On March 26, 2010, 15 students from the Alternative Center went to our annual CAASP Conference. This means Connecticut Association of Alternative Schools + Programs. This took place at Lincoln College in Southington CT. The students who attended and participated were Jessica McGee, Shane Thomas, Sharhonda Perkins, Mayra Jimenez, Amandaly Vasquez, Desiree Scott, Andrew Ortega, Erica Lameria, Kim Cottrell, Taylor Maher, Nikki Flynn, Mary Wooster, Molly Henning, Jazmine Marcy, and Cassandra Urban.   Principal Dave Canavan and Rob Melillo, our Social Studies teacher, took the students to the conference.

            When we go went there we had the pleasure of being with other alternative schools, with other kids who know just the way we feel. When asked why do you think this was a good experience, Sharhonda Perkins said, “This was a good experience because it shows that alternative schools give help by tapping into each student’s strengths.”

            I like to be around other kids my age who know the way I feel and who are going through the same things as me.  When asked should we keep doing this, Shane Thomas said, “Yes, I think it is a good experience for us to go through.” It good for us to go to because we can go there and see that we are not the only alternative school around this area. We can also see how they work in their school and what different and same things we do.

            While we where there everyone had to do projects and present them in front of other students and teachers from the other school. Two of our students, Molly Henning and Desiree Scott, preformed a song during our lunch time. Molly sang Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Desiree sang Should’ve Known Better by Monica.  Other ACE students presented a slide show about ACE, gave reports on community service projects, and their college portfolios.

             When asked how did you feel with other people like you, Andrew Ortega said, “I felt comfortable that I was somewhere with other kids who were chosen to be in STARRS and be part of the meeting with kids from other parts of CT.”  The STARRS students were the ones who planned all of the ACE presentations.

            This is the same way we all feel. We like to know there are people out here who do understand us.  

ADD ACE at CAASP jpeg
CAPTION 0 ACE students at a CAASP workshop.