Guiding Principles

Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

Communities In Schools of the Laurel Highlands believes every child needs and deserves these "Five Basics":
 
1.) A one-on-one caring relationship with an adult
Many children do not have strong relationships with caring adults. We recruit and train thousands of volunteers to be mentors and tutors to young people in need and at risk. These volunteers become someone the children can trust, depend on and look up to.

2.) A safe place to learn and grow
Our after-school programs give kids an alternative to risky environments and activities. Often focused on math and reading, they help kids catch-up with their classmates and maintain confidence and skills.

3.) A healthy start and a healthy future
Kids can't learn if they have a throbbing toothache, can't see the blackboard, or are hungry. Our site coordinators connect young people with a host of services providing health and dental care, eyeglasses, even weekend food backpacks for kids who depend on school meals.

4.) A marketable skill to use upon graduation
Our high school programs focus on helping at-risk students master basic analytical and social skills, and develop attitudes and ethics necessary for success in the workplace.

5.) A chance to give back to peers and community
Little makes a young person feel more valued by their communities than when given the chance to give back. Through community service, young people understand the give/get interconnection between themselves and the greater community.

Our Impact: What We Do

                                        

Communities In Schools helps students stay in school and make the right choices by connecting schools with needed community resources. By bringing resources, services, parents, and volunteers into schools, we create a community of caring adults who work hand in hand with educators.

The resources and people that Communities In Schools connects with the school are often already in the community. More often than not, these vital resources and people are located outside of the school building, across town, or are only open during business and school hours. Communities In Schools is the connector, bringing this team of caring adults right into the school building where the children are and where the need is the greatest.

Communities In Schools helps communities and schools assess the needs of their youth. We then design plans for meeting those needs, using existing resources. This coordinated, individualized approach is what makes us an effective organization and why we are so successful.