THE ANN RICHARDS SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS

 

My friend, Sharon Flinn Blythe, invited me to be her guest at the Ann Richards School Foundation luncheon today. Sharon is a member of the Governor's Council, and her granddaughter is a student at the school. Sharon and I are from a little Panhandle town named Phillips, which no longer exists, so those of us who graduated from our excellent but long-gone school are firmly bonded. Sharon is a CPA and an Austin activist. It was an honor that she chose me to be her guest today.
Former Governor Ann Richards envisioned a school for young women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to give them the skills and confidence necessary to pursue a college education, many of whom will be the first in their families to obtain a college degree. The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders is now one of the best public schools in the nation. Ann would be proud of the over 900 students who've graduated since 2012 and now lead successful lives.
We heard from senior students who described their time at the school. Each has applied to 5-10 colleges and has been accepted at most. They concentrated their studies (pathways) in areas like biomedical sciences, engineering, and media technology...careers in which women are traditionally underrepresented.
As Sharon and I parted ways, Sharon to her speaking engagement to protest a new zoning proposal at Austin City Council and me back home, we both had smiles on our faces and a spring in our step. The future shines bright for the young women we met and their fellow students.
If only Ann could have joined us today!
                                                                    

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