The 4th Annual East End Chamber Education Symposium celebrated the accomplishments of East End high school students and offered workforce development strategies to attendees. The half-day event took place on Wednesday, April 27 at the impressive Federal Reserve Bank building on Allen Parkway.
The Education Symposium was presented by the East End Chamber of Commerce Foundation who is committed to serving the education and community needs of Houston’s East End by partnering with businesses, chamber members and the East End community to offer resources, monetary support and guidance to local students.
Offering four different panel-style breakout forums, bookended by a breakfast and lunch keynote session, the symposium provided the perfect amount of thought-provoking knowledge and observation of the current state of the education system in Houston and how to best prepare our future generations for success in the workforce. During the breakfast keynote, attendees heard from HISD Interim Superintendent Ken Huewitt on the state of the school district. Following breakfast, attendees were able to choose between two different back-to-back forums (descriptions below).
Forum A: What Skills Do Future Generations Need to Advance Houston’s Workforce?
Forum B: What is Houston Doing to Provide Opportunities for a Solid Education and Career Pathways for Our Students?
Forum C: Developing a Sustainable Supply Chain Workforce for America’s Distribution Hub for the Next Generation.
Forum D: Generation Z (Boomlets 2001 – Now), Adapting Our Education & Workforce Initiatives to a Digital Age. How to Work with Generation Z (Boomlets).
Each forum offered moderated discussions from a selection of panelists who all provided expert advice in their respective fields.
During lunch, attendees heard from title sponsor Chip Gross, Regional Public Affairs Director of Valero Houston Refinery and keynote remarks from Senator Sylvia Garcia, a member of the Texas Senate Committee on Education.
Rounding out the 4th Annual Education Symposium was a scholarship presentation awarding 25 East End-area high school students with financial support to kick-start a successful college career. Among those scholarships, Austin High School Senior Belen Mendoza received a $10,000 award from Texas Mattress Makers located in East End Houston.
