Texas Empowerment Academy Celebrates Milestone
On January 14th Texas Empowerment Academy (TxEA) will celebrate a significant milestone, marking its first year on an expansive 89,000-square-foot campus. This growth is a testament to TxEA’s vision and resilience over its 26-year history as a pioneering charter school in Texas. Despite 86% of its students being economically disadvantaged, TxEA consistently demonstrates remarkable achievements, transforming narratives surrounding Black youth success.
In a broader educational landscape often focused on challenges like low graduation rates and achievement gaps, TxEA offers a compelling counter-narrative. The academy is dedicated to fostering an environment of educational equity and cultural responsiveness, enabling its Pre-K through 12th-grade students to consistently meet and surpass standardized assessment expectations. This tailored approach ensures personalized attention and academic success, challenging conventional perceptions of Black academic potential.
Code2College: AI Demo Day
On August 9, 2024, Code2College held its inaugural AI Demo Day (AIDemoDay.mp4), showcasing the talents of young students. These future tech leaders, some as young as 15 and 16, took the stage with confidence to present AI-driven projects developed over 8 weeks of hard work during the AI Fellows Program, which allowed students to immerse themselves in the exciting and rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence.
Students spent their summer not only learning cutting-edge AI technologies but also applying those skills to real-world challenges through their projects. From enhancing accessibility to improving gaming experiences, these projects reflect the diversity of thought and creativity within our student cohort.
Welcome
Hello all! One of my goals as Executive Director of Sooch Foundation is to take a moment every month to spotlight the profound work of our partners in the community, and to occasionally bring broader light to the systems and issues related to the Foundation’s mission.
First, though, I wanted to introduce myself. For those of you who do not know me, I started in this role on July 1, carrying on the legacy of founding Executive Director Mary Ellen Pietruszynski. I’m coming from a 30+ year career in nonprofit leadership, most notably as co-founder and longtime CEO of LifeWorks here in Austin.
I’m also a moderately-paced but dedicated runner and cyclist, a yoga enthusiast, and a community volunteer for organizations such as Austin Together and The New Philanthropists.