Abriendo Puertas “Opening Doors” Parental Communication Initiative, Inc . http://www.abriendopuertas.org/

The Abriendo Puertas Parental Communication Initiative, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was originally started in 2003 by Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to increase high school graduation and college-going rates in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.  The focus of the initiative is to engage families in the educational support of students through utilization of the “outreach empowerment model” relying on trained parent volunteers who communicate with other parents. The philosophy of the Abriendo Puertas Volunteer Model is to train individuals who are respected at different levels of their community who, in turn, commit to provide outreach to others in their new-found skills.  

They have operations in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Ft. Worth/Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio areas.  

Capital Idea www.capitalidea.org < http://www.capitalidea.org >
Capital IDEA serves the community by acting as a bridge, connecting committed, yet underemployed people to employers in need of highly skilled workers. Created through the efforts of Austin Interfaith and the Central Texas business community, Capital IDEA funds qualified participants’ tuition, books and childcare and works with them to find employment with good salaries, benefits and opportunity for career growth. Capital IDEA works with workforce partners to identify new career-driven curriculum needed to properly educate the next generation of workers.

Destination:  Digital www.destinationdigital.org < http://www.destinationdigital.org >
Working with major high tech companies, Destination Digital  members work with the direct collaboration with and support of education in fostering the long-term engineering and technology workforce essential to Central Texas’ continued economic development.  Student and teacher internships are part of this initiative.


Engaging Communities for College Readiness ENCORE. www.getencore.org

Engaging Communities for College Readiness (ENCORE) is a program developed by Texas Valley Communities Foundation with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to promote the importance of college readiness and higher education in the Rio Grande Valley. By developing a strong advocacy infrastructure in collaboration with education and community leaders, ENCORE serves as a catalyst for change as it lays the groundwork for mobilization and community engagement in support of college readiness. ENCORE works in partnership with community-based organizations, higher education institutions and K-12 schools to implement college readiness programs that make a difference across communities.

First in the Family www.firstinthefamily.org  < http://www.firstinthefamily.org >
First in the Family is packed with useful resources and heartfelt stories from students who are the first in their families to go to college. First in the Family guides students through the key issues-from cultural conflict to academic challenges-facing first-generation students.
KnowHow2Go www.KnowHow2Go.org  < http://www.KnowHow2Go.org >
This site primarily targets middle and high school students, and their parents, with motivational content to encourage them to get ready for college. KnowHow2Go is a multiyear, multimedia effort designed to encourage more Texans to plan, enroll and succeed in college.
Project Grad USA www.projectgrad.org  < http://www.projectgrad.org >
Project GRAD® has a 10-year track record of successfully helping at risk students make it through K-12 school systems and graduate from college.
Texas’ College and Career Readiness Standards (TCCRS) http://www.txccrs.org/
It is a program made up of 3 phases, formed by THECB and TEA, (Texas Education Agency) identifying certain standards to be met to make sure students are ready and prepared for college and their careers. (This was in response to House Bill 1). The standards have been developed from four “vertical teams” of content area in English/Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. The purpose of this program is to create a culture centered on the importance of college and careers, across all levels of education (K-16).

Texas Scholars   http://www.texasscholars.org/
High School and Beyond is an initiative of Texas Business and Education Coalition (TBEC). It is a community-based initiative through which volunteers and educators work together to motivate students to take a more purposeful approach in high school, and plan for and work toward a career of their choosing after high school. The project is supported financially by TBEC and participating school districts, with contributions also from foundations and corporations.
 
Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA) http://www.vidacareers.org/
VIDA was created on September 25, 1995 as a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization whose main purpose is to help low-income, unemployed and underemployed Rio Grande Valley residents get the post-secondary education and training they need to secure a high-skilled, high-wage job. In partnership with the La VISTA, made up by the Rio Grande Valley-Laredo Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, South Texas College, Texas State Technical College and the University of Texas Brownsville,  VIDA sponsors over 30 Associate and Certificate programs at STCC and TSTC, including business, math, sciences, liberal arts and social sciences.

VIDA has sister organizations in San Antonio, El Paso, Austin, and Houston.

What Kids Can Do, Inc. (WKCD)  www.whatkidscando.org  < http://www.whatkidscando.org >
What Kids Can Do, Inc. (WKCD) is a national nonprofit organization founded in 2001 for the purpose of making public the voices and views of adolescents. On its Web site, WKCD documents young people's lives, learning and work, and their partnerships with adults both in and out of school.