The UTSA students created original content in the form of writing blogs, photography, graphic design, and video production. The college students were also challenged with identifying ways to build campaigns and increase engagement within Go Public’s Facebook and Twitter channels. Overall, the effort encourages students to ask questions, research, communicate, collaborate, write digitally and develop social media marketing skills.

The effort is led by Go Public’s Executive Director, Lisa Losasso Jackson in collaboration with ECISD’S Business and Community Outreach Facilitator, Patricia Stone-Reyes, East Central High School’s yearbook and journalism teacher, Terri Real, and UTSA adjunct professor Wendy Boaglio Gratereaux.  

“Not only are we helping students explore inspiring career paths, but the students are helping us with establishing a deeper connection with our community on social media,” says Lisa Losasso Jackson, Executive Director of Go Public. “Bringing high school and college students together helps us see things differently. They are plugged into social media in a different way than adults are. And, they know how to connect with each other in meaningful ways.”

“Service Learning is a way for us to connect student “voice” with partners to positively impact the common good of our city.  The project affirms students’ identities by allowing each student to contribute a talent, skill set, and scholarly, professional voice to a mutually beneficial goal or social issue. In addition, the Go Public Service Learning pilot allows students to test out their prospective career interests before they leave high school.” Patricia Stone-Reyes, Business and Community Outreach Facilitator for ECISD.

“We thank Go Public for this opportunity to use our journalism skills. My students are so excited to use a skill that they love, social media, to do something so positive!  We will certainly be learning from each other,” says Terri Real, East Central High School Yearbook/Newspaper/Journalism/Creative Writing #ECPROUD!

“Every semester we take on a real-world client as our final. The students gather in groups for data analysis, formulate a strategy derived from the data, create original content and present the information to the client. The class this semester enjoyed the local impact aspect of the project as well as having the high school students join us in a class,” explains Wendy Boaglio Gratereaux, social media and digital marketing adjunct professor.

“We wanted to show the high school students that online marketing is a viable career path they can purse right here in San Antonio. I hope to see more local high school students exploring careers in digital and social media marketing with us at UTSA.” #Birdsup

If you are interested in learning more about how you can become a donor or sponsor of the Go Public campaign please visit  http://www.wegopublic.com/donors-and-sponsors.html or email Lisa at lisa@wegopublic.com