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Saint Anselm College
Manchester, New Hampshire
AERO Conference
June 27-29th, 2025
Why We Need Freedom & Democracy in Education Now!
The Longest Running
Alternative Education Conference
Making Learner-Directed, Learner-Centered Education Available to All
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Information
Coming Soon
In a rapidly evolving world, the quest for freedom and democracy in education is not just a philosophical debate—it is an urgent necessity. This conference seeks to explore the pivotal role that democratic principles and individual freedoms play in shaping an educational landscape that prepares students to thrive in a complex society.
Conference Schedule
Please note that all sessions are in
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), UTC - 4
Event Overview Day 1
Time (EDT)
Saturday, November 5th
9 am - 4:15 pm - EDT
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Saturday
9:00 am - 9:15 am
Introductions & Welcome ~ Kojo Aurelien, Addie Lentzner, Crystal Widado, Peter Berg, Jerry Mintz
10:45 am - 11:30 am Keynote: Mental Health and Refugees ~ Heela Yoon
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11:30 am - 12:15 pm Breakout: Well being - A global priority ~ Eliane EL HABER
Breakout: The International Outcasts from the Mental Health Reform in the United States ~ Fatima Ismatulla
Breakout: Mental Health Promotion for Youth in Advocacy and Leadership Positions ~ Hani Rukh-E-Qamar
10:00 am - 10:45 am Breakout: Bridging the gap between who you are now
and who you could someday be ~ Megan Padron
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Breakout: Acculturation vs. Assimilation: Mental Health & Identity for the Children of Immigrants ~ Shivani Parikh
Breakout: Thirsty and Hopeful ~ Shelot Masithi
12:15 pm - 1:00 pm
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Lunch, Networking
Keynote: What Should Our Priorities Be For Our Students? ~ Dennis Littky
1:00 pm - 1:45 PM
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2:45 pm - 3:30 pm Breakout: Your initiative, Your meaning ~ Claire Ma Convert to my timezone Breakout: Finding Healing on an Advocacy Journey~ Taylor Hawthorne​ Breakout: Crowdsourcing Hope ~ Ariana Alejandra Gibson
1:45 pm - 2:45PM Workshop: Who is Big Picture Learning and How Student Centered Learning support the Well Being of All Students ~ Sonn Sam
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3:30 pm - 4:15 pm
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Closing Keynote: Stress & Competition ~ Ritika Saraswat
Introductions & Welcome: ~ Kojo Aurelien, Addie Lentzner, Crystal Widado, Peter Berg, Jerry Mintz
9:00 am - 9:15 am
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Keynote: Innovative Public Policy Approaches to Address the Youth Mental Health Crisis ~ Carson Domey & Lucas Johnson
Breakout: From Advocacy to Service Provision in Mental Health ~ Melanie De Sousa
Workshop: Mental Health Conversations ~ Anagha Rajesh
Breakout: Working Through Generational Trauma​ ~ Ayushi Anand
Breakout: From settling to unsettling : story of international student ~ Srushhti Trivedi
Breakout: A Student's Experiences With Mental Health in Schools ~ Ashmita Annamalai together with Turning Pain to Purpose ~ Fatemeh Matin Moradkhan
Lunch, Networking
Keynote: Who should I be today on social media? ~ Madison Masterson
Workshop: Re-Designing Social Impact Education ~ Drishti Vidyarthi & Prameela Boorada
Breakout: Your voice has power ~ Shadaè Lezama
Breakout: Depression in teens and pathophysiology behind it ~ Shunmei Levana Zheng
Breakout: Inside the Mind of a Youth ~ Bernice Deng
9:15 am - 10:00 am
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10:00 am - 10:45 am
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10:45 am - 11:30 am
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11:30 am - 12:15 pm
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12:15 pm - 1:00 pm
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1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
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1:45 pm - 2:45 pm
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2:45 pm - 3:30 pm
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Sunday, November 6th
9 am - 4:15 pm - EST
Conference Schedule
Please note that all sessions are in
Eastern STANDARD Time (EST), UTC - 5
Event Overview Day 2
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm Closing Keynote: I am alive because I advocate, I advocate because I am alive: how mental healthcare activism sparked for lived experience Convert to my timezone is shaping policy ~ Sophie Szew
Thank You For Participating In the Conference & Being a Part of the Education Revolution
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