An estimated 10,397 middle school and high school students, teachers, counselors and administrators attended our year-end Student Leadership Series (SLS) events held in Tucson last week.  Events included four Career and College Recruitment Fairs, two Parent Leadership programs, and Student Leadership Rallies at 10 schools.  In keeping with the intent of the SLS, the purpose for the SLS events was to encourage students to stay in school, improve their academic performance, graduate, and plan to pursue some kind of post-secondary education or training, e.g., vocational, technical, trade, community college, a 4-year university, or the military.  The parents received training on leadership, understanding the needs of today's students, and how to more effectively encourage their children to stay in school. 

We are especially grateful to Dr. Manuel Izquierdo, Superintendent, and NJ Utter, College Readiness Director, of the Sunnyside Independent School District for their leadership in reaching the overwhelming majority of students served.  We are also grateful to the Tucson Unified School District staff including Ruben Romero, Career Center Coordinator of  Pueblo Magnet High School, and Maria Cabral, Counselor of Cholla High Magnet School.  Our team of featured speakers included Carlos Ojeda, Ernesto Mejia, and Joey Negron.  

This was our 55th SLS event of 2012, bringing the total number of students, parents, and professionals served to 71,023 in 25 states, which by all standards was an incredibly successful year.  We are of course very grateful to all our sponsors whose generous support made all this possible.  But we are especially proud of what was accomplished in Tucson with the help we received from the AT&T regional office, which is directed by Jerry Fuentes. Last year we were able to be in Tucson for only one day and reached about 2,500 students.  With this additional support we were able to stay on the ground for four days and quadrupled the number of students and parents served, so a special Thank You! to AT&T.

The 2013 SLS will begin in Illinois, Texas and Indiana in January and officially launch in Chicago on February 14.  Our goal will be to reach 100,000 students, most of whom will be economically disadvantaged and/or will be either the first in their family to graduate high school, or the first to pursue post-secondary education or training, or the first to obtain a post-secondary degree or certificate.  

With our fresh, energetic, interactive, uplifting and empowering approach, our critically acclaimed SLS presentations focus on Stay-in-School Rallies for middle school and junior high students, Career & College Recruitment Fairs for high school students, Regional Leadership Summits for college students, and, whenever possible, Parent Leadership Training and Professional Development events.