The purpose of the Southside Student Empowerment Symposium is to encourage high school students in the Southside of San Antonio to explore different career opportunities and network with alumni from the area. Students will take part in three 45-minute workshops during the morning followed by lunch and an opportunity to network with representatives from local universities and colleges. The event will conclude with a discussion panel formed of distinguished alumni from the Southside who will answer questions from students. Workshop topics include: Money Management - Financial Literacy Financial Aid & Scholarships 101 Connections & Reflections Four Year-Degrees & Beyond Law Enforcement Academies & Military Service Cybersecurity & Aerospace Advanced Manufacturing & Skilled Trades The target audience will include high schools in the Southside of San Antonio, specifically South San Antonio High School, Southwest High School, Southwest Legacy High School, CAST STEM, Harlandale High School, McCollum High School, Southside High School, Somerset High School and S.T.E.M Early College High School and Frank L. Madla Early College High School. Workshop presenters include representatives from the San Antonio Police Recruiting Detail, San Antonio Fire Academy, Alamo Academies Standard Aero, Port San Antonio IP Secure, Jefferson Bank, JBSA-Lackland Airforce Servicemen and the San Antonio Education Partnership Community Partners include the Alamo Colleges, Building A Purpose, Communities in Schools, P16Plus Council of Greater Bexar County, San Antonio Youth Commission, South San Foundation, and South San Kids First* This event is made possible thanks to the following sponsors: Jefferson Bank, Port San Antonio, CPS Energy, San Antonio Water System, Boeing, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, Southside Chamber of Commerce, South Park Mall, Southwest General Hospital* *Pending Confirmations
TENTATIVE ITINERARY 8:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Breakfast*/Student Check-In** PAC Lobby 8:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Student Seating begins PAC Auditorium 9:00 a.m. 9:25 a.m. Opening Remarks by Councilman Saldaña PAC Auditorium & Dr. Flores & Dr. Garza 9:25 a.m. 9:30 a.m. TRANSITION PERIOD 9:30 a.m. 10:15 a.m. Workshop #1 (per student schedule) Various Locations 10:15 a.m. 10:20 a.m. TRANSITION PERIOD 10:20 a.m. 11:05 a.m. Workshop #2 (per student schedule) Various Locations 11:05 a.m. 11:10 a.m. TRANSITION PERIOD 11:10 a.m. 11:55 a.m. Workshop #3 (per student schedule) Various Locations 11:55 a.m. 12:55 a.m. Lunch*/Networking with Higher Eds. PAC Lobby 12:55 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Student Seating begins PAC Auditorium 1:00 p.m. 1:45 p.m. Distinguished Alumni Panel PAC Auditorium 1:45 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Networking Opportunity PAC Lobby *Breakfast and lunch will be provided to students; students with dietary restrictions will be accommodated per information submitted on registration form. **Students will check-in at the lobby of the to receive their workshop schedule based on preferences submitted on registration form and workshop availability.
Workshop Descriptions Money Management - Financial Literacy 101: Money can be confusing. From taxes to credit scores, there s so much to learn in such little time. The financial literacy workshop will help you understand what it takes to be financially safe and stable. Hear from financial experts about the do s and don ts of financing that are crucial to understanding money. With this workshop, you ll have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed not just in your finances, but in life. Financial Aid & Scholarships 101: Whether you plan on going to a 4-year college or are enlisting in the military, life is expensive. The Financial Aid and Scholarships workshop will explore the complicated and competitive world of financial aid and scholarships. With this workshop, you can learn what will help you earn more money while in high school and how to stand out from the crowd when applying for scholarships. Connections and Reflections: This interactive workshop offers a personal experience where you can talk to recent graduates familiar with the difficulties associated with transitioning to life after high school. Through meaningful conversations with recent graduates, you will gain invaluable insight from those who know first-hand the setbacks and obstacles encountered while planning for the future. This workshop is a great way to engage with alumni who can provide tips and tools to ensure students success. Four Year-Degrees & Beyond: Interested in college? Great! The Four years and beyond workshop is a way for you to learn about how to navigate the college application process and explore different career interests. Discover what Texas colleges have to offer, and what the college experience is all about. Network with those who are also interested in attending college as well as college representatives from various schools.
Law Enforcement Academies & Military Service: Want to help protect our community by joining a branch of the Military or Law Enforcement? This workshop will offer you the opportunity to meet with current law enforcement officers and military servicemen detailing their distinct journeys. Representatives from the San Antonio Police Department Recruiting Detail, San Antonio Fire Department Recruiting division, and JBSA-Lackland Air Force servicemen will be there to answer questions and to help you learn more about what each program has to offer. Cybersecurity & Aerospace: Cyber Security and Aerospace are two of the fastest growing industries in the world. There are currently 3.5 million cyber security jobs that need to be filled by 2021 and there currently aren t enough people to fill the gap. If you like gaming, coding, or anything else that involves computers or tech, this is the workshop for you. Aerospace is the science of flight and is a very high paying industry. If you ve ever wondered what it would be like to fly or work on airplanes and rockets and like pushing yourself to the limits, a path in aerospace is the place to be. Advanced Manufacturing & Skilled Trades: Programs like Alamo Academies offer a more job-focused training program for those who already know the type of industry profession they want to pursue. These programs help provide students with technical training and connect them to internship opportunities with major industry partners. The best part is that most of these programs can be completed within a year or two! Take part in this workshop to learn about the many jobs available for trade school graduates.
Higher Education Institutions Admissions Representatives from each institution will be asked to set up in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center. Alamo Colleges Our Lady of the Lake University St. Mary s University University of Incarnate Word Trinity University University of Texas at San Antonio Texas A&M San Antonio University of Texas Austin Texas A&M College Station Baptist University of the Americas Texas Lutheran University University of Houston St. Edward s University Texas State University Texas Tech University Texas Christian University University of North Texas Baylor University