voices has helped plan and support these programs combining STEM and the creative arts. In the Fall of 2015, Martin Middle School began its new Innovation Academy with 25 sixth graders. Planned [...]
Starting in November, 2015, administrators and community partners, including the El Paso ISD Superintendent and school board trustees, have visited Reagan HS and Webb MS to learn about creating community schools in their own district. AVEY Executive Director Allen Weeks visited El Paso in January to continue conversations around ways to support three new community [...]