Welcome to the 2005-2006 edition of Inside Out, our online journal of what is happening at Central High School. In our previous editions, we have tackled Central's reputation and how we are judged by our school. We also featured snapshots of excellent teaching and learning and spoke of the need for change.
And on that note, we complained that though school can be boring, we find places where learning comes alive, from physics to producing our first theater production in decades.
In our last issue, we looked closely at the class of 2005, sharing their stories, triumphs and honors. We are proud we did; the class of 2005 was great.
In this issue we take a close look at Ed Abbott's classroom where, without fancy gadgets, ideas come alive in an honest debate about the colorful world we live in. Mr. Abbott makes us proud, and he makes us think and care about our world.
We also show off our research skills with our survey of students and teachers, and we give you a sample of how patient we can be by counting stairs in just one of our old buildings. Most importantly we share with you our ideas, our visual arts and photo gallery, and research about who we are, where we come from, and what we are thinking.
Like many urban schools, we are a collage of people from Latin America, Asia, Africa and North America who meet each day, trying to offset the negative stereotypes of urban students by changing what does not work and finding ways to make things work better.
In spite of constant change, even ongoing and disruptive construction in our hallways, we are managing to be a community of people who are creative and public-minded. We think our differences are an asset. They allow us to learn about each other and the world without even having to travel to far off places.
We worked hard. We asked tough questions and spoke out honestly but with care. We learned a lot! We loved making movies and original monologues about our high school experience, trying to give all of you a look at what makes us tick and who we really are.
A student in our focus group said it best: "We are similar as much as we are different. And our differences should not keep us apart."
Members of the Central Research for Action Team include: Johanna Castillo, Joysmar Adames, Evelyn Robertson, Jonathan Sanchez, Joel Sanchez, John Jimenez, Abel Hernandez, and Amanda Mariano. The team also includes two teachers: Special Assistant for School Improvement Bianca Gray and Social Worker Andy Delong.
