California High School Has Environmental Focus

     American charter schools are public schools that are run by private educational(教育的) enterprises, under special rules, or charters,  from state or local school boards.  Many charter schools have specialized¹ areas of study such as science, mass media, or the arts.  A charter school near Los Angeles teaches the importance of protecting the environment.

    The Environmental Charter High School, in Lawndale, California, teaches all standard academic subjects.

    As well as studies about the environment.  Nearly 500 students are enrolled² at the high school, where they prepare for college.

    They also get something extra, says school founder³ Alison Suffet Diaz.

    “Once they are here, they are immersed in a curriculum that gets them to look at critical issues in their local communities, and be inspired that they can actually make a difference in their local community and be the change that they want to see in the world," said Alison Suffet Diaz.

    The teens can get close to nature, and explore topics like alternative energy, in this case, a pump powered by human energy to water the plants.

    Student Rigo Estrada says he was the kind of person who threw trash on the street before he came here.

    “Someone tells me, 'Do not do that.'   I would be [saying], 'What are you talking about?  It does not matter.'  But now that I have seen firsthand videos, I have done beach cleanups, I have helped develop water-catchment systems, I have taught [students at] elementary（基本的,初级的） schools the importance of water conservation.  I know the importance of green and that it actually is a really serious topic," said Rigo Estrada .

    The school also teaches creative arts, integrated in one case with a lesson in physics.

    The school brings in outside experts, including Nancy Gale⁴, who owns an environmentally-friendly business that makes handbags.

    “We teach the kids business, marketing⁵, sales, design, and we want to take these students, let them see the entire process that actualizes an intangible product," said Nancy Gale. "The idea behind the program is that if these kids see what they can do together and what they can accomplish, that they recognize that their skills extend into the same real world as kids that go to successful private schools.”

    Students learn how to prepare a business plan, says teacher Brandie Cobb.

    “And when they leave me, the goal is for them to have a business plan in their hands that they can start and use in order to help pay for college," said Brandie Cobb.

    The curriculum stresses cooperation and community action, and helps students learn to get things done, says 18-year-old Rodrigo Padilla.

    “And if we all work together and if we all take initiative, and if we are able to inform people to do what they need to do, then we can really make a change," said Rodrigo Padilla.

    Whether they pursue careers related to their studies here or not, the sense of empowerment these teens have learned is what the Environmental Charter High School was designed to do.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

2 enrolled   

adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

4 gale   

n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等）

参考例句：

• We got our roof blown off in the gale last night.昨夜的大风把我们的房顶给掀掉了。
• According to the weather forecast,there will be a gale tomorrow.据气象台预报，明天有大风。

5 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。