The highlight for me of the 2023 AERO Conference was meeting some new friends from One Crazy School in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. Kateryna, Tania, Dasha, and Yasha traveled from the chaos of war to share their experiences with those of us gathered comfortably at the Long Island University -Post Campus in June. AERO (Alternative Education Resource Organization) has been supporting this democratic free school’s efforts to rebuild and remain a vibrant community over the past few years, and managed to bring two adults and two teens across the world to describe their efforts. I felt deeply impressed and humbled to listen to how they have built a bunker at their school to provide a safe place when bombs begin falling in their vicinity. The school has been converted into something of a shelter and community center, and these visionaries have done more than hold their school community together. They have made their building a welcoming place for everyone in their neighborhood.
I look forward to connecting North Star teens, particularly those in my Social Issues class, with the young folks at One Crazy School in the fall. In the meantime, here is the link to their Facebook page.
Upon their return to Ukraine, they offered this report on their travels to the conference and New York City.
Here is a full version of their presentation from June 23, 2023.
