Letter from Board Chair and President
Dear Friends,
Sonia Gutierrez, President and Founder
and Alberto Gomez, Board Chair
We invite you to imagine a life
where your day begins at 5 a.m.,
a quick shower and two long
bus rides before finally arriving
at work; working 10 maybe 12
hours washing dishes in a hot
kitchen; running from work to
school for three hours of English
or Computer Literacy or Culinary
Arts career training; and then
heading home late at night.
This is a common story from our
students at the Carlos Rosario
School. But in spite of these
challenges our students continue
to reach for their dreams with
the understanding that education
is the key. Many of them have
seen door after door closed, but
here at the Carlos Rosario School
we open the doors wide. And
once those doors are opened the
possibilities are endless.
This past year has presented
various opportunities to reflect
on our successes including a 15
year charter renewal, which will
allow us to continue impacting
individuals, families and
communities for years to come,
and a fundraising gala, which
highlighted the success stories of
many graduates who have gone
on to become community leaders
in their own right.
We have also been working hard
to prepare for the future and for
the new Sonia Gutierrez Campus
slated to open in fall 2013. In
preparation for the expansion
we have worked tirelessly with
many different stakeholders
to ensure we will be meeting
community, industry and student
needs in the new building. This
state-of-the-art 50,000 square foot
building will allow us to serve
more than 500 students on any
given day.
The pages that follow are a
testament to the transformational
work that wouldn’t be possible
without your support. We hope
you enjoy our 2012-13 annual
report.