OCTOBER 2013
SUNRAYS | 35
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
GEORGE WAGNER
GISD Mentor
Georgetown Junior University
Brookwood in Georgetown
Head Start
Georgetown Project
If George Wagner could be described in
one word, it would be “passionate.”
George grew up in New York City, spent
three years in the Marine Corps and
graduated fromCity College night school
under the G.I. Bill. His career was in the
printing industry, until he moved to Sun
City Texas in 1997 with his wife, Maria.
It was then that he became an advo-
cate for youth in Georgetown, actively
involved in numerous community pro-
grams aimed at development and suc-
cess for kids with special needs, as well
as those economically disadvantaged.
George is most known for being a GISD
Mentor, mentoring between 3-5 students
each year, and staying with them for an
average of 3-5 years as they go through
grade levels. The Mentor Program aims
to improve self-esteem and encourage
kids to stay in school, improve their aca-
demic skills, and provide support for new
behaviors and ambitions.
George first got involved mentoring 16
years ago at the suggestion of a friend,
and he’s never looked back. His passion
for children’s education and development
in a safe environment has inspired many
other residents and continues to be an
inspiration to all who meet him. George’s
goal is to be an asset builder―building
trust, confidence and self-esteem in chil-
dren, based off of their values and sup-
port systems and everything in between.
“Relationships and self-esteem lead to
better academic skills. If a child feels
loved, cared for, and affection, the prob-
ability of their success is higher. But a
lot of kids don’t have it; there are a lot of
lonely kids out there—take my word for
it,” George said.
George also started Georgetown Junior
University in 2010, an umbrella project
bringing together the GISDMentor Pro-
gram, the Georgetown Project, Brook-
wood in Georgetown (BIG), Head Start
and Partners in Education (PIE).
The passion George carries is rooted in
caring for others, especially children. He
encourages others to find where their
interests and passions lie―and to build
assets in themselves and in others.
Written by Maggi Jones
George Wagner has been actively engaging in the Georgetown community since he first moved to Sun City Texas in 1997. He
currently is the Director of Georgetown Junior University, and devotes much of his time to being a Mentor for Georgetown
Independent School District.
