FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Kirsten Voinis<br>
SEPTEMBER 29, 2003						(512) 922-7141<br>
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  <span style="font-weight: bold">HOUSTON NONPROFIT FOUNDER EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION</span><br>
  <i>Award honors work to bring technology training to Houston youth</i><br>
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  Rafael Alvarez, founder and president of Genesys ITS, has been recognized for his work in the Houston education and technology communities with the national 2003 Technology to Empower Communities Champion Award for Outstanding Technology Leaders.<br>
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  The award, presented for the first time by the Education Technology Think Tank and Community Technology Centers&#65533; Network (CTCNet) in Washington D.C., acknowledges the work by Alvarez and 30 other recipients from across the country.<br>
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  &#65533;While I certainly appreciate this honor, the real reward for my work with Genesys is watching the students realize they can learn and apply technical skills, perform as professionals and engage into a challenging, successful career,&#65533; Alvarez said. <br>
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  In 2002, Alvarez opened Genesys ITS, a nonprofit organization that educates and employs economically underprivileged high school students in the field of information technology services. While the students attend high school, Genesys offers them information technology training and places them in technology jobs with Houston companies. Through this approach, students receive job experience and a head start on a promising career, while companies can fill entry-level technology jobs cost effectively. <br>
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  Genesys began operations after securing a $50,000 seed grant from Houston Social Venture Partners. Genesys has since won more than $500,000 in other grants, including $250,000 from the federal Wagner Peyser Program awarded at the discretion of Texas Governor Rick Perry.<br>
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  Since it&#65533;s beginning, Genesys has enrolled 43 students in its training program and has engaged 36 of them in actual paid projects in the largest Houston-area corporations such as Reliant Resources and Shell. Earlier this year Genesys opened the Genesys Technology Work Center, a 14,000 square foot facility at 474 Garden Oaks Blvd., just north of downtown Houston.<br>
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  For more information on Genesys, please visit our website at
	<a href="http://www.genesysworks.org">http://www.genesysworks.org</a> <br>
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For more information on the award and the awards process, please visit the award web site at <a href="http://ctcnet.org/outstanding/">www.ctcnet.org/outstanding</a>.
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