(HCDE Shorts are short features about the people who serve or are served by Harris County Department of Education. Nominations may be emailed to communications@hcde-texas.org.)

Harris County Department of Education Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids Program Coordinator Adrian Izaguirre believes in giving back what you take, an attitude that keeps him busy. As a Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo scholarship recipient, the Houston ISD Chavez High School alumni graduated debt free from the University of North Texas in 2016 with the help of a four-year scholarship.

During the day, Izaguirre helps facilitate grants to nonprofits which provide afterschool programs for at-risk, urban youth. Called CASE for Kids City Connections, the city of Houston afterschool funding spreads to youth throughout 11 Houston City Council districts.

As a division of Harris County Department of Education, the afterschool intermediary called CASE for Kids provides resources, trainings and funding for students in grades pre-k through 12 in afterschool programs in schools, child care facilities and community centers.  The goal is to keep kids safe, help working families, provide enriching activities and improve academic achievement.

After hours, Izaguirre serves on two rodeo committees as a volunteer: The Alumni Task Force which recruits scholarship recipients as rodeo volunteers and the Go Tejano Committee, a rodeo committee which fundraises for scholarships for Hispanic youth. The group hosts a food booth during the length of the rodeo, a mariachi competition and a golf tournament.

Izaguirre is all about preserving culture. The south Houston resident likes volunteering for the rodeo because it brings people together for the common goal of preserving the Texas western culture.

“In doing so, we’re embracing that (western and Hispanic) culture and keeping it alive while also helping through an education aspect with youth,” he said.

“I believe the most rewarding part is passing the torch along as one of the students needing help to one of the volunteers giving back,” said Izaguirre.