Imagine If: Texas

Imagine If investing in young children transformed communities.

Imagine If schoolyards became forests.

Imagine If every family could walk to a park.

This featured session brings together three Texas leaders who are making those “what ifs” tangible.

A representative from PreK4SA will share how a citywide, equity-centered early learning initiative is transforming outcomes for thousands of children through deep investment in educators, families, and community infrastructure. Then Allen Williams, Landscape & Wildlife Specialist, will describe how the Schoolyard Forest Program, supported by Texas A&M, has transformed elementary school campuses in the Lower Rio Grande Valley into vibrant outdoor classrooms. To close, Homer Garcia III, Director of the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, will highlight San Antonio’s progress in expanding park access as essential civic infrastructure that supports community well-being and climate resilience.

Together, these leaders demonstrate how local vision, public investment, and cross-sector collaboration can move us toward universal access to high-quality education that includes meaningful connection with nature—offering inspiration and practical lessons for communities everywhere.
 

This session will be held live in San Antonio and streamed live for online participants.