At the beginning of her senior year at Lewisville High School, Michelle was shy, and hesitant to share much about herself with others. Michelle’s parents had separated a few years prior, and the separation had divided the family and changed Michelle’s life drastically. Michelle and her sister began living apart, and her father became her main support system. At school, Michelle was an engaged and dedicated student, but she was often preoccupied with anxieties about struggles at home.
Michelle began coming to the Communities In Schools room on campus to eat lunch with CIS Site Coordinator Andrea Sholin and her intern, where she and Ms. Sholin would complete crossword puzzles together and learn more about each other. Through these activities, Michelle has been able to open up to Ms. Sholin about her life experiences and challenges, and the CIS room has become a place where Michelle feels free to express herself and be embraced for her unique personality and interests.
“Michelle needed someone to talk to and listen to her feelings and emotions, and I am extremely grateful that she was strong and brave enough to confide in me,” says Ms. Sholin. “Our impact on her has enabled Michelle to leave an impression on us as a community.”
After Ms. Sholin established the CIS room as a safe space for Michelle to be open about her experiences, Michelle ultimately felt empowered to approach Ms. Sholin for help after her family’s washing machine broke, causing Michelle and her father to use their bathtub to wash clothing. Ms. Sholin quickly reached out to a CISNT partner who was able to donate a working washer and dryer to Michelle’s family. Michelle’s father expressed his gratitude to Ms. Sholin, telling her that the donation was “truly like receiving a new car.”
With a larger support system to address her basic needs and provide emotional assistance, Michelle has been able to dedicate her time and energy to her academic goals with a renewed sense of confidence. Michelle has participated in band throughout all four years of high school, and has been a member of her campus’s National Honor Society for three years, actively participating in community service by picking up litter. Michelle has also overcome her fear of applying to and deciding on a college, and CISNT has provided guidance through the application, FAFSA, and decision-making processes.
In turn, Michelle has had a lasting impact on Ms. Sholin and the CIS program on her campus, and Michelle was recognized as the 2021 CISNT Student of the Year at Lewisville High School.
“It is apparent that our office is a better and more welcoming place for having had her with us since her first day here,” says Ms. Sholin. “For that, she is our student of the year, and truthfully the most deserving of praise, for she embodies what it means to ‘achieve in life.’”
CISNT is incredibly proud of Michelle for her growth and resilience over the past year, and we are so excited to see her cross the stage as she graduates from Lewisville High School! We know her possibilities are limitless as she enters a new chapter this fall by attending the Univeristy of North Texas with her tuition fully covered by grants and scholarships!
Congratulations, Michelle!
