Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program to Celebrate 15th Anniversary, Academic and Leadership Succ

Where can you find Dallas’ next generation of great leaders?

Many of them will gather on Thursday evening, April 21, at Southern Methodist University – taking center stage for their accomplishments in the Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program (FLP), an after-school academic and leadership development program that lights a path to college for students from the Dallas Independent School District (DISD).

Nearly 300 students will be honored. The keynote address will be delivered by DISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa.

The FLP Recognition Ceremony will be held from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at McFarlin Auditorium at SMU, located at 6405 Boaz Lane in Dallas.

Now in its 15th year, the FLP is an academic and leadership development program that benefits hundreds of DISD students, ages 10 – 18, and 91 FLP alumni. Founded in 2001, the program began with 20 students. Since that time, the program has become a national model for public-private partnership in education. It partners DISD teachers and faculty with those from St. Mark’s School of Texas, The Hockaday School, Episcopal School of Dallas, and Greenhill School.

FLP classes are offered after school on the campuses of the program’s private school partners. Students attend classes with an 8:1 student-teacher ratio, supplementing their regular coursework with classes in English, Technology, Mathematic, Computer Science, and Leadership. For 15 years, the aim has been to prepare deserving students for success in high school, college and beyond.

“This program milestone is made possible by all of those who believed we could create a different model of educational partnership,” said William A. Brewer III, a founder of the FLP and chairman of its Advisory Board. “We are proud to recognize our next generation of future leaders – and to celebrate the promise of their horizons.”

Dr. Hinojosa has been a long-time partner to the FLP. He returned to the district in October 2015 and has served 20 years as a superintendent of six public education systems.

All FLP students will be recognized at the ceremony, with special recognition for students with perfect attendance and the FLP Student Advisory Board members.

The 22 FLP Class of 2016 graduating high school seniors will also be recognized. This year’s graduates earned almost $1 million in scholarship offers and received 114 college acceptance letters and counting. To date, FLP graduates have received more than $8 million in scholarship offers.

The graduating FLP students are Maria Beltran, LaQuianshie Bonner, Rosa Correa, Twantanisha Derrough, Estefania Enriquez, Evan Gilbert, Benjamin Greer, Brandi Gregg, Trini Hill, Sienzhi Kouemo, Marlene Loza, Ryean McDow, Jennifer Perez, Karel Rafael, Fernando Rivera, Rodrigo Salazar, Dalton Sherman, Evelyn Silva, Ke’Ryne Smith, Michael Vera, Alexxus Williams, and Maria Yanez.

Founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation (formerly the Bickel & Brewer Foundation), the FLP is a public-private partnership that involves 23 DISD partner schools and The Hockaday School, St. Mark’s School of Texas, the Episcopal School of Dallas, and Greenhill School.

Approximately 85 percent of all FLP participants are (or will be) first generation college students. The composition of the FLP is approximately 50 percent Latino and 50 percent African-American.

FLP alumni now attend colleges and universities including The University of Texas at Austin, SMU, Colby College, Pomona College and Howard University.