2016-2017 ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE BOARD: Naomi Perales President RGV LEAD is in the business of education. We work with a large group of partners on a variety of initiatives, all focused on Luis Figueroa, AIA developing the Valley’s most important asset: the intellectual Vice President capital of its people. RGV LEAD’s collaborative projects are focused on engaging students in college-and-career-focused Gisela Figueroa, Ph.D. Treasurer learning opportunities to achieve a higher level of competence in the workforce. RGV LEAD’s role as “project manager” for these Theresa A. (Teri) Alarcon joint ventures complements, and does not duplicate, the work Alda T. Benavides, Ed.D. done by individuals from the various entities working together Anabell C. Cardona in various initiatives. Sylvia Leal, Ed.D. Ricardo Lopez, Ed.D. Almost 9,000 students graduated as RGV LEAD Scholars in Gabriel Puente Spring 2017, and one outstanding student received the RGV Joey Trevino LEAD Scholarship. Graduating as an RGV LEAD Scholar is one of Perry A. Vaughn NORMA L. SALAIZ, PH.D. the requirements in the scholarship competition. DIRECTORS: RGV LEAD Director We enjoyed working with the students participating in RGV Business LEAD Student Ambassadors! These dynamic young leaders did Francisco (Frank) Almaraz excellent work at the regional and community levels, and over Rene Capistran 300 students had become Ambassadors by the end of the 2017 Thomas E. Dearmin, PE, MBA, academic year. LEED AP BD+C Atanacio (Tachi) Hinojosa, MBA P-16 Councils/Counselors Network meetings focused on Pat Hobbs implementing the goals of the Texas 60X30TX plan. With UTRGV Alex Meade, EDFP, CPM cohosting sessions, partners from STC, TSC, TSTC, and UTRGV Lizzy de la Garza Putegnat shared strategies for helping students transition successfully Education from high school to higher education and the workforce. Esmeralda Adame, MBA, Ed.D. Workforce Solutions and Workforce Solutions Cameron joined Donald Crouse the collaborative in 2016-2017. Javier DeLeon Lisa Garcia, Ed.D. As implementation of the Academies of the RGV moved forward, Gonzalo Salazar RGV LEAD continued working with leaders from Ford Next Generation Learning at the national level, focusing on expanding At Large participation and engaging additional community leaders from Narciso Garcia, Ed.D. business in the RGV CEO Champions and Regional Industry Cornelio Gonzalez, Ph.D. Councils. Work on these initiatives is ongoing. ASSOCIATE BOARD: We were grateful to expand initiatives including RGV Mentors, Business regional educator externships, regional conference/Education Albert G. Chronis & Workforce Summit, and the Education & Career EXPO. The Laura Lara, AIA Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, Brownsville EDC, Robert Leftwich and Mission EDC supported Career Center projects in their Education communities, and RGV LEAD worked with partners from school Blanca Munoz districts and individual employers on a variety of initiatives for Felipe C. Salinas educators and students in these communities. Erika Sikes RGV LEAD’s partnerships are invaluable to its mission, and data DIRECTORS EMERITUS: provided by the Texas Education Research Center at UT Austin Eduardo A. Campirano indicates this approach is working. We are grateful for our Ray Elledge partners, and we look forward to even greater accomplishments Cesar Maldonado, Ph.D., P.E. in the coming year! Hollis V. Rutledge, Jr. Ed Tamayo Sincerely, Linda Wade, Ph.D. CONTENTS 02 OVERVIEW About RGV LEAD Regional Partnership Initiatives 06 STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES: PREPARING STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE-AND-CAREER SUCCESS Education & Career EXPO RGV LEAD Student Ambassador Program RGV Mentors Program 11 BUSINESS AND EDUCATION COLLABORATION Real-World Experiences for Educators: Educator Externships Academies of the Rio Grande Valley, The Ford NGL Partnership 15 COLLABORATION WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS: CAREER CENTER PROJECTS The Brownsville Career Center Project The Mission Career Center Project 22 HONORING OUTSTANDING STUDENTS RGV LEAD Scholars and the RGV LEAD Scholarships 24 HONORING OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS 2016 Teacher of the Year 2016 Counselor of the Year 27 RGV LEAD BOARD PROVIDES OVERSIGHT FOR ALL FUNDS, DRAWN FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES 28 2016-2017 RGV LEAD SUPPORTERS 31 SUPPORTING DATA 32 HOW TO BECOME INVOLVED OVERVIEW ABOUT RGV LEAD RGV LEAD (Rio Grande Valley Linking Economic and Academ- LF'HYHORSPHQW LVD7H[DVQRQSURȴWDQGIHGHUDOFRU- ganization that has operated regionally in Texas’ Rio Grande Annual superintendents' meeting: 9DOOH\ &DPHURQ+LGDOJR6WDUUDQG:LOODF\&RXQWLHV IRU years. Beginning in 1992 with federal grant funding, RGV LEAD has become a regional community-based organiza- Vision: RGV LEAD builds the intellectual capital of the tion funded primarily by local supporters. RGV LEAD oper- region by facilitating collaboration between employers, ates multiple cross-sector collaborative projects, all of which community leaders, and educators from public schools, have been developed by partners who become responsible colleges, and universities to assist students in acquiring for implementing the initiatives they have helped to design. the academic and career skill-sets necessary for success RGV LEAD’s partners include school districts, institutions of in higher education, careers, and life. higher education, workforce development boards, economic Mission: Partnering to engage students in college- development organizations, chambers of commerce, com- and-career-focused learning opportunities to achieve a munity leaders, the Region One Education Service Center, higher level of competence in the workforce. and individual educators and employers. RGV LEAD brings Values: Leadership, Collaboration, Integrity, Excellence, the partners together and manages the projects, doing work and Accountability much like that of the project manager for a joint venture. Strategic Goals: 7KHZRUNGRQHE\5*9/($'ȇVVWD΍FRPSOHPHQWVEXWGRHV Goal 1: Coordinate regional initiatives focused on not duplicate, the work done by its partners. education and workforce development that support All RGV LEAD initiatives support the organization’s strategic linkages with current and emerging organizations in SODQDGRSWHGLQ$XJXVWDQGUHȵHFWWKHYLVLRQPLVVLRQ the Rio Grande Valley to reduce duplication of ser- values, and goals in that strategic plan: vices, maximize resources, decrease fragmentation, DQGLPSURYHH΍HFWLYHQHVVRIHGXFDWLRQDQGZRUN- force systems. Goal 2: Increase the number and percentage of high school students who graduate college-and-career- ready and transition successfully into higher educa- tion and/or the workforce. 2 RGV LEAD 2016 Annual Report OVERVIEW Collaborating to implement the 2016-2017 initiatives Left to Right (pgs.2-3): Superintendents from La Feria ISD, Raymundo Villarreal, Jr.; Raymondville ISD, Johnny Pineda; and Los Fresnos CISD, Gonzalo Salazar; Our Workforce Partners: Pat Hobbs, Workforce Solutions Cameron; Dr. Norma Salaiz, RGV LEAD; and Francisco Almaraz, Workforce Solutions; RGV LEAD Board Members: Perry Vaughn, RGV Chapter, Associated General Contractors; Naomi Perales, Texas Gas Service; and Dr. Ricardo Lopez, Mission CISD Superintendent Goal 3: Increase the number and percentage of for college-and-career success, with many activities connect- career-focused college and university students who LQJVWXGHQWVDQGWHDFKHUVGLUHFWO\ZLWKHPSOR\HUV6SHFLȴF HDUQFHUWLȴFDWHVGHJUHHVDQGRULQGXVWU\RUVWDWH initiatives are summarized as follows: UHFRJQL]HG OLFHQVHV RU FHUWLȴFDWLRQV DQG WUDQVLWLRQ Business and Education Collaboratives: into the workforce. RGV LEAD’s Ford Next Generation Learning (Ford RGV LEAD’s work contributes to individual economic suc- NGL)/Academies of the Rio Grande Valley initiative cess for students and families and supports economic de- began in 2014. Like RGV LEAD, Ford NGL recogniz- velopment for individual communities and for the region as es that students in public schools are an emerging a whole by addressing the continuing need for a well-edu- workforce that must be prepared to compete suc- cated workforce. Data and reports provided by the Texas cessfully in the 21st century economy. Ford NGL fo- Education Research Center at The University of Texas at Aus- cuses on transforming teaching and learning, rede- tin indicate the initiatives implemented by RGV LEAD and its signing high schools, and sustaining change through partners are working. RGV LEAD’s emphasis on regional col- business and civic engagement. In December 2016, laboration is grounded in the belief that to attain successful Ford NGL national leaders traveled to the Valley to outcomes, collaboration is not a luxury but a vital necessity. honor leaders from RGV LEAD, the Academies of REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVES the Rio Grande Valley, RGV CEO Champions, and Regional Industry Councils for their work, and the During the 2016-2017 academic year, RGV LEAD and its part- $FDGHPLHV RI WKH 5*9 EHFDPH DQ RɝFLDO QDWLRQDO ners planned and implemented initiatives promoting stu- implementation site for Ford NGL. dent academic achievement, encouraging students to transi- Regional P-16 Council and Counselors’ Network tion successfully into education and/or the workforce, and activities, conducted annually since 2007, included VXSSRUWLQJH΍HFWLYHWUDQVLWLRQFRXQVHOLQJDQGDGYLVHPHQW quarterly meetings, regional planning through a RGV LEAD’s work focused on equipping students with skills P-16 Outreach and Counseling Leadership Team, OVERVIEW www.RGVLEAD.com 3 and a regional conference and Education