The Ganas Network

When I was five, I wanted to be a tissue maker.

I didn’t exactly live out that dream 😂 but I was lucky to have access to a high-quality education that gave me the foundation to imagine big, grow, and act as the architect for my own future — whether that meant working in a tissue factory or eventually leading The Ganas Network.

In our fellowship programs, we often begin by asking: “When you were five, what did you want to be?” And follow that question with “How have your dreams changed?” Those questions help us uncover the pivotal moments that shaped our educational journeys and helped us become who we are.

The truth is, not every five-year-old has access to the kind of educational foundation that makes big dreams feel possible.

That’s why this conversation matters.

Tomorrow, is hosting a Virtual Elementary Community Conversation at 5PM about the possibility of opening elementary schools in Denver and Aurora. It’s a chance to think about what it would look like to support the next generation from the very start.

If you’re a DSST alum, parent, educator, or community member, I hope you’ll join us. And if you can’t attend live, you can still RSVP to receive the slide deck and survey afterward.

RSVP at the link in our bio, or comment with what you wanted to be when you were five and we’ll DM you the link!

Cohort 9 Spotlight - Cristal Barajas: "Francis Bacon once said “Knowledge is Power”.

I’m an individual with a desire to make a change in this world. I would like to become an informed woman who can empower and bring awareness to politics, immigration, and education.

I’m currently a Legal Assistant at Bull & Davies PC and we specialize in Immigration and Criminal cases. The immigration departments we work on are Consular, AOS, U Visa, and Asylum. For Criminal cases we defend Misdemeanors and Felonies. I’m currently a part-time student at Aims Community College pursuing a degree in Communication Media.

I graduated from DSST GVR in 2019 and took about 5 years off to go straight into the work field. DSST supported and prepared me for the real world in ways I would have never imagined. I will advocate for education and charter schools because they opened opportunities to students like me who came from parents with immigrant backgrounds who never received a proper education. DSST gave me mental health support and taught me the core values I still live by today."

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our micro-pilot Advance Fellowship, a 9-month pilot program designed to engage charter school alumni to lead education policy and advocacy initiatives.

This exceptional group of alumni will dive deeper than ever before to become powerful change agents in their community, gaining:

• Hands-on experience through 150-hour project placements with partner organizations
• One-on-one coaching and bi-weekly leadership workshops
• A chance to organize advocacy initiatives, leveraging the collective wisdom and stories of our 145 alumni to drive impact

We can’t wait to see the impact this inaugural cohort will make!