Update (January 2024)

Austin Voices has continued to support the Eastside Vertical Team through the Family Resource Center at Martin Middle School, organizing vertical team events, including the annual STEAMFest. AVEY is currently working with the vertical team to restart the successful Innovation Academy program at both Martin and Eastside. The Innovation Academy was stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the decision under a previous administration to move 6th grade away from Martin. With community support, our goal is to see 6th grade back at Martin and a full-funded Innovation Academy program in the vertical team.

In 2022, AVEY wrote a successful federal Full-Service Community Schools grant with AISD for the Eastside Vertical Team, with a focus on Martin MS, Allison ES and Govalle ES. The grant has funded community school staff at all three campuses, as well as a project director. AVEY continues to support the success of the grant and the long-term growth of community schools in the Eastside.

In Spring of 2011, Austin Voices began working with Eastside Memorial High School to facilitate community and parent engagement, as well as strategic planning. In 2013, that work expanded to the whole vertical team of schools.

EMVT Retreat Photo

Efforts have included:

  • In the winter of 2013, AVEY facilitated the community meetings that led to the selection of Talent Development Secondary/Johns Hopkins University to work with Eastside Memorial as an academic partner over the next three years.
  • In 2014, AVEY facilitated nine months of community planning to repurpose the Allan Elementary facility into an Early Childhood Center and STEM Resource Center for the community.
  • In 2013, AVEY started the Eastside Memorial Community School Alliance, a monthly meeting of community partners who meet to learn about and support Eastside Memorial.
  • In 2012, AVEY collaborated with the Texas Blazers and Talent Development Secondary to found the Ambassadors Leadership Team at Eastside Memorial. Ambassadors speak at community meetings, do action research and sponsor community service projects.
  • In 2014, AVEY worked with the faculty at Martin Middle School to plan the new Innovation Academy. Beginning in Fall 2015, the Innovation Academy began with a cohort of 25 sixth graders, engaged in project-based learning, centered on creativity in the science, technology and the arts.
  • Since 2013, AVEY has begun three annual community festivals for the Eastside Memorial Vertical Team: Harvest Fest in the Fall, STEM Fest and the EMVT Arts Festival in the Spring. Vertical team festivals have brought together thousands of school and community members to celebrate the work of the EMVT schools.

eastside-memorial-ms-community-school-students-austin-voicesEastside Community Guide

Austin Voices has produced a model community/school guide for the Eastside Memorial Vertical Team of schools. The guide includes history and information about the 11 neighborhoods that feed EMVT schools, a profile of each school, and lists/maps of local community resources and businesses.
To obtain a printed copy of the guide, contact aweeks@austinvoices.org.

Eastside Memorial Vertical Team Community Guide

Coming Soon: 2024 Update to Eastside Memorial Vertical Team Community Guide

eastside-memorial-vertical-team-sommmunity-school-student-austin-voices

Upcoming Eastside Vertical Team Events:

8th Annual STEAMFest at Martin Middle School. April 6th from 10 am to 2 pm. Click here to register as an exhibitor.

Monthly Eastside Community School Alliance Meetings. Click here for meeting dates, times and location.