Glasswing’s Top 10 Highlights of 2025
Published on December 22, 2025 by Glasswing
Each moment captured represents a measurable step toward safer schools, healthier communities, and futures built on choice, not chance.
1. Building learning environments where children learn, grow, and feel supported
Glasswing’s Community Schools operate as community hubs where classrooms turn into safe, engaging spaces. In 2025, our Community Schools and education initiatives continued to show that when education becomes a shared effort between schools, families, and communities, transformation is possible. This year, we reached more than 58 thousand children from Mexico to Colombia, developing their learning, wellbeing, and sense of belonging.
Within our education strategies, Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) achieved significant gains in literacy and math. Before the program, many children could barely recognize letters or numbers; today, eight out of ten read and understand texts. Fluent story reading increased from 22.3% to 66.1%, and reading comprehension rose from 11.9% to 58.5%, with 86% of students advancing at least one level in reading. In math, the group of students who could only recognize numbers dropped from 84% to 26%, while 73% advanced at least one level. Today, children are not just memorizing—they are reading with comprehension, solving operations, and approaching learning with greater confidence, demonstrating the power of teaching at the right level.This year we also launched Un Salto al Futuro (Leap Forward), a school transition program designed to build core skills among children ages five to eight. Through play, exploration, and first-hand experiences, the program nurtures critical thinking, curiosity, and social-emotional development. By actively engaging families and the wider community, this approach helps prevent future learning challenges and lays a strong foundation for children to begin their educational journey with confidence.
2. Expanding access to mental health through trauma-informed systems
In 2025, SanaMente continued to reinforce frontline workers. Glasswing has equipped 72,500 frontline workers and 1,160 migrants and asylum-seekers across Latin America with SanaMente training. This year, more than 27,076 people from sectors such as education, health, security, and community work received tools to recognize trauma, regulate their emotions, and offer more empathetic support. Today, more than 6.8 million people have ongoing access to trauma-informed services and environments.
The results are visible across institutions: nine out of ten teachers provided emotional support to students; six out of ten health professionals integrated active listening into their consultations; and five out of ten security officers clearly explained procedural steps during interventions, reducing uncertainty and strengthening public trust in institutional processes. In addition, 88% of trained staff report using trauma-informed practices in their daily work, and 94% use self-care techniques, creating safer and more collaborative workplaces.Countries also advanced toward more sustainable models. El Salvador integrated SanaMente into police training; Guatemala strengthened coordination among hospitals, schools, and community organizations; and Honduras led an intersectoral approach by positioning the Ministry of Security as an ecosystem champion, expanding trauma-informed training beyond law enforcement to include health, education, and community actors; and Mexico, Colombia, and Panama adapted the program to urban and migration-related contexts. In total, 11,876 people received direct emotional support from trained staff.
3. Youth leading change and building opportunity
In a context where young people’s options are often limited, the Youth Impact Leaders (JLI) program—funded exclusively by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation—demonstrated that access to education, employability, entrepreneurship, and community service transforms youth choices and opportunities. This year, JLI reached 113,037 young people and their communities in Guatemala and Honduras, strengthening their rootedness and creating more opportunities to build a stable future in their own countries.
The impact reflects in their wellbeing: 81% feel more optimistic about their economic future; 93% developed financial habits that enable household stability; and 84% developed essential skills such as communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution. More than 9,800 young people provided community service thanks to the program, contributing over 2 million hours to education, the environment, health, and community development. 92% demonstrated civic leadership skills, and 96% of community stakeholders now recognize youth as agents of change.
Finally, 93% of youth who received the extended stipend translated support into action, accessing employment, technical training, entrepreneurship, or volunteer opportunities across 800+ partner organizations.
4. Building community and expanding opportunity through volunteering
Volunteering is at the core of our work. Every act of service—large or small—drives community-led transformation. In 2025, more than 6,000 volunteers expanded the reach of our programs, offering support, connection, and opportunity to children and youth. Together, they strengthened a regional network committed to building safer, more creative, and more supportive environments.
The impact of volunteering was felt both inside and outside the classroom: leadership in after-school clubs, school revitalization projects, emotional support activities, and community events. In every setting, volunteers became positive role models, inspiring trust and reinforcing the idea that community is a powerful driver of learning.
Thanks to them, thousands of children and young people found spaces where they could grow, discover their talents, and feel truly supported.
5. Ideas that transform, connect, and heal: Glasswing hosts its first TEDx in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
This year, more than 400 people gathered at TEDx Quetzaltenango to explore the power of ideas to transform, connect, and heal. Ten speakers from a range of disciplines offered perspectives on mental health, cultural identity, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and collective philanthropy, inviting participants to reflect on their reality and act with empathy.
The event reaffirmed our commitment to promoting emotional wellbeing and strengthening social fabric through experiences that spark dialogue and community action. Indigenous leaders, environmental activists, designers, psychologists, and social leaders offered diverse perspectives on the challenges we face as a society and solutions that can emerge from within communities themselves.
Held in Quetzaltenango and supported by partner organizations, TEDx became a platform that encouraged creativity and participation. When communities open themselves to the exchange of ideas, they create pathways to healing, mutual understanding, and more inclusive, sustainable futures.
6. Celebrating hope and commitment: our 11th Annual Gala in New York
In October, more than 500 philanthropists, partners, and changemakers joined us at Glasswing’s 11th Annual Gala in New York City. The evening was dedicated to celebrating young people and raising funds to expand opportunities across Latin America and in New York. Glasswing raised $1.6 million to strengthen our Education, Health, and Community Development programs.
We honored TelevisaUnivision and its Executive Chairman, Alfonso de Angoitia, for their commitment to civic engagement and for their collaborations with Glasswing. We also presented Donna Karan with the Glasswing Humanitarian Award in recognition of her longstanding service and leadership in expanding access to mental health and holistic well-being.
The evening brought together leaders from the arts, fashion, culture, diplomacy, and philanthropy, all united by a shared purpose: strengthening the ecosystems that help communities thrive. The Gala reaffirmed a core truth for Glasswing: when we work together, hope turns into action, and action turns into real opportunities for young people.
7. Innovation, creativity, and partnerships that transform: Solve for Tomorrow and Glasswing’s first volunteer project in Paraguay
Our partnership with Samsung Latin America reached a new milestone with the 2025 edition of Solve for Tomorrow (SFT), which encourages public school students to design technology-based solutions that benefit their communities. In November, the historic Palacio Bolívar in Panama City hosted a celebration of creativity and ingenuity from youth across 12 countries. Among more than 3,000 projects, the Costa Rica team was named Regional Champion with “AgroTico Smart,” a proposal that uses IoT sensors, AI, and satellite data to support small farmers.
This year also marked a historic moment for Glasswing: our first volunteer project in Paraguay. Together with Samsung Latin America, eleven volunteers spent a day at Bioescuela Popular El Cántaro in Areguá, leading activities in gardening, planting, painting, seedling preparation, and the creation of a “Garden of Values.” The experience strengthened ties with the school community and opened a new path for regional collaboration and
8. Building Belonging, Opportunity, and Well-Being for New York City’s Youth
This year, Glasswing’s work across New York City demonstrated what is possible when newcoming, multilingual students are met with consistent care, opportunity, and meaningful relationships. Across Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, more than 450 students participated in afterschool, lunchtime, mental health, and volunteer-powered programs—marking our expansion to a sixth partner school.
In close collaboration with educators, families, volunteers, and corporate partners, we created welcoming spaces where young people built confidence, practiced English, explored arts and STEM, and were equipped with trauma-informed mental health tools.
Our volunteer ecosystem continued to grow, engaging more than 200 volunteers through 40+ events focused on career exposure, mentorship, and community service. We also strengthened cross-school collaborations that foster belonging and connection across neighborhoods.
Mental health remained central to our work, with expanded SanaMente training supporting students, teachers, and school staff in building healthier, more supportive school communities. Through creativity, care, and partnership, we are helping NYC schools become places where students feel safe, supported, and inspired to thrive—academically, emotionally, and socially.
9. Building partnerships that change futures: launching Sponsor a School
In 2025, we took a key step in bringing our donor community even closer to the schools we serve with the launch of Sponsor a School. Today, Glasswing works with nearly 80 community schools that face challenges such as limited resources and high-risk environments. Sponsor a School offers a concrete way to respond to different needs: 100% of each gift goes directly to programs that build skills, confidence, and hope across the school community.
Sponsorship fuels after-school programs that help children discover their talents, improve learning spaces through essential repairs, strengthen academic support, and promote social-emotional development. It also supports teacher well-being, builds life skills, and encourages active participation from families and neighbors.
This year, several donors visited the schools they sponsor: Jana Pasquel and John Moore in El Salvador; Andrea Jones in Colombia; and the Boyd and Amburgey families in Guatemala. Their visits highlighted what the program makes possible: safer schools, vibrant programs, and communities buoyed by the knowledge that someone—even from afar—believes in them.
If you would like to learn more or are interested in sponsoring a school, please contact Bridget Kane, U.S. Engagement Director, at [email protected].
10. Reaching more than 7 million people in 2025 across Latin America, the Caribbean, and New York City
We want to express deep gratitude to our donors, partners, and volunteers this year. Thanks to your commitment to children, youth, and communities across the region, we reached more than 7 million people in 2025. Behind that number are thousands of stories of resilience, learning, well-being, and real opportunity.
Magdalena, a student in Colombia, discovered new talents through Community Schools clubs, found the confidence to participate, and began to see her school as a place where she belongs and can grow. In Panama, Yolanda—an Indigenous woman and community mentor—gained tools through Girls Club training to support her daughter and help other girls build self-esteem, confidence, and the ability to speak openly about topics once surrounded by silence.
There is also the story of Daulín, a teacher in El Salvador who found in SanaMente the tools that transformed the way he supports his school community. Jimena, a young mother in Honduras whom, with seed capital and mentorship from Youth Impact Leaders, strengthened her small business to support her family and create job opportunities for other young women in her community.
They—and every person reached this year—are the driving force behind our work. Because of you, they continue discovering their potential to transform their lives and communities.
Together, we are building environments where children and young people can learn, thrive, and dream.
