CAST Teach Welcomes Newest Students with Pinning Ceremony

With parents, families, teachers, and fellow students looking on, 89 new CAST Teach students were officially welcomed into the school community during the campus's Pinning Ceremony on August 19.

The annual tradition welcomed 74 incoming freshmen and 15 new sophomores to CAST Teach, where students explore careers in education while developing their own identities as leaders, creators, and changemakers. Held alongside the campus's Meet the Teacher event, the evening also gave families an opportunity to hear firsthand about the CAST Teach experience, including reflections from a current junior and their parent.

CAST Schools Executive Director Jen Maestas welcomed the newest students by reflecting on San Antonio's strong culture of community and collaboration—and the role schools can play in creating that same sense of connection and belonging for young people.

“At CAST, we believe each of you has a superpower,” Maestas told students. “You are already leaders. Our hope is that by the time you leave CAST, you know what you love. You know what you're good at. You know what the world needs. And you know what you can get paid to do.”

That journey, she emphasized, isn't something CAST intends to design for students, but with them.

“Together, you and your teachers are going to create the kind of culture our city is known for—a place where people know one another, support one another, and believe that our individual gifts become more powerful when we use them for something bigger than ourselves.”

For CAST Teach's newest students, receiving their pins marked the beginning of that journey—and an invitation to discover what they can contribute to the community they are now part of.

It takes a community to help young people discover and develop their gifts. You can play a direct part in this journey by donating to CAST Schools, becoming a partner, and more!