U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar presented a $2.2 million check to El Paso ISD on Wednesday at Aoy Elementary School to fund the After-School Community Learning Centers: Broadening STEAM Learning Ecosystems project.
The TX-16 Appropriation award for community project funding allows El Paso ISD to expand its partnership with the YWCA Paso del Norte Region to provide after-school learning hubs at Guillen Middle School, Tinajero PK-8, and Aoy, Cooley, Douglass, Hart and Zavala elementary schools. The learning centers will provide focused academic tutoring to boost comprehension, physical activity components to engage and improve brain function, and character-building curriculum to provide modeling and mentorship.
“El Paso ISD is grateful for Congresswoman Escobar’s leadership in securing this award to create learning centers that will further the district’s mission to inspire and empower learners to thrive,” El Paso ISD Superintendent Diana Sayavedra said. “We will be able to foster safe and productive after-school activities that not only address the immediate concerns of attendance, behavior, and academic performance but also helps students look to the future and develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed in career and educational opportunities.”
These efforts align with El Paso ISD’s focus on whole child development, which is a focal point of the district’s new Hopes and Dreams Realized 2022-2025 strategic blueprint. One of the essential actions outlined in the document, which was approved by the El Paso ISD Board of Trustees in December 2022, is the use of the Community Schools model to create an integrated system of school supports, extended learning opportunities, and community partnerships.
“Throughout the 117th Congress, my Democratic colleagues and I worked hard to deliver for the American people. From passing legislation that will create good-paying jobs to fighting to lower healthcare costs, investing in infrastructure and manufacturing and so much more, we’ve achieved historic accomplishments and last year’s Consolidated Appropriations Act was no different,” Congresswoman Escobar said. “The wins for El Paso in our final funding bill were historic and reflected our community’s most pressing needs and our aspirational priorities. I am excited to see these dollars come into our community and our hard work continue to improve El Pasoans’ lives. To join EPISD today and celebrate the $2.2 million I secured for our students and the new after-school community learning centers was wonderful.”
