“Everything can begin with you. You are the foundation of any change that will happen in your society.” -Thich Nhat Hanh
Dear Friends and Partners:
During the summer months, we have been laying the foundation for exciting changes at Restore Education! While we, our students, and our community continue to collectively navigate the challenges of our present reality, the opportunity to effect real, lasting change is eminent. From reviving fundraising strategies, celebrating student success, delivering innovative programing, and doing our part in our community's vaccination goal, we are committed to meeting the challenge.
This year, we are breathing new life into our spelling bee fundraising event with our Live! Spelling Showdown. Join us on Thursday, October 7, from 6-8 PM at Two Brothers BBQ for this entertaining, competitive team event. Whether you are a master speller or simply looking for a fun social gathering, there are many ways to get involved. Sponsorships, individual tickets, and silent auction donation opportunities are available. Visit ourevent page to learn more!
Celebrating student success is one of the many joys of being a part of Restore Education. We hope you will join us on Facebook Live for our Summer Graduation 2021 ceremony. This inspiring event is a wonderful memory making moment for our students and their families. We not only have the honor of celebrating with our Passport GED and Career Training graduates, but many Compass Program graduates as well! Read on for more details about our graduation event and our Graduate Spotlight.
We are honored to continue to meet the critical needs of our students and community. This school year, we are launching both a Dual Generation Partnership and Latinos in Finance trainingprogram. The Dual Generation program, in partnership with United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, will help us to meet the basic needs of our student's and their families. The Latinos in Finance program is supported by UnidosUS and Bank of America and, through employer partnerships, will lead to meaningful employment in the finance industry for graduates.
Though launching our new school year was no easy feat, your continued support, interest, and involvement as our friends and partners energizes our dedicated efforts. Together, we are creating a lasting impact for the future!
Gratefully,
Kelli G. Rhodes, President & CEO
Live! Spelling Showdown
Live! Spelling Showdown Social & Fundraiser
Thursday, October 7, from 6-8 PM at Two Brothers BBQ.
Restore Education's Spelling Showdown is a fun, in-person, competitive team event. So gather up your best spellers and join us on the trail to student success! Learn more about this event, select your sponsorship level, purchase tickets, and donate items to our silent auction here.
This year, our Summer Graduation 2021 ceremony will take place at the Mission County Park Pavilion and via Facebook Live broadcast on Saturday, August 14, from 9:30-11:30 AM. There is still time to be a part of something inspiring and help us to make this event special for our students.
Click here for more information about how to sponsor and get involved. Thank you for supporting the celebration of student success!
Graduate Spotlight
Congratulations to both Elias and Roxana on graduating from college!
Elias is now a San Antonio College graduate! He completed both an Associate of Arts in General Students and an Associate of Science in Health and Bio Sciences with a focus in Kinesiology. He plans to attend a local four-year university to complete a bachelors degree, with the ultimate goal of pursuing an advanced degree in Kinesiology and Physical Therapy. We are proud to continue to support Elias as a Compass Program participant and offer him guidance to successfully transfer to university and complete his long-term goals.
Roxana graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Medical Humanities from UTSA. She came to our program back in 2016 after moving to San Antonio from Mexico with her Mother. Roxana took our TSI test preparation class and enrolled at San Antonio College. After completing an associate degree, she successfully transferred to UTSA. Roxana is now preparing to enter into dental school! We are so proud of her achievements and will continue to closely follow her success story.
Program Announcements
Dual Generation Partnership
United Way has committed to invest $6.3 Million of MacKenzie Scott's philanthropic gift to expand their Dual Generation Initiative over a five-year period. Restore Education is one of 8 local partner agencies selected to join this transformational initiative. At Restore Education, we are working to end the cycle of poverty by providing no-cost, flexible education to help transform the lives of our students and their families. This new partnership allows us to increase our impact, further meeting the unique needs of our student's and their children. To learn more about this program, click here.
Latinos in Finance
We are excited to announce that Restore Education was selected as one of five organizations nationwide to implement the Latinos in FinanceProgram through a grant funded by UnidosUS and Bank of America. We are joining a national network of 18 partners across the country. Latinos in Finance, an initiative started in 2015 by UnidosUS, "provides workforce development training to Latinx jobseekers for employment in the financial services sector and ensures employers are hiring linguistically and culturally competent talent. Through this initiative, participants begin a pathway to a career in banking services, offering them middle-skills jobs with growth opportunities and competitive wages."
As part of this initiative, we will be launching a Financial Services training in early August to prepare our students for a career in the banking and financial services sector. Students will receive 10 weeks of intensive training, mentoring from industry professionals, and guaranteed interviews with local financial institutions. Feel free to share this great opportunity with your friends and family. Applications can be accessed here.
Happenings at
Restore Education
We are excited to announce the appointment of Kelli G. Rhodes as Restore Education's President & CEO. Kelli has been committed to adult education and literacy since Restore Education's beginnings as a local community outreach project. Following the passion and example of her father, John F. Rhodes, Kelli has been a tireless leader in the mission of transforming lives through education. The dedication and level of personal investment Kelli brings to the role are precisely what Restore Education and the community need to leap forward on the pathway to achieving educational equity.
Restore Education hosted two vaccination clinics this summer in partnership with UT Health and San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. Over 30 local residents received Covid-19 vaccination at our Learning Center!
A special thank you to our board member, Missam Merchant, Dr. Adelita Cantu, and UT Health for their support in coordinating the clinics. If you are interested in doing your part in protecting our community, learn more and schedule vaccination appointment here!
Thank you!
We are grateful to have received a grant from the John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation of the San Antonio Area Foundation this year. Thank you for your continued support of our programming!
We are incredibly grateful to these funders for their new and continued support of our students!
