NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Generation TX San Antonio Rock Your Future GenTX Fest 'Marks a New Era'

Bexar County ninth graders dance to drum lines and bands at the Rock Your Future GenTX Fest as they celebrate their opportunities for higher education. (Photo: (c) 2010 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board)

"The event truly marks a new era for San Antonio," said Judy Loredo, Assistant Commissioner at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. "Students left the event knowing we expect them to be prepared for a choice of traditional or career-specific education after high school, and that the community supports them in their endeavors. Saturday's event will have a lasting effect on these students and ultimately all of San Antonio."

During the event, San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro spoke to the high schoolers about the importance of pursuing higher education and the difference education made in his own life. The mayor was joined by surprise celebrity guests including three-time Tejano Music Award winner A.J. Castillo, singer/performer with George Strait's Ace in the Hole Band Chris Salinas, and GRAMMY-nominated producers of Beyonce's hit song "Why Don't You Love Me" The Bama Boyz. All shared their stories of how education played a key role in their highly successful careers.

"Education was key for making our career as music producers what it is today," said The Bama Boyz. "We want young people to know our personal story so they realize that going to college is the way to a successful future."

The event was hosted by Gabriel Zavala, producer and host of the popular music television show "Tejano y Más" that airs weekly on KSAT12. Performers included San Antonio-based percussionist Nina Rodriguez, lead guitarist for Legendary Texas-based rock band "The Heroine" Derek "Dibi Disaster" Badillio, and producer/DJ "The Toucan Bird" JC Flores.

But the afternoon was more than inspiration and entertainment. Students learned the top five things all freshman can do to prepare for higher education, which was the main theme of the event.

"The launch of Generation TX San Antonio establishes San Antonio as a city on a mission to create a college and career-ready community in a single generation," said Mari Aguirre Rodriguez, Executive Director of Generation TX San Antonio. "The energy, support, and excitement from over 3,000 attendees confirmed that and has set San Antonio on the path of victory."

Local high schools Holmes High School won the event's cheer competition and Brackenridge High School won the drum squad competition, each earning a cash prize of $1,000 for their schools. VIP cheer judges Christine Cantu and Jamie Goodwin and VIP drumline judges Robert Trevino, Joe Gonzales and Claudio Leiva scored the performances and the student audience voted via an "American Idol" -style telephone call-in number.

Event sponsors included Clear Channel Communications, H-E-B, Labatt Food Service, Best Buy Musical Instruments, Rackspace, Frost Bank, Chase Bank, Silver and Black Give Back (formerly the Spurs Foundation), Santikos Theatres, Broadway Bank, Conceptual Mindworks, Padgett Stratemann & Co. and Zachry Industrial.

About Generation TX San Antonio:

Generation TX San Antonio is committed to making San Antonio a college-going and career-ready community in a single generation. Generation TX San Antonio will serve as a hub for community coordination of resources to prepare San Antonio students for college and careers, and provide a focused marketing effort and curriculum of in-school messaging to inspire and ignite a shared commitment to producing the most successful generation of San Antonio students ever.

Generation TX San Antonio shares a common name and a deep commitment to creating a college-going and career-ready culture with the statewide Generation TX movement, an initiative of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board dedicated to empowering students to pursue higher education and take hold of their future. Generation TX San Antonio combines the inspiration and information provided by the statewide campaign with local leadership and initiatives to create a movement uniquely their own. For more information, please visit: www.GenTX.org

For media requests, please contact Courtney Knittel at 512-997-8279 / cknittel@gentx.org or Heather Wagner Reed at 713-208-3891 / hwagnerreed@gentx.org.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6598039&lang=en

Generation TX
Courtney Knittel, 512-997-8279
cknittel@gentx.org
or
Heather Wagner Reed, 713-208-3891
hwagnerreed@gentx.org