In the Information Literacy Center (ILC) at the Dr. Abraham P. Cano Freshman Academy, business leaders and teachers gathered to begin an initiative aimed at further bringing real-world experience back into the classroom.
The group kicked-off the district’s Classroom Connections initiative as part of the Heroes for Harlingen program, which pairs local business leaders with teachers to share their real world experiences and classroom strategies. By sharing, the goal is for teachers to bring back their findings to the classroom to help prepare students for college and the workforce.
“The partnership that we have here today, will bring relevance to learning in the classrooms and connect our students to the real-world application of learning,” said Superintendent Dr. Arturo Cavazos. “We are preparing our students for the world they are going to inherit by giving them a head start in understanding the business industry and what they are looking for not only entry-level positions but throughout the organization.”
Created to meet the goals of the district strategic plan, the Heroes for Harlingen program is designed to increase community engagement in education through community campus visits, discussions with administration and building partnerships to provide students and their families with services to enhance their lives.
With an increase in community engagement the hope is to not only benefit the students of Harlingen but the city as well.
“The number one economic driver in any given community is education,” said President of SpawGlass Rene Capistran. “We want to prepare students for tomorrow and know that they are the future leaders of our community. We want to make sure they have those skills that they need for college and career readiness.”
Additional components of the Heroes for Harlingen program includes Ambassadors for learning, a program that allows community partners to hold discussions with administrators at HCISD, and Caring for Kids, which aims to identify the needs of students through community partnerships.
To read more about the district’s strategic plan click here.
