GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT

HIGHLIGHTING SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY

CREEED invests in promising programs and organizations that share our goal of increasing educational attainment through strategic grants. By partnering with local public, private, and charter school systems, as well as organizations aimed to increase student achievement, these bold and innovative initiatives have proven to be successful in preparing students for college and career.
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We've highlighted some of our partners below. Learn more about the impact these programs are making across the region

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS EL PASO

My role as Executive Director at IDEA Public Schools El Paso is personal to me. Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley, I didn’t have many role models. I had to figure many things out on my own. That’s why after graduating from college, I took a job as a tutor at IDEA Public Schools in the region where I grew up. I wanted to be that role model for Hispanic and underserved students. I then joined IDEA full time as  a full-time teacher, administrator, and now I lead IDEA’s El Paso region.

At IDEA, it’s more than just what happens at school. We believe in being great partners within our communities.  Thus, when IDEA announced plans to expand to El Paso, we sought to partner with organizations who are just as passionate and dedicated to education as we are. That’s when we found CREEED. Since that time, CREEED has continued to be a valuable partner that has supported us every step of the way. With their support, we are able to compliment our grassroots efforts in garnering interest from parents and teachers with a grasstops strategy to engage elected officials, community leaders, and even other superintendents. 

Today, IDEA El Paso serves 3,700 students at 8 schools across El Paso with plans to open 12 more schools across 6 campuses in the coming years. Our college readiness model aligns perfectly with CREEED’s efforts to help the region meet the state’s 60x30 goal as we aim to send 1,000 IDEA graduates from our El Paso schools to college each year by 2030. To do this, we have hired and trained nearly 150 quality teachers, and developed a rigorous curriculum that emphasizes individualized learning in the lower grades and Advanced Placement for all students in the upper grades. We have a strong college success team that walks students through the entire college application process from compiling a list of target schools to filling out the FAFSA and meeting application deadlines. At IDEA, the question is not “are you going to college,” but rather “where are you going to college?”  And that motto aligns perfectly with CREEED’s goal of ensuring more students are college ready, able and go on to achieve a post-secondary degree.

​Thanks to CREEED’s early support and partnership,  I am able to continue doing what I love, which is enriching the education of students in El Paso. By partnering with all schools - public, private, and charter - CREEED is leading the way in increasing educational opportunities for students in the region.

- Ernesto Cantu, Ed.D., Executive Director, IDEA Public Schools El Paso

CANUTILLO ISD EARLY ALGEBRA PROGRAM

owing up in a migrant family, there were a lot of roadblocks early on in my educational experience. Today as Superintendent of the Canutillo Independent School District, I want to give students the opportunity to attain something that cannot be taken away from them: a quality education. One program I am particularly proud of is our Early Algebra Program, which  has been very successful at helping  improve educational outcomes for students that will prepare them for college and career. 

Thanks to our partnership and funding from CREEED, Canutillo ISD is on track to be the first district in Texas to enroll all of its eighth graders in Algebra 1 this year. By completing Algebra 1 before high school, our students are four times more likely to receive a college degree, setting them on a path of success. When our district partnered with CREEED in 2019, we had a goal of enrolling 40 students who wouldn’t have otherwise had the chance to take Algebra 1 before high school. We are now expanding this program, and plan to have it available to all CISD middle school students. CREEED’s dedication to student attainment and college readiness in the Borderplex region enabled us to implement a unique program that utilizes advanced tools and resources that allow our teachers and students to be successful. 

Supporting  bold initiatives such as the Early Algebra Program, CREEED is helping CISD pave the way for students, teachers and administrators to move the needle forward when it comes to furthering college readiness in the region. By partnering with us on this program, CREEED has invested in the future of our students. The knowledge they gain through the Early Algebra Program will see them through their high school graduation day and onward towards their future careers- an achievement that will always be theirs. 
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-Dr. Pedro Galaviz, Superintendent, Canutillo Independent School District ​

Video courtesy of Canutillo ISD

SYLVIA HOPP SAN ELIZARIO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

My professional career has been in education for  twenty-three years, and I have spent the last three and a half years as the Superintendent of  the San Elizario Independent School District (SEISD). When I look into the eyes of our students, I see myself when I was their age. For me, my service in public education is fueled by the desire to prepare our students, much like the student I once was, to succeed in the greatest way they can, achieving a quality education. For many, that goal includes continuing on to higher education after high school. The unfortunate truth is that for many, that goal is hindered by the financial requirements to attend college.  Thanks to CREEED’s efforts,   each year, one high-performing student in our district is given the financial assistance that will help take their education to the next level. 

​The Sylvia Hopp San Elizario College Scholarship was established by CREEED in 2017 to honor former SEISD Superintendent Sylvia Hopp. This annual scholarship will award a total of $20,000 by 2025 to San Elizario High School graduating seniors. CREEED’s mission of increasing educational attainment in our region is synonymous with one of our missions at SEISD-  to provide higher education opportunities for our students that will set them on a pathway to career success. However, pursuing higher education is not always easy for students from San Elizario since many of them come from low-income households and do not have access to tangible resources or the immediate financial means to go to college. 

“Through our partnership with CREEED, we are able to reward hard work and provide tuition assistance through the Sylvia Hopp San Elizario College Scholarship”, said Dr. Jeannie Meza-Chavez, Superintendent, San Elizario Independent School District. This lets our students know that it is possible to attain a college degree, and to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to them. Thanks to CREEED’s support, SEISD students can be confident in knowing that they too have an opportunity to  continue their education, and make a difference in the world”.