STUDENTS OF SERVICE CELEBRATES MAJOR MILESTONE ALONGSIDE INTERNATIONAL ACTIVIST, PAUL RUSESABAGINA10/23/2024 SAN ANTONIO, October 17, 2024 - This December, Students of Service (SOS) will celebrate the organization’s 10th year in San Antonio’s nonprofit community. The organization celebrated this accomplishment early with a Birthday Bash at the Red Berry Estate on Wednesday, October 16th.
“In the past 10 years, our small organization has seen some tremendous growth and has overcome some just as tremendous challenges. We have stayed true to our mission throughout it all, and we look forward to what the next 10 years have in store for us,” shares Amir Samandi, the organization’s Executive Director. Samandi established the organization in 2014 as a teacher at Nimitz Middle School. In his world geography class, a student shared she had no idea what the Eiffel Tower was or where it was located. When Samandi pointed on a map to tell her where Paris was, he saw her spirit fall as she thought “she’d never go there.” Samandi knew he had to do something about that. Now, 10 years later, Samandi and the SOS team have taken more than 600 students and volunteers on approximately 20 trips abroad. Local students qualify for these trips and travel scholarships through community service completed with SOS. Because of these students, more than 100,000 hours have been served at 75 nonprofit organizations in the San Antonio area — impacting over 4,500 lives. On Wednesday evening October 17th, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and event sponsors, Valero Energy, the Muriel F. Seibert Foundation, FirstDay Foundation, and Commissioner Clay-Flores, were on hand to celebrate the momentous occasion. The event featured a special program and dinner where SOS alumni shared the impact the program has made on their lives. The Birthday Bash also featured a special honoree, Paul Rusesabagina. Rusesabagina is a Rwandan humanitarian known for his role in saving more than 1,200 people during the Rwandian genocide. His story is portrayed through the movie Hotel Rwanda. His conversation alongside local philanthropist, Jane Macon, was a highlight of the evening.
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Students of Service (SOS) is proud to announce the addition of Alicia Fawcett and Kim Leible to the organization’s volunteer board of directors effective January 2023. As board members, both Fawcett and Leible will support the organization’s mission by lending their skills to SOS as they help govern the organization and ensure that the nonprofit maintains a sustainable future.
Fawcett currently serves as the Director of Strategy, Planning, and Culture and as the Chief of Staff at greater:SATX. She shares that her background as a “military brat” and passion for travel set the foundation for her interest in supporting SOS. According to Fawcett, “Experiencing the world and making things better for the people in it matters.” Leible currently works at Humana as the Associate Vice President of CRM Marketing. As a parent, Leible shares that she has been able to see first-hand how important community involvement is as young adults develop their perspectives and outlooks. She states, “The mission is incredible and the positive impact this organization has had on previous and current students, as well as our community, is truly phenomenal.” SOS started as an idea that Amir Samandi, Executive Director, had from his time as a San Antonio middle school teacher in 2014. Samandi wanted to help students see the world, and his intentions have grown into a nonprofit endeavor that has taken more than 600 travelers abroad to over 16 countries (and counting) in under ten years. As the organization launches into 2023, Samandi will officially be stepping into his role, for the first time, as a full-time Executive Director of the organization. For Samandi, it was the moment he had been waiting for, “This is a dream come true and something I told former students that I was striving toward. I am looking forward to the year ahead and to growing our reach as we build a SOS that will last for generations to come. ” To learn more about SOS’s Board of Directors and to connect with their Executive Director, Amir Samandi, e-mail SOS at [email protected]. Students of Service is a San Antonio-based nonprofit organization that works to develop young leaders who have a global perspective to solve local problems. To learn more about SOS and how you can help local students become global citizens, visit www.sossanantonio.org. Students of Service (SOS) started as a meager idea from a teacher wanting to help students see the world but has grown into a nonprofit endeavor that has taken more than 600 travelers abroad to over 16 countries (and counting) in under ten years. As the organization steps into 2023, they will be doing it with more (wo)man power in their leadership. SOS is proud to announce the hiring of their first full-time team member, Marisa Calder, as the Director of Operations.
Calder is a Trinity University alumna who joins SOS with more than ten years of experience in the education, nonprofit, and government sectors. In her spare time, she had been volunteering with the organization since June 2021. When the opportunity presented itself, Amir Samandi, Executive Director of SOS, knew he had the perfect person in mind. Samandi shares, “Through Marisa’s volunteerism, experience, and commitment to the organization, I knew that she would be a great fit for our team. There is so much that was accomplished this past year thanks to Marisa’s leadership. We are thrilled she has accepted this role!” As the Director of Operations, some of the major responsibilities that Calder has in addition to developing organizational systems is program management, overseeing scholarships, and cultivating new partnerships. Calder is no stranger to how study abroad programs and international travel can change a student’s life. As a high school student, Calder participated in the Rotary Youth Exchange program in Hungary. When in college, she was selected to be a part of the U.S. State Department Critical Language Program in China. Calder shares, “I want students from all walks of life to experience the cultures, traditions, and exchanges that have helped me become the leader I am today. My life has been richer because of the experiences I have had while studying abroad. San Antonio students deserve that opportunity as well.” To connect with SOS’s new Director of Operations, Marisa Calder, reach out to her at [email protected]. Students of Service is a San Antonio-based nonprofit organization that works to develop young leaders who have a global perspective to solve local problems. To learn more about SOS and how you can help local students become global citizens, visit www.sossanantonio.org. NONPROFIT STUDENTS OF SERVICE DISTRIBUTING $25,000 IN TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LOCAL STUDENTS11/15/2022 Students of Service (SOS) has worked to offer area youth, from a spectrum of socioeconomic backgrounds, the opportunity to travel internationally since 2014. Because of this, the organization has taken more than 600 travelers abroad to over 16 countries (and counting) in under ten years. This year, SOS is proud to offer $25,000 in scholarships to area teens to apply towards international travel. SOS focuses on providing international travel opportunities for young adults to allow them access to develop a deeper understanding of international issues as well as develop a global perspective that can help influence how they solve problems at home. Through experiential learning, students are engaged in hands-on activities that allow them to reflect on what they have encountered through their experiences. Thanks to the generosity of donors over the past year, SOS will be offering $25,000 in scholarship funds for travel with the organization during their upcoming year. SOS plans on visiting Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, Southern Europe, and London in 2023 and is planning trips to Northern Europe and South Korea in 2024. By visiting the “Explore” tab at sossanantonio.org, you can find out more information about upcoming trips and the scholarship application process. The deadline for scholarship applications is Friday, November 18th. SOS Board Chair, M. Leslie Palmer shares, “We are grateful for the opportunity to offer $25,000 in scholarships for the first time in the organization’s history. It is important that students are given every opportunity possible to not only enrich their lives but to also bring back what they learn to the communities they grow up in.” For more information about trips and access to scholarships, families and teachers are encouraged to reach out to SOS’s Explore Manager, Marisa Calder, at [email protected]. Students of Service is a San Antonio-based nonprofit organization that works to develop young leaders who have a global perspective to solve local problems. To learn more about SOS, visit www.sossanantonio.org. All American Car Wash will offer spooky thrills along with clean cars at “Nightmare on Rim Drive” this weekend, Oct. 28-30. Every evening, Friday through Sunday, costumed characters will haunt the All American Car Wash location at the Rim Shopping Center, 18403 Rim Dr. For just $10, customers will receive the company’s “Over the Top” car wash valued at $25. All American Car Wash unlimited members are free.
The proceeds from “Nightmare on Rim Drive” will support the nonprofit organization Students of Service, which provides opportunities for students to combine meaningful local community service with informed international experiences. “We are thrilled the All American Car Wash has chosen to support Students of Service for their Nightmare on Rim Dr. event! The haunted car wash will help SOS raise much-needed scholarship funds so students in San Antonio can experience cultures and communities from around the world which will help us build an even more resilient community at home,” said SOS board chair, M. Leslie Palmer. All American Car Wash “Nightmare on Rim Drive” Haunted Car Wash Friday and Saturday, Oct. 28-29, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, 7 – 10 p.m. $10 per car wash, donated to Students of Service All American Car Wash unlimited members are free ABOUT ALL AMERICAN CAR WASH All American Car Wash provides its customers with the highest quality express car wash experience, including hand towel drying (because of the nighttime, dark conditions during the haunted car wash, towel drying will not be offered, though high-speed blowers will be utilized.) and access to free vacuums. It currently operates nine locations in North, South, and West Texas and Oklahoma with plans for rapid expansion. In San Antonio, it has four locations with plans to open three more by the end of 2022. All American Car Wash is the official car wash sponsor of UTSA Athletics. For more information, visit https://www.allamericancarwash.biz/. ABOUT STUDENTS OF SERVICE (SOS) Students of Service is a San Antonio-based nonprofit organization that works to help young leaders develop global perspectives to solve local problems. With SOS, students ranging from the 6th - 12th grades are able to combine meaningful service-learning projects (community service) with informed international travel experiences. Since 2014 more than 2,500 students have served over 100,000 hours of community service for partner organizations across Bexar County. Additionally, SOS has been able to take more than 600 travelers abroad to 16 countries . . . and counting. To learn more about SOS, visit www.sossanantonio.org. To watch SOS’s promotional video, visit https://youtu.be/-Kf-oYJGodc. When Amir Samandi was a teacher at a San Antonio school district, he encountered some of the city’s most amazing minds. His students worked hard, but he quickly realized that they had a limited view of just how far they could go. What started as a conversation about what the Eiffel Tower was and where it was located turned into a “lightbulb moment.” Samandi started Students of Service (SOS).
SOS provides San Antonio area youth the opportunity to become leaders by combining meaningful service-learning opportunities with life-changing, informed travel experiences. In just eight years, SOS has partnered with more than 75 organizations to take approximately 600 travelers abroad to experience a world beyond their backyard. Not only have these students benefited from this experience, but so have nonprofits across the Alamo city. Through their dedication to community service, teens involved with SOS have completed more than 100,000 hours of community service. In May 2021, these accomplishments caught the eye of Crews for a Cause. Max Rosenfeld, Co-Founder of Crews for a Cause, shared, “It is amazing and motivating to see the impact that these kids have on San Antonio! We were moved at not only what they have done in their community, but we were amazed to see the impact that travel had on the students’ outlook on life.” Crews for a Cause chose to partner with SOS to help the organization tell their story in hopes that the video they create will raise much needed awareness and funds for the young nonprofit. The video created on behalf of SOS by Crews for a Cause will premiere Wednesday, October 12, 2022 during the first Students of Service Luncheon hosted at the AT&T Center in San Antonio from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Sponsorships and tickets are still available for purchase on the SOS website. Students of Service is a San Antonio-based nonprofit organization that works to develop young leaders who have a global perspective to solve local problems. To learn more about SOS, visit www.sossanantonio.org. Crews for a Cause is a volunteer driven nonprofit organization located in Los Angeles, Calif. The organization’s goal is to bring together passionate and empowered entertainment professionals to produce, film, and edit videos that benefit good causes and people in need. For more information, visit crewsforacause.org. |
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Students of Service (SOS) PO Box 780674 San Antonio, Texas 78278 ©2024. All Rights Reserved. Students of Service (SOS) is a registered 501(c)(3). |