Shaping the Future: UP Partnership Launches First-Ever Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship

Shaping the Future: UP Partnership Launches First-Ever Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship

Twenty leaders selected from across Bexar County for new leadership program aimed at San Antonio’s youth

San Antonio, TX (Aug. 28, 2025) — UP Partnership proudly announced the selection of its inaugural cohort of UP Leaders of Tomorrow (ULoT), a fellowship program aimed at empowering young leaders between the ages of 16 and 24 to grow their skills in leadership, civic engagement, and systems-level change.
The ULoT Fellowship will run from September 2025 through May 2026, engaging fellows in a transformative journey through leadership development, mentorship, and community-based advocacy. The 20 selected participants will commit approximately 10 hours per month to attend leadership training sessions, work with mentors and guest speakers, and contribute to youth-led community projects. The youth live across diverse City Council Districts and Bexar County Precincts.
“These young leaders represent the voice and vision of San Antonio’s future,” said Cathy Jones, Ph.D., UP Partnership’s CEO. “We hope their participation in this fellowship will equip them with the tools they need to advocate for building better communities where everyone can thrive.”
Fellows will receive a stipend of $2,500 disbursed in three installments over the program’s duration. The stipend will serve as payment for the time and dedication these youth will invest in educational programming and active participation in civic initiatives on behalf of the Future Ready Bexar County Plan.  
The UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship reflects our community’s Future Ready mission to amplify youth voice in shaping systems that serve them — from education to workforce pathways. By building young people’s capacities in policy, leadership, and collective impact, the fellowship supports the development of tomorrow’s changemakers today.
 
The 2024–2025 UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship class represents a diverse cross-section of young leaders across Bexar County. Collectively, the fellows represent seven local school districts including Future Ready Public School Districts East Central ISD, Harlandale ISD, Judson ISD, Northside ISD and San Antonio ISD; five higher education institutions including Future Ready Partners Northwest Vista College, St. Philip’s College, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, Trinity University and University of Texas at San Antonio; and includes two recent university graduates.  
 
In addition, they bring connections to numerous community-based organizations including Future Ready Partners Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Texas, Healthy Futures of Texas, Lemonade Circle, Students of Service – San Antonio, Youth Do Vote, YMCA of Greater San Antonio and YWCA San Antonio and represent all San Antonio City Council districts and Bexar County precincts.
 
More about UP Partnership: 
Founded in 2009, UP Partnership’s mission is to ensure all young people in Bexar County are ready for the future. We are a San Antonio-based nonprofit social impact organization that coordinates data, aligns pathways and promotes policy change that can help to unlock the full potential of young people ages 0-24 years in our region. Learn more about UP and the Future Ready Bexar County Plan – a strategic plan to guide shared action, language, goals, metrics, and practices that drive progress – at uppartnership.org.
 
More about Future Ready Bexar County:  
In April 2022, UP Partnership launched the Future Ready Bexar County Plan, which currently has more than 100 institutions signed on as official partners. This plan identified pillars that are necessary for improving outcomes among young people in our community – healing, access, voice and system supports. The Future Ready Bexar County Plan has a collective North Star goal of increasing postsecondary and credential enrollment of Bexar County’s high school graduates from around 50% at the launch of the plan to 70% by 2030. For more information on the Future Ready Bexar County plan, please visit: FutureReadySA.org.  

UP Partnership Names Dr. Cathy Jones as New CEO 

UP Partnership Names Dr. Cathy Jones as New CEO

Veteran educator and equity-driven leader will begin July 14th 

SAN ANTONIO (June 25, 2025) — Following a national search, nonprofit executive and seasoned educational leader Cathy Jones, Ph.D. has been selected as the next CEO of UP Partnership by the organization’s Board of Directors. Jones will assume her role on July 14, bringing with her more than two decades of experience in advancing regional systems leadership, school improvement, community-driven impact and opportunities for young people in education. 

Cathy Jones, Ph.D., new CEO of UP Partnership
Dr. Cathy Jones, Ph.D., has been selected as the new CEO of UP Partnership.

“After a thorough, robust candidate vetting process diligently undertaken by our search committee, Cathy rose as the top candidate due to being a highly respected regional leader and lifelong educator, as well as a champion for transformational partnerships between schools, nonprofits, and public agencies,” said Elaine Mendoza, UP Partnership Chair of the Board. “She brings the right mix of vision, experience, and values to lead UP Partnership into its next chapter.” 

Dr. Jones most recently served as Executive Director of Austin Partners in Education, where she led student-focused tutoring and mentoring initiatives to strengthen college and career readiness. Her career began in the classroom, and she has held roles ranging from elementary teacher and mentor to assistant superintendent in Central Texas school districts. Her leadership is marked by a commitment to student opportunity and sustainable change. 

“I am honored to join UP Partnership at this pivotal time,” said Jones. “I look forward to building relationships with the more than 100 Future Ready institutional partners and the San Antonio community to advance the Future Ready vision and ensure that every young person in Bexar County has the support and opportunity they deserve to thrive.” 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Angelo State University, a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Texas State University, and a doctorate in Educational Administration from The University of Texas at Austin’s Cooperative Superintendency Program. 

The CEO search committee in charge of vetting and selecting the candidate was chaired by UP Partnership Board Secretary Bobby Blount, along with Mendoza; Board Treasurer Tom Moreno of Texas Partners Bank; and board members Christopher Martin of United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County; Shari Albright, Ed.D. of the Charles Butt Foundation; Jeff Goldhorn, Ph.D. of Education Services Center Region 20; Sarah Baray, Ph.D. of Pre-K 4 SA; Roland Toscano of East Central ISD; and Simon Salas of Good Samaritan Community Services.  

“We were intentional in our search for a leader who could elevate our bold vision with heart, experience, and a strong collaborative spirit,” said Bobby Blount. “Dr. Jones checks all those boxes and more.”  

Dr. Jones will succeed Emily Calderón Galdeano, Ed.D., who served as UP Partnership’s Interim CEO since October 2024 and will support a seamless transition. Calderón Galdeano will continue to serve as the organization’s Chief Impact and Strategy Officer. 

Jones’s full biography can be found linked here. 

More about UP Partnership: Founded in 2009, UP Partnership’s mission is to ensure all young people in Bexar County are ready for the future. We are a San Antonio-based nonprofit social impact organization that coordinates data, aligns pathways and promotes policy change that can help to unlock the full potential of young people ages 0-24 years in our region. Our mission is ambitious, challenging, and achievable when we organize our efforts across the area. Learn more about UP and the Future Ready Bexar County Plan – a strategic plan to guide shared action, language, goals, metrics, and practices that drive progress – at uppartnership.org. 

More about Future Ready Bexar County:  

In April 2022, UP Partnership launched the Future Ready Bexar County Plan, which currently has more than 100 institutions signed on as official partners. This plan identified pillars that are necessary for improving outcomes among young people in our community – healing, access, voice and systems supports. The Future Ready Bexar County Plan has a collective North Star goal of increasing postsecondary and credential enrollment of Bexar County’s high school graduates from around 50% at the launch of the plan to 70% by 2030. For more information on the Future Ready Bexar County plan, please visit: FutureReadySA.org.  

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.

High school students lead the way in summer melt research with Youth Participatory Action Research

High school students lead the way in summer melt research with Youth Participatory Action Research

Youth Participatory Action Research cohort
Ten high school sophomores, juniors and seniors participated in a series of workshops and trainings under the direction and guidance of YPAR scholar Van Lac, a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

As part of Our Tomorrow’s Youth in Power, the Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) program this summer was an opportunity for young people to spearhead a research initiative focused on summer melt, the phenomenon of prospective college students’ capacity to attend college “melting” away during the summer between the end of high school and beginning of college.

Ten high school sophomores, juniors and seniors participated in a series of workshops and trainings under the direction and guidance of YPAR scholar Van Lac, a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

YPAR is an approach to research that values the lived experiences and voices of those who have experienced systemic oppression, according to Lac. It centers marginalized voices and positions them as problem solvers of their social conditions.

“I was going through summer melt myself and didn’t even realize it,” said Alison Fernandez, a Jefferson High School senior. “As a first-gen student, I didn’t feel like I had the tools, but this experience has helped me feel privileged and more knowledgeable moving forward.”

Students conducted qualitative research with other youth who are experiencing or have overcome summer melt.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure and highlight of my summer working with a group of young people seeking ways to improve their schools and communities,” said Lac.

Why is this important?

Our Tomorrow’s summer YPAR program is the first of its kind in the country to focus on summer melt.

“At first I didn’t know fully what I was getting into, but this has inspired me to inspire others. This program has inspired me to see a new path for myself,” said Sarah Salazar, an East Central High School junior.

This program gave youth the platform needed to find their voice and speak about the impact of summer melt. Students’ findings will be shared with UP Partnership’s Equitable Enrollment Collaborative in the fall through a results recording and a protocol developed by Lac.

Digging Deeper

Throughout the summer, the program focused on three key steps.

• Understanding the Roots

Lac and Our Tomorrow leaders trained and supported students as they focused their research and work on summer melt. Lac taught students about the roots of systemic racism and discrimination, especially in education.

“I loved the real talk we had around topics like social justice and inequality. As I am [preparing] for college, I have become so passionate about this topic. And it gives me knowledge about who I am, my background, experiences, and culture.” said Pete Vela, a junior at Jefferson High School.

This gave them a deeper understanding on the underlying causes of summer melt for themselves and their communities.

“We can’t combat an issue if we don’t know it’s a thing. This program is changing the awareness around summer melt,” said Nickoll Garcia, a senior at Jefferson High School.

• Conducting Research

Students conducted qualitative research by interviewing 20 self-identified “Melters,” those who have experienced summer melt, and “Thrivers,” those who have overcome summer melt, to find out why summer melt occurs. Themes included financial barriers, family/personal emergencies, and/or mental health issues.

“This program empowered me to do and understand research in a very hands-on way. And we didn’t have to hide behind other people’s research,” said Deija Nunn, a sophomore at Veterans Memorial High School.

Our Tomorrow’s YPAR program was an opportunity rarely given to high school students and youth.

“I have realized that these are summer melt issues so many students endure now, and that can be fixed for future generations. That is the real power of this program,” said Tsomlee Andrew Go, a sophomore at East Central High School.

• Sharing their Findings

Their findings have been categorized into themes for Our Tomorrow and the Equitable Enrollment Collaborative as part of a Gates Foundation grant.

High school and college practitioners will take the findings to guide future equitable enrollment strategies.

“I loved being able to create new friendships through this program. And realized that beyond the financial needs of students, many issues can be fixed with policies to make sure that students are empowered moving forward,” said Santiago Hernandez, a senior at Jefferson High School.

Final Takeaways from Youth

Our Tomorrow’s summer YPAR program is the first of its kind in the country to focus on summer melt.

“At first I didn’t know fully what I was getting into, but this has inspired me to inspire others. This program has inspired me to see a new path for myself,” said Sarah Salazar, an East Central High School junior.

This program gave youth the platform needed to find their voice and speak about the impact of summer melt. Students’ findings will be shared with UP Partnership’s Equitable Enrollment Collaborative in the fall through a results recording and a protocol developed by Lac.

—Paulina Sosa, Senior Manager of Storytelling
(202) 379-8940 | paulina@uppartnership.org

Learn more about Youth in Power
Listen to the Youth Voices podcast
our tomorrow logo supply education resources for young people