Mr. Thomas spends most of his retired days volunteering in his community. This is not his first rodeo volunteering with Communities In Schools at Evers Park Elementary. Mr. Thomas volunteered once before, but this year, he chose to be a mentor. At our first meeting, Mr. Thomas revealed that he is an avid reader. I asked […]
Read moreAn Emerging Leader
Yancy is a very independent 5th grader at Borman Elementary in Denton, TX. He usually makes up his mind right away on what he wants, wants to do, or doesn’t want to do. Last year, Yancy was a student I had to pay a lot of attention to. He was quick to get defensive whenever […]
Read moreGOAL: Guys/Girls Operating As Leaders
Last year, many Communities In Schools of North Texas cased managed students at Lake Dallas Middle School participated in the GOAL (Guys/Girls Operating As Leaders) program. This program, from Denton ISD, gives students the opportunity to learn to become leaders, give back to the community, work together with classmates to form a family, receive college […]
Read moreA Community of Support
On the first week of school I had a newly enrolled student come to my office because she had just become homeless. This student’s experience was very traumatic, and she had no system of support. While trying to find her a shelter to go to, our backup plan was for her to move in with […]
Read moreCISNT Men Who Mentor
There is no doubt about it, mentoring works. Statistics show that students who are engaged in a high quality mentoring relationship do better in school and engage less in risky behavior. This is why Communities In Schools of North Texas needs people like you to give just one hour a week to change a life. We […]
Read moreI Just Want to Wear a Suit
This school year I had the opportunity to work with many wonderful students at Lake Dallas Middle School. To the majority of them, this school year was their first year being a part of the CIS program. This was the case with Hernan. The first time Hernan, an eighth grader, set foot in my CIS […]
Read moreEscaping Violence to Come to the Land of Opportunity
Daniel, a senior at Little Elm High School in Little Elm, TX, came to the United States from El Salvador in February of 2013. Daniel made the journey to America alone, leaving his father, mother, and two older sisters behind. He came to the United States as a refugee to join an older brother and […]
Read moreBonding Over Jimmy Fallon
I would like to brag on Kiah, a ninth grader at Lewisville High School-Killough Campus, for her resiliency. When I first met Kiah in the fall, she was experiencing a significant amount of stress from family conflict in her home life. I listened and helped Kiah verbally process the changes she was experiencing in her […]
Read moreA Busy Mentor Makes Time for His Mentees
Rod Reeves, Director of Facilities and Construction for Little Elm ISD, is in his first year volunteering as a Communities In Schools of North Texas mentor at Little Elm High School. Rod first began meeting with his student in February and immediately established rapport. He comes for his mentoring sessions on a regular basis and […]
Read moreA Note of Encouragement
Daniel, a Chin high school mentor, has encouraged a fifth grade boy in a very unique way. At Lakeland Elementary, we have a large population of Chin refugee students that have originated from Burma. With so much transition that happens when a refugee family settles in the United States, these students are in high need […]
Read more