The Mayor's Office of Education and Youth Engagement strives to make college more attainable for our youth by providing a plethora of college preparation resources. Learn the differences between aid and scholarships, the types of financial aid, the process to applying to financial aid, a searchable table to discover current scholarships and aid opportunities available for you to apply to, and ways to apply to college.

Curated resources to help children, families, educators, and communities navigate what they are seeing and hearing, acknowledge their feelings, and find ways to cope together while navigating through the trauma of school shootings.

• Helping Your Children Manage Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting
• Coping in the Aftermath of a Shooting
• Feeling Wheel, Helps Put Words to Emotions
• One-Pager on Talking to Children about Violence
• How to be Brave with Your Grief
• For Teens: Coping after Mass Violence
• Timeline of Activities to Promote Mental Health Recovery
• Self-Help: Resources for Survivors
• E-learning Courses: Trainings for Clinicians
• Resources for Victim Assistance Professionals
• Grief Leadership: Leadership in the Wake of Tragedy
• Coping with Stress Following a Mass Shooting
• Disaster Distress Helpline
• Guiding Adults in Talking to Children about Death and Attending Services
• After a Crisis: Helping Young Children Heal
• Age-Related Reactions to Traumatic Events

It is important for youth to know how to raise their voices. The Mayor's Office of Education and Youth Engagement conducts a youth advocacy training series which seeks to empower youth to advocate for the issues they care about and give them the tools to take action and create change in their communities.

College and career preparation is a lifetime goal that starts with parents and infants. Houston has great resources to help you begin the path to college.

• Literacy Now - Resources to develop reading as a way of life at home
• HeadStart and Early Start - Free programs to promote school readiness of children ages birth to five
• Get Ready to Read! - Free early learning resources to prepare students to read before kindergarten
• National Institute for Literacy: Shining Stars - Publications show parents how they can help their child read
• HISD's ReadyRosie - Free subscription to an interactive tool that provides daily activities for adults to do with children ages 0 to 6
• Houston Food Bank: Teacher's Aid - Provide school supplies for teachers in low income schools

Resources to help students improve their literacy skills.

• Little Free Library - A map of all public and free resources for books throughout neighborhoods
• Welcome Baby - Engages parents in their children's early literacy and brain development by providing a bag of resources to eligible parents
• Dolly Parton Imagination Library - Mails free books to children from birth to age five in participating communities
• FLIP Literacy Program - Helps develop early learners', ages 0-8, reading and comprehension skills through family-centered activities in the home
• News Literacy Project - Programs and resources to aid individuals in being smart, active consumers of news and information
• National Institute for Literacy: Shining Stars - Publications showing parents how they can help their child read

Variety of advice, ideas, and activities that parents can do with their children from cradle to career to help them thrive.

• Depelchin - Free parenting classes at locations all over Houston
• U.S. Department of Education: Helping Your Child Series - Booklets that feature practical lessons and activities to help their children succeed in school and life
• PBS: ABCs of Child Development - Breaks down key development milestones that children experience in their first five years
• College 529 Plans - Helps to create a college savings plan for your child

Technology that students of all ages can use to learn, stay organized, check out free books, connect to universities, and take free classes, anywhere and anytime.

• Massive Open Online Courses and online educational videos provide an opportunity to learn on the internet for free in a flexible environment. Below are a few websites and apps to help you find online educational resources that interest you.
• Coursera
• Khan Academy
• MIT Open Courseware
• Microsoft Digital Literacy Learning Path Courses
• Project Gutenberg - Provides online access to more than 4,200 free eBooks

There are many free adult education programs all over Houston to help you continue your education, learn more about your finances, or get the job you are searching for.

• Mayor's Office for Adult Literacy - Enhance adult literacy advocacy and awareness and its impact on our communities
• Café College - Advises on college applications/admission, financial aid, career planning, and much more
• Harris County Department of Education - Offers free Adult Basic Literacy, math skills, GED, and ESL courses at over 65 sites
• Memorial Assistance Ministries - Offers ABE, ESL, conversation courses and computer and workplace skills for free

Resources for international residents to help them succeed and feel at home.

• Texas Application for State Financial Aid - Free application for anyone who is not an U.S. Citizen, but is still classified as a Texas Resident
• Alliance for Multicultural Community Services - Variety of programs including but not limited to, community employment and training, transportation, and counseling for refugees and immigrants who qualify
• Amaanah Refugee Services - Helps refugee students with specialized support and attention to further the child’s development in a safe, fun and exciting environment
• Self-Help for African People through Education Community Center - Helps to improve the quality of life for people of African descent
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston - Helps immigrants and refugees to receive an education and find a job
• AVANCE - Offers parenting education and literacy programs
• Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston - Offers housing, cultural orientation, document application, school enrollment, and job placement services to newly arrived refugees
• The Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans - Offers free English as a Second Language programs, Adult Basic Education, General Equivalency Degree, Computer Literacy, Citizenship classes, and workforce certifications
• Literacy Advance of Houston - Offers Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language courses for free

Resources for citizens with disabilities to help them thrive and succeed.

• Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities - Comprehensive Resource Guide on Higher Education for People with Disabilities
• Braille Bug - Offers fun and educational games for students with visual impairments, and also has information for parents on free resources
• Playgrounds Without Limits - City parks that are designed with a ramp and poured in place pad that allows children and parents with disabilities the opportunity to access up to 90% of the play structure
• WonderBaby.org - Support for parents of children with special needs; learn how to advocate for your child, raise funds for needed equipment and find helpful organizations
• Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder - Breaks down and gives support for parents of newly diagnosed children
• The Houston Branch of the International Dyslexia Association - Resource guide helping individuals with dyslexia and related learning disorders, their families and the communities that support them
• Texas Workforce Commission: Programs for People with Disabilities - Resources for rehabilitation services, blind services, early childhood intervention services, and disability determination services
• Family Connect - Information on raising a visually impaired child broken down by age range
• How Autism Spectrum Disorder Affects Sleep - Article examining the causes, impacts, and treatments for sleep disturbance in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Resources for justice-involved youth to help them thrive and succeed.

• Houston Health Department - Helps those who were previously incarcerated with a network of resources in close proximity
• Goodwill Houston - Helps serve those who were previously incarcerated with employment services and reconnect with their communities through community service and educational opportunities

Environmental programs to help young people become active participants in protecting our Earth.

• Student Conservation Association - Aims to build the next generation of conservation leaders and environmental stewards by getting local Houston youth out into their community and the outdoors through volunteer and paid service opportunities
• Citizens' Environmental Coalition - A weekly newsletter featuring a comprehensive report of all nature events, jobs, trainings, and more in the Houston/Gulf Coast area
• Houston Wilderness - Offers a Wilderness Passport (available in both English and Spanish) to encourage people to visit natural spaces like state parks, wildlife refuges, museums, arboretums, and nature centers
• Artist Boat - Provides inspiration and education through unique coastal experiences

Houston has great resources to help you get started down the path to college.

College scholarship information:

• Scholarship Bulletin - The HISD College Readiness Department has a scholarship bulletin that is consistently published every month
• College Greenlight - Connects first generation and underrepresented students to colleges, scholarships, counselors, and mentors
• Houston FASFA and TASFA - Find help to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or the Texas Application for State Financial Aid to receive money for college
• College for All Texans - Gives you important information about the State's education options and helps you plan and graduate from a Texas higher education institution
• Greater Houston Community Foundation Scholarships - Administers a variety of unique scholarship funds that grant over $3 million annually
• Big Future - Find matched from over 6,000 programs, totaling over $4 billion scholarship dollars yearly
• Student Scholarships - Collection of scholarships
• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship - Provides undergraduate students of limited financial means funding to study and intern abroad
• Critical Language Scholarship - Offers opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to learn one of 15 languages through immersive study abroad
• EMERGE (Houston ISD, Aldine ISD, Klein ISD) - Prepares underserved communities to attend and graduate from selective colleges

The Childhood and Youth Committee reviews issues related to the quality of life of children and our youth, primarily focusing on ages 0-24. The goals of the committee include:

• Increase public awareness and dialog about the connection between the quality of life of a child and the economic consequences of what kind of person that child will grow up to be.
• Focus on data and well-being indicators as tools for policy development, planning and accountability.
• Seek equity in workforce readiness, beginning at birth.
• Within their ability, City departments will support opportunities to strengthen and enhance the web of relationships between children and their families, schools, organizations and community at large.

Additional information on the Childhood and Youth Committee, including information regarding agendas, meeting schedules, and presentation can be found by clicking here.

Make Houston your school without walls. Find free, fun, and educational activities here!

• Houston Arts Access Initiative - Houston's action plan for ensuring equitable arts access for every Houston Independent School District student
• Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment - Map to find programs near you at one of their 13 participating schools districts and 39 campuses
• Girl Scouts of San Jacinto - Offers great programs, events, and activities for girls to build character from grades K-12
• Boy Scouts of America: Sam Houston Area Council - Offers great programs, events, and activities for boys to build character from grades K-12
• 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston - Enhances educational and economic opportunities for black boys and young men grades 6-12 through mentorship and community service
• United Way MATH - Trains eighth-graders to become student leaders and tutors to sixth-graders who are struggling in math
• The All Earth Eco-Bot Challenge - Engineering competition that gives 5th-8th graders the opportunity to create a robot for free
• Children's Museum of Houston - Engage students through hands-on investigations and challenges with a fun, problem-based focus
• YMCA Child Care and Teens - After school activities and camps for every age

Resources to support critical issues of students.

• Texas Appleseed Toolkit: Make My School Safe - Toolkit for students, parents, caregivers, educators, advocates, and policymakers who want to ensure all students are kept safe in their schools
• Wraparound Services - Specialist on each campus who provide resources to students and their families

Helpful resources to fuel exploration and planning with your child.

• Kids Work! - Virtual community of workplaces designed to give students an interactive job exploration experience
• Kids' Zone: Learning with NCES - Provides information to help students learn about schools; decide on a college; and engage in games and quizzes about math
• NASA Kids' Club - Interactive website specifically for K-4 that allows students to play and learn
• NASA STEM Engagement - Information for the different kinds of opportunities with NASA for students and educators
• Texas Reality Check - Shows how much your living expenses will cost and the amount of money you will need to earn to pay for them
• Houston Service - Search engine for volunteering opportunities
• Workforce Solutions - Offer career planning guidance, tips and advice for improving your job search, training and education opportunities, financial aid for training, and assistance to help you look for work and go to work
• Tips for Writing a Teen Resume - Short video with tips for high school students
• Career One Stop - Designed to help students with all aspects of choosing the best career, finding jobs, and self-assessment
• Virtual Student Federal Service - Part-time, virtual internships with flexible schedules
• Houston Food Bank: Nutrition Education - Classes in nutrition, food safety, meal preparation and budgeting