San Antonio’s Schools Find New Life Through Community Support
In the heart of San Antonio, two former school buildings—a place where laughter echoed through classrooms and children played during recess—are now vibrant community resource centers, showing what happens when communities come together to support their children’s futures.
A Second Chance at Learning
The Family Service Neighborhood Place is located in the former H.K. Williams Elementary School, which closed its doors back in 2006. Instead of letting the building succumb to decay, it transformed into a bustling center for community services. On a bright October afternoon, children walked into this space filled with hope and opportunity. Family Service offers a range of resources from financial and mental health counseling to English and GED classes, all aimed at empowering families in the West Side neighborhoods. Let’s not forget the free clothing closet that ensures families have what they need.
Fun and Learning at the Girl Scouts
Meanwhile, just a short bus ride away, the former Coronado/Escobar Elementary School, which closed in 2012, also has been reimagined as a community hub by the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas. On October 23, we watched with delight as Liz Mainey, a Girl Experience manager, engaged with kindergarteners and first graders, their small hands covered in colorful clay as they crafted Halloween-themed figures. The Girl Genius After School Tutoring program provides over 50 girls with the opportunity to work on homework, create art, and learn valuable life skills.
Paola Hernandez, an 8-year-old who participates in the program, shared her excitement for learning. “I learn to be nice, kind, to be respectful. I learn to be like an artist, crafting,” she said proudly, as she shaped her pink-and-black “tie-dye ghost” out of model clay. When she first joined the Girl Scouts, she didn’t speak a word of English, but now, thanks to the nurturing environment, she’s blossomed, saying, “Now I know a lot of English.”
Innovative Programs for Youth
The revitalization of these spaces has not gone unnoticed. The Best Buy Teen Tech Center operates within the Family Service Neighborhood Place and offers cutting-edge programs for local youth. Here, students can dabble in robotics, create music in a recording studio, and even experiment with a 3D printer. It really gives an exciting glimpse into the future, showing kids that they can be innovators and creators.
Community Collaboration
As school closures have been a recurring theme in recent years—largely due to declining enrollments and tightening budgets—the partnerships forming between non-profits and educational institutions are forging a new path forward. The closures affected several local districts, yet they haven’t left communities in despair. For example, Harlandale ISD is repurposing closed schools into educational hubs focusing on career and technical education. Former classrooms are being transformed into welding shops and barber schools, all aimed at providing students with the skills they need for success.
Bouncing Back with Vision
It’s clear that old school buildings don’t simply have to be relics of the past. As Mary Garr, the president and CEO of Family Service, explained, schools were once community anchors—offering not just education but a range of support resources. “The building can close, but you can still keep the heart and soul for that community when converted into something that can be there,” Garr stated, highlighting the ongoing need for community support.
The Road Ahead
Both the Family Service Neighborhood Place and the Girl Scouts program stand as a testament to how a community can rally together to fill gaps left by school closures, turning old learning spaces into thriving places of support and innovation. With families supporting one another and organizations coming together, it’s heartening to see San Antonio’s children finding new pathways to learning and growth.
As San Antonio continues to navigate this transition, the future looks bright—proving that while schools may close, the spirit of learning and community remains brighter than ever.
