Program Description:
Communities In Schools of San Antonio partners with companies across San Antonio to offer the InspireU program. This program connects 10-20 corporate mentors with high school students, providing them with workplace exposure while developing skills that prepare them for a future career. Businesses are matched with a local high school where students visit their workplace monthly during their four-year high school journey.
InspireU partners include:
Program Overview:
There are eight sessions each year where students travel once a month as a group to the partnering business during lunchtime. Our CIS-SA Site Coordinator will guide each 1.5-hour session with activities that include a lunch/social etiquette piece, post-graduation planning, and time to develop the mentor and mentee relationship. Mentors serve as positive role models our students need to help them with their plans, showing them the value of an education. In a recent survey, our mentors reported they found it easy to engage with our students. They felt more motivated and productive at work, and better understood the education system and the obstacles that affect at-risk youth.
Program Costs:
Corporate partners typically cover a minimal investment of funding the cost of bus transportation and lunch for students. Due to the program’s structure, companies are asked to commit to supporting a class through their four years of high school.
We are grateful to the San Antonio Area Foundation and Bexar County for their additional support of this program.
How to Join InspireU
To get your company and staff involved in the upcoming school year, please get in touch with Ilsa Garcia, CIS-SA Community Initiatives Coordinator, at igarcia@cissa.org or 210-520-8440 ext. 225.