By Lucas Land
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) all have their own story about how they became advocates. Not all of them start in Russia.
Sasha Messer is a senior psychology major at Baylor University, but when she was 4 years old, she and her brother were adopted from Russia. She grew up in Dallas and says it was often difficult growing up. “I didn’t always understand what people were saying when I was learning English and knew from an early age that I was different,” Sasha says of what she remembers from that transition.
Overall, she had a good experience and was raised in a very stable home with two good role models who provided what she needed. However, because of her experience, Sasha can understand what children in foster care are going through in a way that many of us can’t. So, when she learned about CASA on an episode of Dr. Phil, she knew she wanted to help out.
CASA is part of a nationwide organization of advocates, with 948 chapters in 49 states and more than 97,000 volunteers. CASA volunteers are everyday people – teachers, business people, retirees, stay-at-home parents, and grandparents – who are committed to making a difference for children who might otherwise slip through the cracks in an overburdened foster care system.
CASA advocates are appointed by a judge and assigned to a case where they spend time getting to know the child(ren) involved. Their purpose is to gather as much information about the child(ren), as well as all the stakeholders in their life, such as family of origin, foster placement, doctors, teachers, CPS workers, etc. All of this information is then compiled into a report for the court.
But CASA advocates have to be 21 years or older, so Sasha looked for other ways that she could help. She worked answering calls for the National Suicide Hotline, where she talked to a lot of kids and heard about the difficult things they were going through.
During the pandemic Sasha learned how to make candles, and during the summer of 2020 she started Walking Stick Candle Co. to sell them at a new market in Celina. She still wanted to give back so she decided to donate a portion of her proceeds to CASA of McLennan County.
“I looked into different organizations and knew that a lot needed extra help. Hearing stories about kids left at home in difficult situations without the usual escape of school made me want to help kids in foster care,” Sasha said.
In 2020 Sasha also turned 21 and decided it was finally time to become a CASA advocate. She applied and completed her training in October 2020, attending three evening classes via Zoom and completing many hours of online reading and work. She was sworn in by Judge Nikki Mundkowsky on Nov.3, 2020, to officially become a Court Appointed Special Advocate. She has now been assigned to her first case and is looking forward to working on it.
Sasha is also looking forward to graduating, but hasn’t made definite plans yet for after graduation. No matter what, it is clear that she will continue to find ways to help others and make a difference. If you are interested in making a difference for children in foster care, you can learn more about becoming a CASA by visiting casaforeverychild.org, calling (254) 304-7982, or emailing [email protected].
Lucas Land is director of communication and development for CASA of McLennan County. He loves living in Waco and finding ways to connect, get to know, and give back to this community. Lucas lives in the Sanger Heights neighborhood with his spouse, three kids, and their dog, Jayber.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email Ferrell Foster at [email protected].
By City of Waco Staff
Waco City Manager Bradley Ford announced Monday he is recommending Sheryl Victorian to be the city’s next Chief of Police. Victorian served for 27 years in the Houston Police Department rising to the rank of Assistant Chief. The recommendation goes to the city council on Tuesday, Feb. 16. If approved, Victorian will be Waco’s first female and first Black police chief.
“The search for a new chief took five months and included 43 applications from candidates in 17 states,” said City Manager Bradley Ford. “Sheryl’s depth of hands-on management experience, her educational background and her support for innovative programs all stood out.” Ford adds, “Sheryl shared our community’s vision for a leader who embraces continuous improvement, community policing and a commitment to serving and protecting all of our citizens.”
Victorian was one of four finalists for the position. The interview process included input from the city staff as well as community shareholder panels.
Victorian earned a doctorate degree in Administration of Justice from Texas Southern University and holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from The University of Houston and a bachelor’s degree in Public Affairs, also from Texas Southern University.
She began her law enforcement career as a police cadet in Houston in 1993. As she rose through the ranks of the department, Victorian served in or supervised virtually every major unit giving her a wide range of experience and expertise including extensive work undercover.
Victorian is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and numerous nationally recognized leadership programs. She holds a Texas Master Peace Officer’s license and has received numerous awards and commendations over her career with Houston PD.
“It is a privilege and honor to have my name forwarded to the city council,” said Victorian. “Maintaining the trust of the community, adopting and improving our department to meet the changing needs and demands of policing and keeping our officers and citizens safe are my objectives from day one if council approves my selection,” said Victorian. “It would be an honor to lead the department and I look forward to working proactively to keep Waco a great community to work, live and raise a family.”
The Waco Police Association was represented in the evaluation process by President, Ken Reeves. When notified of the recommendation, Reeves said “The Waco Police Association is happy to welcome its new Chief, Sheryl Victorian. Her reputation for fair and experienced leadership is well known within her current Department. We are eager to see what her vision will bring to the Waco Police Department and our community.”
If confirmed by the Waco City Council on February 16, Victorian will start as Waco chief in early March.
In honor of Black History Month, we are featuring interviews with local Black community leaders. These pieces were written by Baylor University students from the Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media. The students asked questions about what the leaders love about Waco, and we are excited to share their responses with you this month.
By Aston Crosbie
Waco is filled with small businesses trying to stay afloat or expand. Some are family owned and some are simply entrepreneurial endeavors. No matter the case, there are people in the community working to help them increase business and revenue.
Rachel E. Pate is one of those people. She is vice president of economic development at Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce. Pate attained this position four years ago and saw it as an opportunity to cement a legacy for her and her newborn child. She has been a long-time resident in Waco and has seen the town transition from a quiet little town to a tourist destination.
She focuses on the economic development of small businesses in Greater Waco. She assists in business expansion and growth. Pate hints at the fact that as businesses grow so does Waco.
“We’ve been waiting for, as residents who have never lived anywhere else, to see our city become vibrant. We want to be a part of that growth and see all the things we have envisioned,” Pate said.
She expressed her pride in her roots in Waco, especially on her mother’s side. Pate explained how good it feels to watch your hometown grow and flourish. The chamber had visions of what Waco could become, and it is slowly beginning to happen.
Pate encourages young people to get involved through volunteering. It is a great way to get networked within your community. If you don’t know where to start, she said you can simply show up to the office at the African American Chamber. They will help you get started and find events for you to help with.
Also, the African American Chamber has a committee called the Chamber Ambassadors. It is open for anyone to join and includes members of the chamber who want to widen the outreach. They also help new members get acquainted with the community and the opportunities available.
“It has reinforced my need to be self-reliant and that would be the same for our organization. . . . You must be dependable for yourself before you can help anybody,” Pate said.
With Covid-19 taking over the world, Pate expressed the need for everyone to become independent. There will now be more individual responsibility compared to the days of the past. There are new restrictions and guidelines for their organization and surrounding ones. This makes it harder to operate and do the usual things necessary to run smoothly. The African American Chamber is actively trying to develop a program to help people through these strange times.
The African American Chamber collaborates with other organizations in Waco, including the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. These two organizations come together to form an alliance called the Star Bridge. They collaborate on economic development activities, fundraisers, and community events.
Getting involved as much as possible can show you a side of your community that you never knew, Pate said. It can open doors for you in the workplace and in life. Pate encourages people of all ages to get up and learn about their community and get involved.
“Everything depends on you being present in your community,” Pate said.
Education, values, and well-being will benefit from you getting involved in your community, she said. Once you get plugged in, you see the bigger picture. It helps you find your niche and your way to insight change.
Aston Crosbie is from Jupiter, Fla., and a junior at Baylor University.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email Ferrell Foster at [email protected].
In honor of Black History Month, we are featuring interviews with local Black community leaders. These pieces were written by Baylor University students from the Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media. The students asked questions about what the leaders love about Waco, and we are excited to share their responses with you this month.
By Caitlin Babcock
At the heart of what Galen Price, Waco interim assistant city manager, does every day is listening to the people of Waco. He listens to citizens and to business owners, to praises and to complaints. This listening then shapes his priorities.
Price sees his role as serving the needs of the community. Because of this, he views it as very important that citizens speak up about their needs. Listening to the community allows him and his team to enforce the policies that are working well and to know where the city is falling short.
“Just being involved so you can hear what’s going on, that gives you an opportunity to have a voice in what’s being considered and provide feedback on how it’s being viewed by you as a citizen in a community,” Price says.
According to Price, there are numerous ways for citizens of Waco to make their voices heard. He suggests that residents attend city council meetings, which are currently held online due to the pandemic. Price also suggests citizens attend neighborhood association meetings or start their own association if their neighborhood doesn’t have one.
Price became interim assistant city manager in August, after Deidra Emerson, who previously held that role, was promoted to deputy city manager, according to a 2019 article in the Waco Tribune-Herald. “It was an opportunity that you dream of and just couldn’t pass up,” Price said.
Price has spent 21 years in municipal government work, since he graduated from the University of North Texas in Fort Worth. He has been in Waco since 2017. Before coming to Waco, he worked on housing projects in Irving. Previous to becoming interim city manager, Price worked as the city’s director of housing and community development. While in this position, he worked with Waco’s Family Abuse Center and Mission Waco, a Christian organization that addresses systemic issues with poverty.
Price says Waco is making significant investments into its infrastructure, economy, and housing. He says that even before home designers Chip and Joanna Gaines brought Waco into the national spotlight, good things were going on in the city.
“I can one day envision Waco being one of the places that’s considered one of the best places to live in the nation,” Price says.
Price said he loves Waco because although it is developing, it still has a small-town feel. That feel is something that differs from his large hometown of Fort Worth.
“Relocating here from the metroplex, I enjoy the camaraderie and the way people make you feel at home here,” Price says. “As we continue to grow, let’s do our best to try to keep that feel.”
Caitlin Babcock is a sophomore at Baylor University from Colorado. She is majoring in international studies and double minoring in Spanish and journalism. She hopes to find a career in international journalism.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email Ferrell Foster at [email protected].
By Waco ISD Communications
Waco ISD has refinanced approximately $106,740,000 of its existing bonds, resulting in an overall savings of over $15.84 million to district taxpayers through the remaining life of the bonds until the year 2038.
The district’s financial advisor, Robert Traylor of RBC Capital Markets, reports the bonds’ initial 4.28% interest rate has been reduced to approximately 1.655%.
“This was a clear opportunity to demonstrate good fiscal stewardship of district and community resources,” said Waco ISD Superintendent Dr. Susan Kincannon. “With RBC Capital Markets’ guidance, our business and financial services department has taken advantage of low bond interest rates to save taxpayers money and reduce the district’s debt service costs.”
As part of this process, Waco ISD’s bond rating of “Aa2” was reaffirmed by Moody’s Investor Service.
“This is a very strong rating and reflects the district’s history of conservative budgeting and management practices,” said Waco ISD Assistant Superintendent of Finance Sheryl Davis. “We are pleased that favorable market conditions provided us the opportunity to refinance these bonds to benefit the district and taxpayers.”
This series of bonds from 2014–2016 are part of an earlier refunding of bonds issued to fund the construction of University High School and three elementary campuses including J.H. Hines, Bell’s Hill and Dean Highland.
In honor of Black History Month, we are featuring interviews with local Black community leaders. These pieces were written by Baylor University students from the Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media. The students asked questions about what the leaders love about Waco, and we are excited to share their responses with you this month.
By Katelyn Wilmoth
During her time reporting the news, KCEN reporter and former news anchor Jasmin Caldwell has found many reasons to love Waco.
As a reporter, Caldwell said it is important to “stay on top” on everything that goes on in the Waco community. She said it is her job to cover everything from politics to the happier stories which makes the job more interesting. Caldwell said one of her favorite things about being a reporter is meeting people from “all walks of life” throughout the community.
“It’s one of those jobs that keeps you on your toes and you will never get bored with being a news reporter,” Caldwell said.
In the three years Caldwell has lived in Waco, she has been able to host several events for the Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce in Waco. Caldwell said the chamber helps small local businesses in the Waco area, and she is a huge supporter of the organization.
Caldwell said she also enjoys exploring new places to shop. With the Waco community growing at such a fast rate, Caldwell said there is always something new to look for. One of her favorite things to do in Waco is get a group of friends together and spend the day taking pictures around town, especially at Magnolia.
“I love getting dressed up to go down to the Silos to take pictures because it is the best, most perfect place to take them,” Caldwell said.
Before moving to Waco, Caldwell worked for a news station in Charlottesville, Va., where she worked on a story that made national news. Caldwell said the Robert E. Lee statue had been an ongoing issue of racism in Charlottesville for a long time, and she was happy to be a part of the team that brought the issue nationwide. She discovered from the beginning of her career that “working on local issues means a lot to the community.”
“I am happy that the story went national, so the world could see what was going on in such a small town,” Caldwell said.
Caldwell is also a part of the National Association of Black Journalists. The organization was created to help reporters and journalists stay connected to help find jobs and network with journalists worldwide.
“It is such a cool opportunity to see other journalists who are doing the same thing as me,” Caldwell said.
Katelyn Wilmoth is a first-year student at Baylor University. She is studying journalism to one day become a professional reporter while covering everything from education to entertainment.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email Ferrell Foster at [email protected].
In honor of Black History Month, we are featuring interviews with local Black community leaders. These pieces were written by Baylor University students from the Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media. The students asked questions about what the leaders love about Waco, and we are excited to share their responses with you this month.
By Tim Longoria
Due to the recent worldwide pandemic and businesses shutting down because of it, it has become more difficult to enjoy all that Waco has to offer. Luckily, Waco’s new Fire Chief Gregory Summers said there are still plenty of activities that Waco residents can take part in when they have free time.
Coming from Little Rock, Ark., Summers started at Station No. 5 in early April, and he said each month he gets more and more accustomed to Waco. Summers likes to spend a lot of time outside with his wife, Jeanette.
“If we go to a restaurant, my wife and I, we are looking to go to a patio,” Summers said.
Restaurants like Magnolia Table, George’s, and Jake’s Texas Tea House, all of which are some of Summers’ favorite places to eat in Waco, have outdoor seating with 4 1/2 star ratings out of five, according to tripadvisor.com.
As it has been colder, Summers said he will start ordering more food to his house if he and Jeanette happen to get caught in the cold. And if going out to eat doesn’t seem like a popular idea to the Summers family on any particular day, outdoor activities seem to be a fine alternative.
“I can tell you, Cameron Park is an awesome park,” said Summers. “We just love riding down … looking at the statues.”
Cameron Park is a 416-acre park that includes the Waco Sculpture Zoo along the side of the Brazos River. There are 28 different styles of sculptures designed by people all over the United States, displayed across the river for a mile featuring animals that are common in the Waco area or found in the Cameron Park Zoo.
Summers and his wife have lived in Waco for almost a full year and, like everyone else, haven’t been able to experience the city in its entirety for some time. Once more businesses start opening, Summers said that he and Jeanette would feel more comfortable spending more time in public.
While it didn’t take long for Summers to adjust to a Texan lifestyle, he gave credit to his firefighters for “adapting very well to the COVID-19 disease.” In 35 years in fire service, Summers has been in a leadership position for almost the entire time. Before he became a fire chief in 2009, Summers had previous experience as an assistant fire chief and an interim fire chief.
Summers said he can’t wait to be “heavily involved in the community once this pandemic is in the rear-view mirror,” like he was in Little Rock during the majority of his fire service.
Staying close to his wife and firefighters at the station for the time being, Summers hopes to be able to return to normal life and the regular feeling of being a leader in Waco.
Tim Longoria is a freshman journalism major at Baylor University hoping to get a job as a sports broadcaster.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email Ferrell Foster at [email protected].
By Ferrell Foster
Waco celebrated its Black heritage & future, the arts, and the return of banking to East Waco in a Monday evening gathering. The new Tree of Life mural extends along one wall of TFNB’s new East Waco bank. TFNB “Your Bank for Life” is at 715 Elm Ave. The mural reflects the commitment of TFNB, Creative Waco, Waco ISD student artists, and the broader Black community of East Waco.
Vincent Thomas and Cade Kegerreis were lead designers for the mural project, while Kristen Thompson and Tashita Bibles served as artist mentors. A film also captured the work, it Andreas Zaloumis served as film mentor.
An information card at the celebration said:
“The Tree of Life mural represents the unity that is rooted in community, wisdom, and understanding. Individuals grow from their ancestors, passing along knowledge of how they came to be. The many stories are often intertwined when focusing on a specific place, such as historically rich East Waco. This mural is designed to highlight the flourishing community rooted in Elm Street.
“Generations of families in East Waco have grown and thrived through hardships and represent a vibrant culture that has often been overlooked and under appreciated. Co-designers Vincent Thomas and Cade Kegerreis considered this project an opportunity to reflect these rich stories and respect the history of this neighborhood while looking to its future and aspirations.”
Prosper Waco has posted short videos of some of the comments made during the celebration — Andrea Barefield, Linda Lewis, and Fiona Bond.
The mural served as completion of ARTPrenticeship 2020, with the following apprentices participating in the project:
Jonathan Campos
Vanesa Carvajal
Lina Denson
Rafael Flores
Fate King
Zander Lim
Angelina Monroy
Jasmin Nunez
Lillian Olvera
Larissa Rodriguez
Niala Speedwell
Maria Duarte Tavera
Tahlia Tran
Ja’Nasia Whitfield
Ferrell Foster is acting executive director of Act Locally Waco and senior content specialist for care and communication with Prosper Waco.
By Mayor Dillon Meek
I want to thank our hospital personnel and our health district and city staff members working around the clock while being caring and compassionate and undoubtedly exhausted. Thank you!
Our local hospital systems, our city staff, our county judge, and myself are in close, regular contact with one another as we discuss and monitor data regarding our hospital capacity and hospital personnel and monitor whether or not there will be a need for an alternative care site. To date, this still seems more improbable than probable. Our hospitals and our Waco-McLennan County Office of Emergency Management have developed robust plans to keep our population safe should the number of hospital patients increase to a degree of serious alarm.
Our local doctors continue to advise us of the seriousness of this virus, and I urge our community to also make wise decisions in the days ahead by following these doctors’ calls to wear masks in public, follow safe distancing protocol, and wash hands. Following this doctor-endorsed protocol makes this situation not fearful.
As a reminder, at the present time, Texas mayors and local governments have almost no policy-making authority. Gov. Abbot has implemented and has control of the regulations and mandates – from wearing masks to closures of bars to occupancy requirements. The governor has issued an order stating we cannot issue more restrictive orders than him. We have not heard any word from the governor’s office that this might change.
The Waco-McLennan County Emergency Operations Center is working with the Texas Department of Emergency Management and DOCS Health Testing to provide free COVID-19 testing to the community. When you register online, it does ask for your insurance information. You do not have to have insurance to receive a test. For people with insurance, there is no out-of-pocket cost or copay to get the test. Please go to COVIDwaco.com to register.
The Emergency Management Center previously received a refrigerated trailer to be used as a temporary morgue. This refrigerated truck is currently housing 19 remains.
Vaccinations
This is a time for hope! People in McLennan County are getting vaccinated and we celebrate that.
As a reminder, there are many local organizations giving vaccines; we call these “ vaccine providers” or just providers. A list of these providers is on COVIDwaco.com and includes CVS, HEB, Brookshire Brothers, Baylor Scott and White, Ascension Providence. One of these many providers is our Waco-McLennan County Public Health District.
Of these providers, two were selected by the state to serve as vaccination Hubs to get vaccinations quickly to all eligible 1A and 1B recipients, regardless of residence. These two hubs are the public health district and Ascension Providence. Hub sites get larger quantities of vaccines than other providers. This week, the public health district received approximately 1,500 doses and Providence received 1,950 doses.
As a reminder, local government has no authority or control over any provider but does work to collaborate and partner with providers when they are able and willing.
Public Health District vaccination clinic
Yet again, staff was able to administer all doses without wasting any vaccine. Many vials even contained more than the average 10 doses per vial and staff made sure to utilize all of it — 1,618 people were vaccinated in the two-day clinic. I am so thankful for the care and effort our staff, partners, and volunteers put into every aspect of these events.
We have received another shipment of 1,500 doses and are hosting another vaccine clinic this week at the Waco Convention Center on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We were glad to be able to make a weekend clinic day available for those who are unable to make it in during the normal workweek.
We did not open a registration portal for appointments for this clinic. Staff worked from the waitlist to schedule appointments and reached out by email and by phone to the contact information provided in the waitlist. Staff is working diligently to make sure this is a fair and equitable process.
I acknowledge that many citizens have tried to register for the vaccine with us and were unsuccessful, and that this process has been frustrating for so many. The registration process was unable to accommodate the initial volume, but processes have improved, and the website will be continually updated to provide clarity. Be encouraged to continue to log on to the website, read updates in emails, and sign up for the public health district’s waiting list.
If you did not get an appointment for this week’s clinic, please be patient. Demand continues to far outweigh supply and the Health District is still only receiving 1,500 doses per shipment. We will continue to get consistent shipments of vaccine allocations from the state, and we will continue to move through the waitlist and to host clinics. We are not scheduling appointments until the allocations have been physically received.
If you have signed up through any of the prior lists, you are on the waitlist. We did not throw out any of the previous lists or contact information.
Please, continue to encourage those you know who are eligible for a vaccine to get on the waitlist, or help them register if they are unable. Just make sure that the name on the waitlist is the name of the eligible individual getting the vaccine. The waitlist link is available online at COVIDwaco.com (look for the big red button labeled Vaccine Waitlist Registration) and the call-center is available to assist with any questions or registration at 254-750-1890.
You are being responsible, good citizens in signing up for the waitlist. The list is 20,000 – a testament to how well our citizens are responding and Waco should be proud. Your Public Health District is committed to working through the list, and residents should know that, by signing up, they are helping Waco understand who needs a vaccine and how to best get it to people with different needs.
As we continue to move forward with these clinics, it is so evident that these events are a community effort. So much goes on behind the scenes that makes these clinics run smoothly. I would like to thank our community partners who have helped the Public Health District make these clinics happen:
• Baylor Scott and White-Hillcrest
• Baylor University, Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas
• McLennan Community College, School of Nursing
• Tarleton State University, School of Nursing
• American Medical Response, EMS services
• Central Texas Medical Reserve Corps and all who have volunteered through that great organization
• Heart of Texas Red Cross
• McLennan County
• City of Waco Fire Department, Office of Emergency Management, Police, IT, Waco Convention Center, and the many employees who have pivoted to help work the call-center on weekends and after hours
• I would particularly like to highlight this week that Waco Transit is providing free rides to the Public Health District vaccine clinic through the Demand Response Van Service. Call 254-750-1620 24-hours in advance of your appointment to schedule your ride.
• City and county leadership and the Public Health District staff are working hard with limited information about shipments of vaccines. Communications are and will continue to be challenging, and your patience is appreciated. We will continue to communicate through our weekly update emails, our website, this press conference, social media, town hall meetings (one of which was recently done with a variety of leaders including Commissioner Pat Miller and Council Member Andrea Barefield).
Some telephone numbers to call
• Public Health District-supported bilingual call center (254-750-1890) to provide vaccine information and/or assist clients with registration for the vaccine clinic through the online registration portal,
• City Public Information bilingual Hotline (254-750-5606) with recorded, up-to-date COVID-19 and vaccine messages and resources.
By Tiffany Gallegos Whitley
Last year was challenging and heartbreaking for so many of us. One of the bright spots in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic was seeing the various ways our community worked together.
I’m particularly thankful for the willingness of our higher education, nonprofit, chamber, and city government partners to come together and strategize how to adapt workforce training in light of our higher unemployment rate due to COVID.
After a few months of consultation and planning to structure the UpSkill Waco initiative, we are finally ready to announce the first training course will be Industrial Maintenance Technician. This is a versatile occupation that offers various pathways to family-sustaining wages. There are a number of jobs for individuals with industrial maintenance skillsets in our community, and I look forward to working with some of our business partners to connect trainees to open positions. The course will be six weeks starting the week of March 15. The time and location are not yet finalized but will be included on the online application, which will be available starting Jan. 15.
I’m thankful and excited to see the first UpSkill Waco training come to fruition. I have to give a big shout out to Texas State Technical College, McLennan Community College, and Heart of Texas Goodwill for working alongside me to coordinate and bring these training courses to neighborhoods in our city.
Anyone interested in being on the email list to receive UpSkill Waco training updates and applications can email me at [email protected].
Tiffany Gallegos Whitley is director of workforce initiatives for Prosper Waco.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email Ferrell Foster at [email protected].