VentureLab is proud to celebrate Adam Rodriguez, a dedicated educator at Agnes Cotton Academy in San Antonio ISD, who positively impacts his community through entrepreneurship education. He has earned the status of VentureLab Certified Educator for his contribution to the youth entrepreneurship movement by creating content for the VentureLab Career Exploration and Innovation Program, sharing his experience with other educators, and successfully completing his Program Certification.
An Experienced Educator with a Heart for Students
Adam Rodriguez brings a wealth of experience to the classroom with 15 years of service in San Antonio ISD. He’s taught a variety of grades from 3rd to 8th and even served as a curriculum instructor for the Eastside Promise Neighborhood Project. As the current 8th-grade math teacher at Cotton Academy, Adam continues to inspire students. His dedication and innovative approach to education have positively impacted hundreds of San Antonio youth.
Early Career Awareness and Exploration
Adam was introduced to VentureLab’s mission through the San Antonio ISD Foundation and recognized how it aligned with his vision for preparing students for their futures. Every year, Adam and his colleagues help their students think about “what they want do when they grow up”. Each of his 8th-grade students select and apply to a local high school they feel will best prepare them for their future post-secondary pathway. VentureLab’s Career Exploration and Innovation Program has provided the structure and support for his 8th graders at Agnes Cotton to explore, create, and innovate their future through entrepreneurial learning.
“With VentureLab, it’s not just, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ It’s, ‘What’s the plan? How do you get there now?’ – Adam
Inspiring Success Story: A New Purpose for School
Adam shared the story of a student who struggled with school, especially after moving around during COVID and missing about a year of education. “School’s hard for him,” Adam explained, but through VentureLab’s Career Exploration and Innovation Program, the student realized how his passion of working on cars was a viable future he hadn’t considered. Through the career exploration activities and conversations with Adam, he learned about alternative paths, including vocational schools and certifications. Suddenly, school had a new meaning for him.
“I have to be here. I can’t miss any more days at school because I want to go into this program.” – Agnes Cotton 8th grade student
Adam and his team helped him find a high
This journey of career exploration and innovation, sparked by VentureLab’s program, transformed his mindset, guiding him toward a concrete future. He was accepted into the vocational program, and Adam proudly shares, “Last time I heard, he said he loved it.” VentureLab empowered him with the confidence, knowledge, and direction to turn his passion into a career.
Adam’s Own Experience with a Teacher Who Changed His Life
When Adam was in high school, he had a teacher who helped him think about his future differently.
I had a teacher one day that asked me, ‘Do you ever think about being a math teacher?’ I was in high school and I go, ‘No.’ And here I am, 15 years in as a math teacher.” It just took someone to see an opportunity and someone to say, ‘I’m going to take this time to invest in you.’”
Read more about Adam and his students! Middle Schoolers Create Their Own Career Paths in San Antonio
Join the VentureLab Certified Community
Want to learn how you can bring entrepreneurial learning to your community, contact VentureLab’s Director of Education, Scott Mann
