Gordon Philanthropies Expands Partnership With Astronaut José M. Hernández to Empower Students to Achieve Academic Success in Northern California

SAN JOSE, Calif., October 24, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Gordon Philanthropies is proud to announce that we have partnered with Astronaut José M. Hernández and Reaching for the Stars Foundation to serve the students of Alpha: José Hernández and Astronaut José M. Hernández Academy. Located in San Jose and Stockton, California, this collaboration will enable Gordon Philanthropies to continue its mission of providing access to quality education to underserved communities. Through this collaborative initiative, Gordon Philanthropies will be providing 7,000 new books thanks to their Teachers & Books program which supports classrooms by providing free books to teachers and their students.

Founder of Gordon Philanthropies Dan Gordon shared, “We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate and partner with Dr. Hernández and his foundation in this heartfelt endeavor to promote literacy and expand students’ love for reading. We hope that this partnership will ignite and nurture an interest in reading and learning in young hearts."

Gordon Philanthropies and Reaching for the Stars firmly believe that access to quality educational resources should not be viewed as a privilege but rather addressed as a basic human right. Currently, 93.6% of students at Alpha: José Hernández and 82.3% of students at Astronaut José M. Hernández Academy are socioeconomically disadvantaged. In addition, many students at these predominately Hispanic-serving schools are English learners who require additional resources. Gordon Philanthropies is committed to supporting these students by providing books in both English and Spanish.

“I’m very happy and excited to be a part of this project. I thank Gordon Philanthropies for their help in bringing my story to underserved communities as I believe that this will empower our kids to consider a career in the STEM field and come to see that no dream is too big enough,” shared Dr. José M. Hernández.

Shara Hegde, Chief Executive Officer at Alpha Public Schools, said, “Reading is a crucial equity issue in our effort to prepare students for life. Ensuring all students can read is paramount as it opens doors for long-term success. By providing new books in both English and Spanish, our teachers and students have access to educational, entertaining, and age-appropriate reading materials they need. We are grateful for the contributions on behalf of Gordon Philanthropies, which will greatly benefit our students.

"Through this joint effort, Gordon Philanthropies and Reaching for the Stars seek to provide inspiration, encouragement, and equitable learning opportunities to help further students’ academic development and embolden them to pursue their passions. Dr. Hernández’s story of tenacity and unwavering resilience as the first migrant farmworker to become a NASA astronaut is inspiring and illustrative of the power of dreaming big. We are excited to share his mission to “inspire youth to find passion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education, establish a family commitment to education, and develop a support network through community engagement.”

Source: Gordon Philanthropies