{"id":83111,"date":"2025-12-10T13:54:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T13:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/83111\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T13:54:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T13:54:20","slug":"how-a-dallas-nonprofit-built-education-pathways-from-oak-cliff-to-new-york-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/83111\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Dallas nonprofit built education pathways from Oak Cliff to New York and beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"

Efra\u00edn Vera recalls the email that didn\u2019t look real 15 years ago. The message changed his life forever.<\/p>\n

The Oak Cliff native applied for a Bill & Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship during his senior year at the Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center. The note said he received the scholarship, cementing a full ride to New York University.<\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\"Theo<\/p>\n

After graduating from NYU, Vera enrolled in Albany Law School. He became a law school clerk extern for a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York. Vera went on to practice commercial litigation at global law firms.<\/p>\n

The Education Lab<\/p>\n

Receive our in-depth coverage of education issues and stories that affect North Texans.<\/p>\n

By signing up, you agree to our\u00a0Terms of Service<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Efra\u00edn<\/p>\n

Efra\u00edn Vera, a commercial litigation attorney at Reed Smith LLP, works at his office on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Dallas. Vera, 34, is a former Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program student and Gates Scholarship recipient from Oak Cliff.<\/p>\n

Angela Piazza \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

The first-generation college student credited the Brewer Foundation\u2019s Future Leaders Program (FLP) for introducing him to the scholarship. \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for FLP, I probably wouldn\u2019t be where I am right now,\u201d said Vera<\/a>, a commercial litigator at Reed Smith LLP.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy youngest brother was also [in] FLP, and he became an attorney as well,\u201d Vera said. \u201cMy wife is an attorney at an even bigger law firm in Dallas, so I feel like FLP changed the trajectory of my life and my family\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vera\u2019s personal journey to professional success mirrors the trajectory of the Brewer Foundation itself. The nonprofit began with proceeds from a pro bono legal office in South Dallas and today propels young students toward new opportunities for success.<\/p>\n

The Brewer Foundation marks its 30th anniversary this year. Its two flagship programs, FLP and the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) debate competition, enter their 25th year in 2026. The foundation is the nonprofit arm of the law firm Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors<\/a>. The nonprofit grew out of the firm\u2019s pro bono affiliate, Brewer Storefront, which provides free legal services to people who lack access to robust legal representation.<\/p>\n

Over 200 Dallas ISD students attend year\u2011round Saturday classes through FLP, which pairs public and private\u2011school teachers to lead small groups at The Episcopal School of Dallas, St. Mark\u2019s School of Texas, The Greenhill School and The Hockaday School. The program comes at no cost to Dallas ISD or the private schools.<\/p>\n

\"Brewer<\/p>\n

Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program teacher Alvaro Ramos calls on a student during a 9th grade class called \u201cdiscovering your voice in psychology in society\u201d on Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Mark’s School of Texas in Dallas.<\/p>\n

Angela Piazza \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Brewer\u2019s debate program has encouraged over 10,000 students to engage in public policy, across 4,245 teams, 30 states and 26 countries, according to the foundation. The top eight teams travel to New York for championship competitions.<\/p>\n

The program originated as an opportunity to help South Dallas students from the Storefront, said Bill Brewer<\/a>, chairman of the Brewer Foundation and the Storefront. But now FLP is \u201ca lifeline\u201d for many, providing skills, networks, and opportunity pipelines for students who might otherwise be shut out, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been the best thing we\u2019ve done in the last 25 years,\u201d Brewer said. \u201cWe were in many ways lucky to have gotten involved in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

FLP\u2019s model: \u2018The extra mile\u2019<\/p>\n

Students as young as 12 join FLP by seventh grade and cycle through writing, public speaking, interview prep, resume building and structured elevator-pitch drills.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s not all, said Ian Shaw<\/a>, president of the Brewer Foundation. The foundation recently partnered with JPMorgan Chase<\/a> to provide quarterly financial literacy workshops. Beginning in January, Capital One<\/a> will provide FLP career readiness and personal development workshops.<\/p>\n

High school seniors spend the year on college applications, essays and scholarships with one-on-one advising, Shaw said. FLP originally began with fifth graders, and Shaw said they want to expand the program back to that range.<\/p>\n

Shaw said the rising cost of college<\/a> can dissuade people from seeking a four-year degree or higher. But students can thrive in college and beyond, especially if they have support from an early age, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnless you\u2019re dedicated to getting a post-graduate degree, we\u2019re seeing a mindset shift of students wanting to hurry and go make some money,\u201d Shaw said. <\/p>\n

\"Brewer<\/p>\n

Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program 12th grade class look at college applications during \u201ccollege counseling\u201d class on Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Mark’s School of Texas in Dallas.<\/p>\n

Angela Piazza \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

For David L. Baad, the Ann and Lee Hobson Family Head of School at the Episcopal School of Dallas, participating in FLP exemplifies the school\u2019s religious identity: service to the community alongside academic excellence.<\/p>\n

While ESD students haven\u2019t been directly integrated into FLP, Baad said he could see value in mixed seminars on public policy where students \u201cfrom different perspectives\u201d can create solutions together.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are strengthened as an institution when we engage in public-private partnerships,\u201d he said. \u201cAnytime our teachers can learn and partner with teachers in different environments, our teaching is strengthened, and our students benefit from that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part of the program\u2019s impact lies in its alumni network, as well as the Brewer law firm itself. Vera, for instance, joined FLP in ninth grade, worked in the law firm\u2019s mailroom, and ultimately chose NYU. He now helps guide small-business owners via pro bono channels and advises students to always ask for opportunities, a mindset tied to FLP\u2019s emphasis on advocacy.<\/p>\n

\"Brewer<\/p>\n

Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program teacher Karen Bradberry hugs former student Efra\u00edn Vera, 34, during the 11th grade class \u201ccollege writing 101\u201d on Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Mark’s School of Texas in Dallas. Vera spoke to the class about his journey to becoming a commercial litigation attorney at Reed Smith LLP.<\/p>\n

Angela Piazza \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Oak Cliff native Frederick Walton found FLP after stretches of \u201ccouch-surfing\u201d post-COVID. The Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy senior has been \u201cliving from place to place\u201d since eighth grade.<\/p>\n

But that hasn\u2019t stopped the 18-year-old from investing in his future. After joining FLP as a sophomore, Walton became the Texas representative on the Sandy Hook Promise National Advisory Board<\/a>. He met several U.S. senators on Capitol Hill to advocate for funding to implement and bolster evidence-based programs to prevent school violence. <\/p>\n

Walton also led a school walkout and joined the Student Advisory Council created by state Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas. Rated \u201csuperior\u201d three years running, the highest rating at solo singing contests, Walton recently met with Sam Houston State\u2019s music director, underscoring how bass singing has opened doors for him.<\/p>\n

The aspiring U.S. senator is now working to attend college to study political science and music education. Walton credits FLP for his ability to grasp these concepts, and for his improvements at school.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re willing to go the extra mile for me if I need help,\u201d Walton said. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve seen it not just with me. I\u2019ve seen it with other students.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Frederick<\/p>\n

Frederick Walton, 18, back center, speaks to classmates during Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program\u2019s 12th grade class \u201ccollege counseling\u201d on Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Mark’s School of Texas in Dallas.<\/p>\n

Angela Piazza \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

The leadership program also had an impact on Emanuel Benitez, a senior at Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy. The 17-year-old said he \u201cyelled at the top of [his] lungs\u201d at the dinner table at 8 p.m. on Dec. 1, when he learned he matched with Columbia University through the national nonprofit QuestBridge scholarship program.<\/p>\n

Benitez plans to pursue drama, theater arts and political science. He expressed both excitement and fear: It\u2019s always been his dream to visit Broadway. FLP brought him closer to that reality. \u201cWe can achieve whatever we put our minds to,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Current outcomes, future goals<\/p>\n

The Brewer Foundation\u2019s latest annual report<\/a> paints a fiscal picture of the impact of their work with students.<\/p>\n

Over 2,000 students have gone through FLP, receiving over $20 million in scholarship offers since 2009, according to the foundation\u2019s report. Fourteen of those awards come from the Gates or QuestBridge programs.<\/p>\n

FLP\u2019s work touches over 15 Dallas ISD schools. Those FLP students have gone on to some of the nation\u2019s top colleges and universities, including Cornell and Yale.<\/p>\n

Among the students in last year\u2019s graduating FLP class alone, the scholars earned more than $2.5 million in scholarships and awards, according to the foundation\u2019s report. The students received acceptance from the University of Southern California, Northwestern University and Boston University, among others.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the foundation\u2019s IPPF debate program has already registered over 800 competitors across 528 teams and 39 countries for this year\u2019s event series, according to the foundation. <\/p>\n

IPPF\u2019s championship event will occur at New York University\u2019s School of Law for the 25th anniversary next year, Shaw said. In some ways, inviting students to New York for debates also counts as a college tour, though Shaw points out that FLP also gives students the opportunity to do college tours. <\/p>\n

That matters, Shaw said, because there are seniors who believe they can\u2019t go to college.<\/p>\n

Brewer, an FLP founder, said the foundation is committed to sustaining its Dallas operations. But he also wants to scale the model beyond. His next goal: A program in the Bronx. \u201cOur next big project is to open an FLP 2 in and around New York City,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Brewer<\/p>\n

Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program teacher Karen Bradberry teaches \u201ccollege writing 101\u201d to 11th grade students on Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Mark’s School of Texas in Dallas. Students Michelle Uc and Jeremiah Landrum listen.<\/p>\n

Angela Piazza \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Brewer\u2019s beliefs hit home for Angel Zavala, a graduating senior from the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy. The 18-year-old recalls feeling \u201cvery nauseous\u201d before opening his decision letter.<\/p>\n

The Pleasant Grove resident was recently accepted to Princeton University. Thanks to QuestBridge, the son of immigrant parents said his family won\u2019t have to take out loans for his education. He plans to study computational biology.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started off at a farm, like a goat herder, with my grandpa in the field,\u201d Zavala said. \u201cI never expected to just go to the No. 1 \u2026 university in the U.S. I never expected that. So reach for the stars. Anything is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

This reporting is part of the Future of North Texas, a community-funded journalism initiative supported by the Commit Partnership, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Lisa and Charles Siegel, the McCune-Losinger Family Fund, The Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. The News retains full editorial control of this coverage.<\/p>\n

Did you know that what you just read was a solutions journalism story<\/a>? It didn\u2019t just examine a problem; it scrutinized a response. By presenting evidence of who is making progress, we remove any excuse that a problem is intractable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Efra\u00edn Vera recalls the email that didn\u2019t look real 15 years ago. The message changed his life forever.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":83112,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[102,104,11521,103,163,1402,291,411,286,1408,40100,4896,9244,1882,8809,1884,1883,1403,1885,290],"class_list":["post-83111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-headlines","tag-dallas-isd","tag-dallas-news","tag-education","tag-episcopal-school-of-dallas-school","tag-equity","tag-future-of-north-texas","tag-future-of-north-texas-workforce","tag-greenhill-school","tag-hockaday-school","tag-oak-cliff","tag-philanthropy","tag-resilience","tag-solutions","tag-south-dallas","tag-southern-dallas","tag-st-marks-school","tag-uplifting-news","tag-workforce"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83111"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83111\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}