YES Prep Public Schools 7th Annual Leading Houston Forward Luncheon!
+12YES Prep Public Schools 7th Annual Leading Houston Forward Luncheon!
YES Prep Public Schools 7th Annual Leading Houston Forward Luncheon!
YES Prep Public Schools 7th Annual Leading Houston Forward Luncheon!
YES Prep Public Schools 7th Annual Leading Houston Forward Luncheon!
YES Prep Public Schools 7th Annual Leading Houston Forward Luncheon!
YES Prep Public Schools 7th Annual Leading Houston Forward Luncheon!
YES Prep Public Schools 7th Annual Leading Houston Forward Luncheon!
YES Prep Public Schools 7th Annual Leading Houston Forward Luncheon!
Hundreds of supporters gathered on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at Wortham Theater Center to celebrate YES Prep’s 25 years of impact and raised more than $800,000 to benefit its students and recent graduates in college.
YES Prep — one of the fastest growing and highest performing public charter school systems in the U.S. — helps students to succeed in college and to pursue lives of opportunity.
The luncheon recognized Enbridge with the Chris Barbic Legacy Award. The award is named after the school district’s founder, Chris Barbic, a fervent advocate for quality public education for every student no matter where they live. Enbridge is part of an elite group of dedicated YES Prep supporters who have donated more than $1 million to YES Prep since 2002.
Melanie Trent, chair emerita of the YES Prep Board of Directors, and Janet Clark, founding chair of the advisory council, co-chaired the luncheon, which also celebrated two educators: Eric Espinoza, who received the YES Prep Alumni Legacy Award, and Gustavo Mireles, who delivered the keynote address to a crowd of nearly 400 supporters. Mireles is a YES Prep alumnus and founding kindergarten teacher at YES Prep Southeast Elementary.
Generous supporters make possible YES Prep’s ongoing expansion to meet Houston families’ increasing demand for more school choices. The nationally recognized public charter school system plans to open five additional campuses and have the capacity to serve 22,000 Houston students by 2025, including a record three new elementary schools opening in August 2024: Hobby Elementary, Southwest Oaks Elementary and North Rankin Elementary.
Houston families interested in enrolling PK-12 students at one of YES Prep’s 26 campuses for the 2024-25 school year can sign up for the student lottery 24 hours a day through Feb. 18, 2024, at www.yesprep.org/sayYES.
Quotes
“YES Prep graduates are changing our community and the world for the better. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, it’s exciting to come together to honor YES Prep’s remarkable history and look forward to the future,” YES Prep CEO Mark DiBella said.
“Enbridge has a long history of supporting YES Prep Public Schools as part of our commitment to empowering young people in the communities where we work and operate,” Enbridge Senior Community Investment Advisor Regan Kasman said. “We’re honored by this award and proud to support YES Prep as they prepare under-resourced students in Houston to be college ready.”
About YES Prep Public Schools
Celebrating 25 years of impact, with 23 campuses serving more than 18,000 students, YES Prep Public Schools leads Houston forward by redefining what is possible in public education when children have access to excellent schools from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report, YES Prep is open to and tuition-free for all children. In addition to rigorous education and enrichment programs, YES Prep schools provide meals, devices, transportation, special education, English language learning, and access to healthcare, mental health and other student support services. To learn more, visit www.yesprep.org.