Attendees Show the Power of Youth in Civic Roles during a local Mayoral Forum

More than 400 Attendees Show the Power of Youth in Civic Roles during a local Mayoral Forum

On April 1, more than 400 young people and their families from across San Antonio engaged with mayoral candidates at the inaugural Future Ready Bexar County Youth-Led Mayoral Candidate Forum and Resource Fair. This event was designed to amplify youth voices in local elections, educate the community on key issues and inspire voter participation ahead of the upcoming election. 

UP Partnership | Youth Led Mayoral Candidate Forum
UP Partnership | Youth Led Mayoral Candidate Forum
UP Partnership | Youth Led Mayoral Candidate Forum
UP Partnership | Youth Led Mayoral Candidate Forum

This event was organized by a coalition of young people from Future Ready Bexar County institutional partners, including CAST Schools Network, Futuro San Antonio, Higher Education Advisory Board, NXT Level Path Builders, Project Worth Teen Ambassadors, San Antonio Youth Commission, Trinity University and Youth Do Vote, as well as community civic partner the League of Women Voters San Antonio.

 

10 of the 27 total San Antonio Mayoral Candidates answered questions developed by young people giving insights to their plans on topics such as mental health, education, and workforce development.

Candidates who were present include:

 

• Santos Alvarado

• Beto Altamirano

• John Courage

• Adriana Rocha Garcia

• Melissa Cabello Havrda

• Gina Ortiz Jones

• Jade McCullough

• Robert T. Melvin

• Clayton Perry

• Christopher Reyes.

 

Youth Leaders and Organizers included:

 

• Audrey, Junior, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio ISD

• Deniff, Graduate, University of Texas at San Antonio and Student Election Clerk,

• Julia, Senior, Keystone School and the moderator for the event

• Leona, Senior, CAST Lead High School, East Central ISD

• Michael, Student, University of Texas at San Antonio

 

Young people and their families also had the chance to register to vote, receive voter education materials and civic engagement resources. They also had access to speak to the Mayoral candidates after the forum.

Trellis Foundation Invests in Future Ready Bexar County

Trellis Foundation Invests in Bexar County's Future with Grant to Strengthen College and Career Advising

In December 2024, the Trellis Foundation made an investment of $450,000 to UP Partnership to enhance college and career advising, support students’ postsecondary success, and advance data-driven decision-making. This investment will help to maximize the impact of the Future Ready Bexar County Plan. 

Launched in April 2022, the Future Ready Bexar County Plan brings together more than 100 partner institutions committed to improving outcomes for young people through its core pillars: Healing, Access, Voice, along with essential System Supports. The plan’s North Star goal is to increase the percentage of Bexar County high school graduates enrolling in a postsecondary degree or credential to 70% by 2030. 

“The Future Ready Bexar County Plan is a powerful example of what’s possible when communities come together to ensure every student has access to the support they need to succeed,” said Kristin Boyer, CEO & President of Trellis Foundation. “We are particularly impressed by UP Partnership’s commitment to data-informed practices, and we look forward to seeing the impact of this collaboration—not just in Bexar County, but as a model for other communities across the state.” 

This grant will support the development of a robust data infrastructure to better serve students across the seven Future Ready School Districts — East Central ISD, Edgewood ISD, Harlandale ISD, Judson ISD, Northside ISD, San Antonio ISD and Southwest ISD — by strengthening collaboration between K-12 schools and higher education institutions. By aligning Future Ready advising strategies with improved data systems, this investment will: 

  • Expand district-level data capacity to support college and career advising.

  • Provide real-time insights to help educators guide students toward postsecondary success.

  • Enhance the use of postsecondary data to inform strategic enrollment planning at colleges and universities.

  • Enable targeted interventions for students at risk of not enrolling or completing their postsecondary education.

“By fostering stronger alignment between school districts and higher education institutions, we can ensure that all young people in Bexar County have access to the tools and opportunities they need to navigate the postsecondary education landscape,” said Dr. Emily Calderón Galdeano, UP Partnership’s Interim CEO. “This grant allows us to strengthen Future Ready strategies, ensuring that every young person in our community has a clear pathway to success.” 

About Trellis Foundation   
Trellis Foundation advances equitable educational opportunities in Texas by supporting postsecondary programs, practices and systems that reduce disparities and lead to success for low-income students and students of color. More information is available at www.trellisfoundation.org.