Since its founding in 1939, the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio's mission is to enhance the educational, social, and moral development of San Antonio's youth. The Clubs provide - through its facilities, staff, volunteers, and linkages to the community - professionally designed and implemented programs for the educational, social, and moral development of San Antonio's young people, especially the disadvantaged. The organization seeks to inspire and enable youngsters to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.
Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio annually serve over 6,000 members - ages 6-18 years old - from five Club sites. 97% of club members are minorities; more than 50% are from single parent families and more than 90% of members' families utilize some form of federal assistance. In addition, more than 8,000 non-Club members are provided services annually.
The Clubs provide year round programs and services including sports & recreation activities, academic assistance (including computer skills), arts & crafts, career and leadership development activities, substance abuse prevention services, environmental awareness, counseling, adult mentoring, individual and neighborhood safety, outreach for Hispanic families and referral services as needed.
The Carver Academy offers elementary-age children a challenging academic program featuring small classes, leadership opportunities, and a nurturing family-like environment based upon the foundation of Judeo-Christian scripture. Graduates of The Carver Academy will be prepared for success in the nation's most competitive high schools and will display the highest levels of leadership, discipline, initiative and integrity. The Carver Academy welcomes children regardless of race, creed or financial status.
The year 2001 was a landmark year for NBA great David Robinson. Concrete, bricks, steel and glass transformed blocks of inner-city lots into an elementary school destined for a great future. The Carver Academy's 5-acre campus opened its doors to its first 60 students on September 17, 2001. The school was named for George Washington Carver (1865-1943), an African-American botanist, social advocate, spiritual leader, and educator-a man of outstanding character.
Today, The Carver Academy provides kindergarten through sixth-grade students an education of excellence regardless of race, creed or financial status. The Carver Academy-through service and faith-inspires students to become men and women exemplifying the principles of leadership, discipline, initiative and integrity. The Carver Academy is becoming a model for elementary schools around the globe. The Carver Academy students consistently score above the national standards on The Stanford Achievement Test.
City Year San Antonio serves high-need, low income students who are at risk of academic failure. In addition, to its school-based service, City Year corps members make a positive impact in communities throughout the city by completing transformational neighborhood improvement projects that transform communities.
There is an undeniable need for its services. City Year San Antonio corps member have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of San Antonio youth.
In addition to making an impact on the lives of children, corps members also lead fellow citizens in completing high-impact service projects and play a critical role in large-scale City Year events like Make a Difference Day, Global Youth Service Day, Serve-a-thon and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. "They bring together people from all walks of life- corporate volunteers, community leaders, government and local residents- to share the power of service in uniting diverse individuals and strengthening communities."
For over 25 years Communities In Schools of San Antonio (CIS) has been helping students stay in school and achieve in life. CIS believes every student can succeed in school if given the opportunity, support and resources.
Communities In Schools is the nation's leading dropout prevention organization - the only one with measurable proof that its efforts decrease dropout rates and increase the likelihood of graduation. CIS case managers work in the schools, directly addressing the risks that confront many students even before they reach the school doors. CIS connects students and their families to critical community resources and services tailored to meet their needs.
The young people CIS serves can't wait for the economy to improve - they have one chance to do well in school and prepare for life. CIS believes in them, brings them caring relationships that help remove barriers, meets their needs and creates the expectation and conditions for success, no matter their life circumstance.
KIPP Aspire Academy is a free public middle school (grades 5th - 8th). Its mission is to help students cultivate the academic skills, intellectual habits, and character traits necessary to be successful in the top quality high schools, colleges, and the competitive world beyond.
KIPP Aspire Academy opened in 2003, and over the last seven years, its students have consistently achieved significant gains on the state and national standardized exams. Students who entered Aspire Academy nearly two grade levels below grade levels in the 5th grade have doubled their reading scores and have ranked in the top 10 percent of students nationally in math.
Aspire Academy's goal is that every student will go to college! To make this happen, KIPP has an undying expectation that all students will learn! Through the belief that there are no excuses, students learn the benefits of hard work ethic, being nice, and what it means to be part of a team and family! KIPP schools are nationally recognized for their successful approach to educating students from under-resourced communities. Nationally, 80 percent of KIPP alumni who graduated KIPP in the eighth grade have enrolled in college, as compared to community averages of less than 20 percent.