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October 10, 2017
Vol. 4, Issue 16
Board of Trustees

Chairman of the Board
Dr. Yvonne Katz
District 7

Vice Chair
Marcelo Casillas
District 4

Secretary
Dr. Gene Sprague
District 6

Asst. Secretary
Denver McClendon
District 2

Joe Alderete, Jr.
District 1

Anna U. Bustamante
District 3

Roberto Zarate
District 5

Clint Kingsbery
District 8

Alicia Moreno
Student Trustee

Chancellor

Dr. Bruce Leslie
Alamo Colleges
Alamo Colleges District Travis Early College High School Named 2017 National Blue Ribbon School
Students at Travis Early College High School celebrate the school's selection as a Department of Education Blue Ribbon School.

Travis Early College High School (TECHS), a partnership between the Alamo Colleges District, San Antonio College (SAC) and the San  Antonio Independent School District has been recognized as a 2017 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. TECHS was one of only two schools in San Antonio to be honored with the award this year. 

Each year the Texas Education Agency nominates public schools in the state for this national recognition. The nominated schools then complete a rigorous application process. TECHS, located across the street from SAC, puts students on the fast track to higher education by allowing them to take high school and college courses that lead to a diploma and up to two years of college credit, all at no charge to the students.

Founded in 1982, Blue Ribbon Schools is a U.S. Department of Education program that recognizes public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students perform at very high levels.

Unique LULAC Rey Feo Parent/Child Scholarships Support the College Success of Two Generations 
Sofia Marie Rodriguez, Reina de la Feria de las Flores and Tom Sandoval, president emeritus, LULAC Council #2, present a certificate and flower to one of the recipients of the Parent/Child scholarships.


For the past 21 years, the Tom Morton Sandoval LULAC Rey Feo Parent/Child Scholarships have given 533 parents and their pre-school children the opportunity to pursue their dreams of a college education. This year marks a milestone for this unique program, as 250 Parent/Child Scholars, including 25 second-generation scholars who were awarded the promise of a two-year scholarship when they were small children, have completed the program by earning a certificate or associate degree or completing the first two years of a university transfer program. 

Almost 30% also have completed a bachelor's or master's degree. A total of 84% of program completers are Hispanic or African-American.  The program is a partnership effort between the Alamo Colleges District, LULAC Council #2 and San Antonio College's (SAC) Services for Women and Non-Traditional Students (SWANS). The Parent/Child scholarship program is the only one of its kind in the nation.

This year, 25 parents, who are currently enrolled at one of the colleges of the Alamo Colleges District, were awarded a scholarship. To provide them with an added incentive for academic success, once they achieve their educational goal (associate degree, certification or the first part of a transfer program) their child will be entitled to a two-year scholarship to one of the District's colleges. Parents also receive one-on-one counseling, progress monitoring and support from SWANS, headed by Director Dr. Helen Vera.

AlamoADVISE has been selected by Excelencia in Educaiton as a 2017 Examples of Excelencia finalist.

AlamoADVISE Named National Excelencia in Education Finalist

The Alamo Colleges District's AlamoADVISE initiative has been selected as an Examples of Excelencia finalist by Excelencia in Education, a national non-profit that accelerates Latino student success in higher education. Examples of Excelencia honors America's top programs that expand academic opportunities and increase achievement for Latino students.

AlamoADVISE, under the auspices of Dr. Adelina S. Silva, vice chancellor for student success, is one of only six finalists in its category and 19 finalists total from more than 160 programs nominated.  Through AlamoADVISE, each students at all of the five Alamo Colleges District colleges is assigned an academic advisor and a faculty member as mentor, from entry to completion. This creates strong relationships between students, faculty and staff that contribute to students achieving their educational goals.

Catch the Next, Inc. Dream Catchers Program (CTN), a college-readiness program at Palo Alto College (PAC), also has been named a finalist for the award. PAC is the only CTN affiliate in San Antonio, in partnership with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, working to increase the retention and completion rates of underserved students to close the achievement gap for Latino students.

As finalists, both programs will be recognized at the annual Celebración de Excelencia in Washington,D.C., included in the 2017 What Works for Latino Students in Higher Education compendium and added to the Excelencia in Education What Works online database. 


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The Alamo Colleges District's mission is: empowering our diverse communities for success. Our vision is: the Alamo Colleges District will be the best in the nation in student success and performance excellence. The Alamo Colleges District is one district with five community colleges serving more than 80,000 students annually from Bexar County and seven other counties in our service area. We provide an affordable, quality college education that leads to associate degrees, certificates and transfers to four-year universities. Hundreds of thousands of Bexar County residents have come through the Alamo Colleges District education programs are major contributors to the economy and culture of Sa n Antonio.