As the 2026–2027 academic year begins, Catch the Next, Inc. enters the fall with strong momentum and a renewed commitment to supporting educators, strengthening institutions, and helping students move confidently toward their academic and professional goals.

The beginning of a school year is more than a return to classrooms and campuses. It is an opportunity to reconnect as a community, reflect on what we have learned, and prepare intentionally for the work ahead.

Across the CTN and Ascender network, that work is already underway.

Carrying the Momentum Forward

Our previous academic year closed with the 2026 Transfer Motivational Conference at The University of Texas at Austin, where Ascender students experienced university life, explored admissions and financial literacy, connected with professionals and alumni, and considered what their next chapter could look like.

The experience demonstrated something central to Ascender: transfer is not simply about moving from one institution to another. With preparation, mentorship, and a strong support network, it can become a period of meaningful personal and academic transformation.

That same spirit of preparation carried into August through CTN’s Accelerated Foundational Seminar at Austin Community College, which welcomed members of the BRASS program. The seminar provided educators with time to learn together, strengthen their teams, and prepare for the students they will serve this year.

Beginning the Year With Literacy at the Center

September also marks National Literacy Month, offering an important opportunity to recognize how literacy supports learning across every discipline.

Reading, writing, discussion, critical thinking, and communication are not confined to a single classroom. They help students understand complex ideas, express their own perspectives, build confidence, and prepare for college, career, and leadership.

Family literacy is also an important part of that environment. Families, mentors, faculty, advisors, and peers all contribute to communities where learning is encouraged beyond the classroom.

As Hispanic Heritage Month begins, CTN also recognizes the stories, traditions, students, educators, families, and leaders who contribute to our learning communities. Literature reflective of the demographics of our classrooms can create meaningful connections while strengthening literacy across disciplines.

Expanding Opportunity Through Partnership

The new academic year also begins with new organizational momentum.

CTN recently received a Forever Austin Grant from the Austin Foundation to support efforts to welcome new members into our network. This investment will help expand outreach, strengthen relationships, and introduce more educators and institutions to CTN’s professional learning and collaborative model.

Programs such as the Girls Math Program in Weslaco, along with related work in Rio Grande City and Dallas, also demonstrate the importance of creating learning experiences that help students build skills, confidence, curiosity, and a stronger sense of what is possible.

Supporting Our Teams Throughout the Year

CTN’s work depends on educators, advisors, counselors, scholar mentors, college leaders, and partners learning from one another.

That collaboration will continue at the 2026 Catch the Next – Ascender Fall Seminar, taking place October 22–23 at Austin Community College’s Rio Grande Campus.

The seminar will bring teams from across the state together to discuss program progress and challenges, share classroom practices, strengthen team relationships, and participate in discipline-specific breakout sessions responsive to the needs of the current cohort.

All attendees must register.

Register for the Ascender Fall Seminar

Moving Forward Together

Every new academic year begins with possibility.

For CTN, the months ahead will be shaped by professional learning, mentorship, stronger institutional partnerships, meaningful classroom experiences, and continued collaboration across our network.

We are grateful to the educators, college leaders, mentors, partners, and supporters who make this work possible.

Together, we begin another year focused not only on helping students move forward—but on creating the conditions in which they can grow, lead, and thrive.

Catch the Next, Inc.
Empowering Students. Supporting Educators. Transforming Institutions.

For more information, contact Ascender@catchthenext.org or visit www.catchthenext.org