From Seed to Plant: Nueces County JJAEP’s Student Garden
April 26, 2021
After weeks of preparation, the Nueces County JJAEP were excited to finally kick off the official start of Spring. How? A new student garden....
The School-to-Prison Pipeline: How Schools Are Failing Students
April 23, 2021
National experts have established a dangerous link: School discipline, dropout rates, and referrals enable the school-to-prison pipeline....
How Local Soldiers Began Tutoring Bell County JJAEP Students
December 18, 2020
With students struggling to stay engaged this school year, Bell County JJAEP found an surprising opportunity for engagement with the nearby Fort Hood....
Launching Virtual Education at Southwest Key Shelters
October 28, 2020
Education is a huge part of life at Southwest Key. But in 2020, education at Southwest Key needed to go virtual—and fast. ...
The Flores Settlement Agreement – A Visual Guide
October 19, 2020
Learn the impact and history of the Flores Settlement Agreement and how it affects Immigrant Children's Shelters with this infographic....
4 Life Lessons from Entrepreneur Diana Anzaldua
August 31, 2020
If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, you’ll want to pay attention to Diana Anzaldua and her work. As a social entrepreneur, Diana has made a huge positive impact on her community. ...
How Juvenile Education is Evolving Beyond the Classroom
May 22, 2020
In Early March, Hidalgo County’s Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP) faced a major decision. The World Health Organization (WHO) had just recognized the novel coronavirus as a pandemic. Schools across the nation were closing. What were they, a program dedicated to providing a safe and structured space for juvenile offenders to receive counseling and...
Community Comes Together for Children’s Coat Drive
January 29, 2020
During cold winter months, our amazing partners help keep our mission warm. This past winter, Junior League of Austin, took things a step further by working with our Adult Services Coordinator, Astrid Duenas and Zenaida Martinez, Blue Cross Blue Shield partner to donate winter coats to our East Austin College Prep students. Through a community...
Demarion’s Journey to a New Life
January 22, 2020
Demarion came to Southwest Key Programs experiencing issues with drugs, school and gang-affiliated friends leading him down the wrong path. The pressure from all of these issues was weighing heavily on him and he began making poor choices and wasn’t on track to graduate from high school....
Helping Martha Explore the World
January 16, 2020
Martha arrived at Casa Kokopeli just two months before her 18th birthday. During the intake process, staff learned that Martha spoke an indigenous dialect. She had limited ability to communicate in Spanish or English and was provided a translator. After the first few days of her stay, she demonstrated some unusual behaviors that indicated she...