By Sergio Medina
smedina104@student.alamo.edu
District 4 candidate Connie Prado, 71, said in an interview Oct. 17. establishing bridges between high school students and early college like the Alamo Colleges is essential to reduce the number of obstacles students face in obtaining an education.
District 4 candidate Connie Prado. Courtesy
“It’s all about students and their successes because if they succeed, then we succeed; the city succeeds.”
To ease that journey, Prado said she supports programs like Alamo Promise and is “very pleased” with the donations that have come from the private sector. Alamo Promise is a program that covers tuition expenses for graduating seniors in select Bexar County high schools.
Helping convince other investors to fund the program will be of importance to her if she is elected, she added.
“That is an excellent program, and I really want to see that continue.”
Another priority to help students is to support high school counselors and reduce the counselor-student ratio, she said.
These counselors help students by providing career plans and guidance when transitioning from high school.
“High school counselors right now are overwhelmed,” she said.
Additionally, Prado said the inclusion of stakeholders in the decision-making process is essential.
“That includes the students — their voices need to be heard; the parents; the community and the faculty and staff. That is important.”
Prado has served as trustee for the South San Antonio Independent School District for 23 years. Because of that, she said she is fit to transition from high school-level education to the junior college level and help students along their academic journeys.
“I have a lot of experience to offer the Alamo Colleges District,” she said.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.”
For Prado, it’s particularly important to help students during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I want to make sure that the students are being provided the resources that they need, and that we’re helping them in every possible way.”
She said maintaining the safety of students and employees of this district is needed. Bringing students back into the classroom is a priority, provided they are maintaining precaution and going by the guidelines set by the city and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We want them to continue because there’s nothing like in-person education.”
Prado said incoming students might find virtual learning challenging because they are not used to it.
Prado graduated from Fox Tech High School in 1967. She obtained certification in stenography from Community Business College; a certification in computing from Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and a certification of completion from the City of San Antonio’s Management and Leadership Institute.
Prado is retired. Work experience includes executive assistant to the chief financial officer of Valero Energy Corporation.
Early voting ends Oct. 30. The election is Nov. 3.
Northwest Vista College, Palo Alto College and this college are early voting locations.
More information is available at www.bexar.org/1568/Elections-Department.
