Sanchez Elementary School and Allison Elementary School, Austin

The Austin office has sponsored Sanchez Elementary School and Allison Elementary School for the past three years in conjunction with AmeriCorps for Community Engagement and Education and Austin Partners in Education. Baker Botts employees volunteer an hour a week providing tutoring in reading and comprehension skills. The program consistently helps about 75 to 80 percent of the participating students meet grade-level expectations in reading by the end of the year. The office also adopts two families from each school during the holidays, providing gifts and a holiday meal for each family.

Julius H. Dorsey Elementary School, Dallas

The Dallas office has sponsored Julius H. Dorsey Elementary School in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas for more than ten years in conjunction with the Dallas Independent School District Partners in Education program. Through this program, Baker Botts employees provide tutoring in math and reading. The school has seen a dramatic increase in Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) scores since the firm's involvement, moving the school from the low-performance category to the academically acceptable category. Our volunteers also act as mentors for students who need positive role models. In addition, the firm participates in a holiday gift-giving program for the 600 students in the school.

Scott Elementary School, Houston

The Houston office adopted E.J. Scott Elementary School in 1990. Since that time, our lawyers and staff have actively worked with Scott's teachers and students to assist in areas at the school where extra help is most needed. All firm lawyers and employees are encouraged to volunteer at Scott and participate in the many programs and activities established and coordinated by the firm at the school. Such activities include: a formal tutoring program for second-grade students to assist with basic reading skills; a pen pal program for all fourth-grade students to encourage the development of writing skills; a Girl Scout troop where several women lawyers and staff serve as troop leaders; and an all-school Junior Achievement program, where all classrooms take part in the special programs and exercises designed to introduce children to economics.

The firm also invites all sixth-grade students into its downtown Houston office for a special graduation ceremony and luncheon featuring a well-known speaker from the community. Each year, we host a holiday celebration for the school, as well as a book fair benefiting the school's library, which we have worked to replenish with new books since the beginning of our partnership. We also support Scott's teachers with monthly appreciation packages.

Most importantly, our tutoring assistance has been noticeably effective as student scores in the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests have risen and improved in recent years. The Houston office remains dedicated to its relationship with Scott, and we work each year to improve and enhance this important program.

Street Law Program, Washington, D.C.

Since 1990, Baker Botts has partnered with a high school in Washington to provide students with an opportunity to look at the American legal system, particularly law that may be relevant to the students, such as consumer protection, family law and civil rights. The program culminates in a mock trial competition. Our lawyers serve as mentors to the students enrolled in the program, especially during trial preparation and execution. In addition to the Street Law Program, the Washington office also participates in the National Youth Leadership Forum in the Law, an initiative that introduces groups of high school honor students to our legal system through meetings with judges, law professors, legislators, lawyers and law enforcement personnel.