HISD held its fifth and final Parent University workshop on Thursday evening, capping off a successful first year for the districtwide initiative.  

“Parent University has been a great opportunity for you, as parents, to get know us as a district,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan told the crowd at Madison High School. “It’s important that you know all of the options that are available to your children in this district.   

The workshop was held at Madison and three locations: Furr, Northside and Westside high schools. The theme for the session was “Getting Your Child Ready for College and Careers.” In honor of the final workshop of the school year, HISD’s Family & Community Engagement Office awarded four $500 college scholarships to students in attendance, including Madison senior Jairo Miranda, who will be attending Universal Technical Institute in the Fall.  

“HISD has helped me so much,” he said. “I am extremely grateful for this scholarship and all they have done for my family.” 

The workshop at Madison High School also introduced students and parents to Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Signature College Access Program, #CAP. The program is a step-by-step approach to facilitate college admission from researching various institutions and submitting applications through completion of the enrollment process.  

AKA Chapters will assist students in completing college applications, preparing for the ACT and SAT, writing compelling personal statements, identifying scholarships and other financial aid, and compiling a portfolio to track college admission results. 

Parent University was launched last September with a mission of connecting HISD parents and children to resources that support successful academic careers, as well as safe and healthy environments at home and at school. For more information, or to download information from previous sessions, visit www.houstonisd.org/ParentUniversity.  

To learn more about the #CAP, visit www.AKA1908.com.