Sometimes the best part of school is the clubs and extracurricular activities. The time students get to spend together, whether it be playing a sport or building a robot, are times they cherish. At Communities In Schools of North Texas (CISNT), providing these enrichment opportunities is a core component of our support, keeping students in school and on track for graduation.
To keep students engaged in school, CISNT Site Coordinator, Idalia Torres, and CISNT volunteer Coach Ram at Seven Hills Elementary host a weekly soccer club. Not only does the soccer club bring fun, but it also builds on students’ social-emotional skills. Each meeting focuses on a social-emotional learning topic, such as how to be a leader, having a sense of community, and building life skills. The kids have built a close relationship with Coach Ram over the years and value their time together as a group.
With schools closed due to COVID-19, Ms. Torres has ensured that her soccer club kids are staying connected and keeping up these positive relationships. Ms. Torres has put her creativity to great use in order to keep her Soccer Club connected and motivated virtually during the COVID-19 Closures. This past week the members of the Soccer Club were able to virtually meet with Ms. Torres and Coach Ram. Students started off with a show and tell of their pets and discussed how at-home learning was going. Encouragement is key! Both Ms. Torres and Coach Ram used the virtual meetings to also talk about the importance of working hard and never giving up. They were able to remind the kids that learning doesn’t stop just because they aren’t in the school building – keep reading, stay focused and keep doing your schoolwork.
Having positive adults pouring into the lives of students is more important than ever. CISNT Site Coordinator Ms. Torres says, “Having the opportunity to meet together was a source of great comfort and joy for the students to be together again and something we hope to do weekly through the remainder of the school year!”
Thank you to all of our CISNT Site Coordinators for their creative engagement of our students during this time. Together, we are #AllInForKids!
