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　　American charter schools are public schools that are run by private educational 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.
美国的特许学校是由私营教育企业经营的公立学校。州或地方教育委员会对特许学校有一套特别规定。很多特许学校设置专门的课程，如科学、大众传媒或艺术等等。洛杉矶附近的一个特许学校向学生教授保护环境的重要性。
The Environmental Charter High School, in Lawndale, California, teaches all standard academic subjects.
环保特许高中位于加利福尼亚州的劳恩代尔。
As well as studies about the environment. Nearly 500 students are enrolled² at the high school, where they prepare for college.
这所特许学校除了所有的标准课程，还有专门的环保课程。学校有将近500名准备考大学的学生。
They also get something extra, says school founder³ Alison Suffet Diaz.
学校创始人埃里森·苏菲特·迪亚兹介绍说：
“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.
“学生一入学，就会投入课程教学之中。这里的课程要他们学习关注当地社区的重要问题，致力于为自己的社区做出贡献，给这世界带来他们希望看到的变化。”
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.
在这里，学生们可以亲近大自然，探索替代性能源等问题。比如学习用人力泵浇灌植物。
Student Rigo Estrada says he was the kind of person who threw trash on the street before he came here.
学生里戈·埃斯特拉达承认，他进这所学校之前，是那种在街上乱扔垃圾的人。
“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 schools the importance of water conservation. I know the importance of green and that it actually is a really serious topic," said Rigo Estrada .
他说：“有人跟我说，‘不能这样。’我会说，‘这算什么，没什么了不起。’但是，现在我看了录像，也去参加了清理海滩的活动。我参与研制储存雨水的系统。我教小学生节约用水的重要性。我知道环保的重要性了。这其实是一个很严肃的话题。”
The school also teaches creative arts, integrated in one case with a lesson in physics.
这所特许学校也教授艺术。在这里，艺术课跟物理课结合起来。
The school brings in outside experts, including Nancy Gale⁴, who owns an environmentally-friendly business that makes handbags.
学校从校外聘请了一些专家，包括南希·盖尔。她拥有一家用环保方式制做手提袋的公司。
“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.”
盖尔说：“我们教学生经商、营销、设计。我们也希望让他们了解从设计到生产的整个过程。这个教学项目的宗旨是，假如这些学生看到他们在一起合作能够做到什么，他们就会认识到他们学到的技能在世界上也能发挥作用，就像成功的私立学校学生学到的一样。”
Students learn how to prepare a business plan, says teacher Brandie Cobb.
老师布兰迪·科布说，学生们也学习如何制定经商计划。
“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.
“他们从我这里毕业的时候，我们的目标是他们有自己的经商计划可以付诸实施，从而能帮助他们支付大学费用。”
The curriculum stresses cooperation and community action, and helps students learn to get things done, says 18-year-old Rodrigo Padilla.
18岁的罗德里戈·帕迪亚说，学校的课程强调合作和社区行动，并帮助学生学习如何做事有始有终。
“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.
他说：“假如我们齐心协力，假如我们都采取主动，假如我们能告诉别人他们需要做什么，那么，我们就能带来改变。”
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.
无论学生们将来是否从事跟他们在这里所学的课程有关的工作，环境特许高中的宗旨就是要让学生知道，他们有能力给这世界带来变化。