One of the reasons Communities In Schools is the largest and most effective dropout prevention programs in the nation is because it provides continuous services to students.
Students who utilized CIS in elementary school often have the opportunity to be a part of CIS middle school and high school. Rubi Hernandez was matched with her mentor, Debbie, in 3rd grade and has continued to meet with Debbie through her sophomore year in high school.
Debbie has told me that Rubi used to be extremely shy when she was younger and had yet to come out of her shell. After all those years of meeting with Rubi and working with her on academics and her self-esteem, Rubi is now a confident, friendly, and kind student who is a leader among her peers in the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, a college preparatory academic class.
One way Rubi’s confidence has increased is through art. Rubi recently got a perfect score of four in a districtwide art competition. Debbie has been one of Rubi’s biggest encouragers because she always asks to see her sketches and tells her how beautiful they are.
Recently I asked Mr. Champion, Rubi’s art teacher, about Rubi’s progress in his class. He smiled and told me that Rubi’s art has gotten so good she could be successful as a professional artist one day.
The CIS mentoring relationship has helped Rubi believe in herself and gain confidence as an artist, as a student, and as a young woman.
