Student Success Stories

Communities In Schools of Southwestern Pennsylvania 

One of my students who graduated this year sent me a very appreciative card this summer to thank me for encouraging and guiding her in making college plans. She lives in a small town and is the oldest of six children. When I met her, she stated that she was interested in having a career as a massage therapist or an x-ray technician.  I helped her to explore both fields and she decided that radiology was an area with more job opportunities and better pay.  I talked to her personally about my brother who was receiving radiation for cancer and brought her information brochures from the doctor’s office. I helped her with research on radiology for her senior project paper on which she received a 93%.  Her senior year GPA was a 4.0. We talked about the logistics of how to go to college when you live in a small town and have no transportation.  Together we explored colleges, talked with her guidance counselor, and completed on-line financial aid forms.  We discovered that a local community college has a satellite campus close to where her aunt lives. I told her over and over again, that where there’s a will, there is a way! I last talked to her early this month. She is starting school soon and will be staying with her aunt. She thanks me over and over again for my support. Now all I can do is pray for her success.

"Because he has high hopes"

When Jerry graduated it was a rewarding day for him, his family and Communities In Schools as we saw him move into a new chapter of his life with hope and determination. Jerry Lester, a student in the computer entrepreneur after-school program at the Bronwsville Tech Center had some difficulty during his high school career. Jerry was determined to receive his diploma and graduate with his classmates. Jerry was a faithful member of the program for over five years and made a lot of contributions to the program. He was involved in promoting the sale of computers, working on the end of the year community night where he showed clients around and demonstrated the computer software. Jerry completed his graduation project by working with cataloging historical facts from Southwestern Pennsylvania's  local renaissance agency. Determined to graduate, he persevered through his studies and completed the necessary requirements for graduation. After speaking with his principal and high school secretaries they described Jerry as a completely changed individual due to his success at the Tech Center. Jerry indicated that he wanted to make something of himself to make his future brighter. After Jerry's involvement in the computer entrpreneur program he is interested in a career in computers. He has offered to come back and volunteer at the center in the years to come.

 

Letter From a Parent
To the administration & teaching staff at the Success Academy,
I didn't want this school year to end without taking the opportunity to thank all of you for the help and support you've given to my daughter. As you know, due to an unforunate incident [my daughter] was sent to you from the middle school. I was so extremely upset about it because I felt that she was going to be tossed into an educational institute that would drag her down to be what we call, "one of the bad kids!" Well, I couldn't have been more wrong! Not only did all of you treat her with respect, you worked with her and listend to what she had to say, in turn, letting her gain back the self-respect that she was losing due to the incident that had sent her there. All of you went above and beyond your job descrptions to help her many times since she's been there. I don't know of any schol anywhere that takes the itme with their students like you all have with [my daughter]. I'd like to thank each and every one of you for all of your help and genuine concern. I don't believe there's a learning facility anywhere that has a staff that could even come close to the quality of people you all are. You have truly been amazing and I am so sincerely thankful to you all for helping my daughter.

May God bless each and every one of you,
My deepest thanks,
Grateful Parent

Communities in Schools of Pittsburgh-Allegheny County

Shreen Edmondson grew up in foster care after having lost her mother when she was 9 years
old. Shreen, a young mother of four, spent several years in our program striving to earn her
high school diploma after dropping out of Peabody. CIS was able to be flexible with her schedule
so that she could be a responsible mother while completing her high school education. Of
course, this took a lot of time, but Shreen remained focused and completed all of her required
coursework. While she was a student, she attended our week long BIZ CAMP, where she
competed in a business plan competition. She shared first place, for developing an innovative
plan to create a housing program for young mothers and fathers. After completing our program,
she successfully completed Job Corps certification program for registered nursing assistants;
at the Job Corps graduation, Shreen was selected as the one student speaker on behalf
of her class of over 50 students. She is now working as a nursing assistant and is enrolled in
Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) with an ultimate goal of becoming a registered
nurse.

Anthony Mack is a student who came to CIS after dropping out of school. He came to CIS
and spent a year getting back on track. We worked with him to get a part time job at Eat n’
Park while he finished his high school diploma. At this time, he already had his own apartment
and needed to support himself. After graduation, he attended Community College of Allegheny
County (CCAC) for Business Administration. He is in his first year at CCAC and
proudly made the Dean’s List both semesters.

Der’Ral Patterson is a young man who dropped out of school with only four credits to go. His
family was struggling to pay the bills and he was constantly moving from house to house. He
would often stay with other family members while he attended our program. He entered the
CIS graduation essay contest and won a $2,000 scholarship. This enabled him to attend Community
College of Allegheny County (CCAC), where he is currently attending pursuing a business
degree, while he sings with his band on the weekend.

Pearl Mackey -- Northside Urban Pathways Charter School, 9th grade
"I joined First Row because I was having a rough time with things and I thought it would give me a better peace of mind. I thought it would give me an opportunity to get away from teh everyday things. It was different, unique and looked like a lot of fun. At the time, I was looking for a new experience; I didn't want to fall into the crowd of peers around me. Also, it was a huge stress reliever, which I needed more than anything due to the constant inhibitions I experience at school and other times. I was looking to learn something new at First Row and get an idea of how different things work. [First Row] had made a huge difference in my life and has tremendously changed my attitude toward things. This is a great program and I find it a lot of fun!"

Communities In Schools of Philadelphia

Malik Anderson
Andrew Riley

Sheneese Thompson is beyond the average student. She has a passion for learning and a hunger for success. Coming from a single-parent household, she has seen her deals of struggle, but those struggles have never made her quit; instead she tackles any issue that life brings her way. Sheneese is not only an honor student at the Math, Civic & Science Charter School but she is also a professional dancer, a youth leader in her community and a Fannie Lou Hammer Trainer for Philadelphia Freedom Schools. She has been dedicating her time with the Freedom School family for the past four years and has vowed to return to her "second" family on summers during her college career at Howard University.

"Student of the Year" - Raheen Houser
Having dropped out of school twice, Raheen Houser enrolled in the CIS Oasis Academy at Simon Gratz High School. He was a 17-year-old sophmore with only six high school credits. Raheen grew up without a father and spent his teenage years moving abck and forth between his mother's and sister's house. Raheen says that it was pressure from his friends that lead him to drop out of school despite his personal struggles. The CIS Oasis Academies operate as small schools-within-schools intended to provide overage and under-credentialed students with a personalized, accelerated learning program with strong social service and academic wrap-around support. With a smaller cohort of students, smaller classes and dedicated academic and support staff the Oasis Academies assist students who do not succeed in traditional academic environments to get back on track before they exit school prematurely to become dropouts. After a year in the Oasis Academy, Raheen's relationship to school drastically changed. Througout the year, Raheen maintained a nearly perfect attendance record and earned twelve high school credits; enough to put him back on track as a senior. Due to his positive attitude and ability to succeded despite the challenges, he was named the Oasis Academy's student of the year. Raheen is also a member of the CIS Youth Leadership Academy where he works on his public speaking and presenation skills. According to Rahim Haqq, the Site Manager at Simon Gratz, Raheen was a respected leader among the Oasis community. He was very supportive of the stafff and students and always offered to help in whatever way he could.

"Most Improved Student"

ELECT Overbrook High School student, Kelly Calamese, defied the odds and joined teh ranks as an Overbrook High School graduate. The ELECT/CTC Team provided triage support and tag teamed with the ELECT site administrator, site coordinator and teen advocate to make sure that the mother of two did not become just another statistic. Kelly was initially supposed to graduate in 2009, but wuth a second child she  was not able to succeed. She was referred to the ELECT/CTC team and the team made it their mission to help Miss Calamese get back on track for June 2010 commencement. The program reviewed Kelly's credit profile and helped ensure that she was enrolled int he appropriate classes for graduation. Kelly was registered for ELECT/CTC Saturday School, academic assistance with her senior project and post-secondary preparation along with financial aid assistance. Kelly Calamese received Overbrook High School's "Most Improved Student" and was accepted into the Art Institute of Philadelphia and will pursue coursework in culinary arts.d

 

Communities In Schools of the Laurel Highlands

Communities In Schools of the Laurel Highlands was awarded four Federal Learn and Serve grants that were used in four after-school program sites to lead students into the world of service learning. Students who attendthe after-school program serv on the Youth Leadership Board at their school. The after-school Youth Leadership Board received a very enthusiastic response with hundreds of great and creative ideas for service-learning projects. The board convened and voted to choose the project that they believed could do the most good in their local community. Students were able to develop their skills as leaders within their schools and communities and the projects reinforced the belief that they can make a positive difference. Students involved with the homelessness assistance project worked together to coordinate item collection. At the close of the project, this group of leaders delivered all of the toiletry items and blankets collected to a local organization that provides help and resources to local families in need. Some students partnered with others to visit a local state park to learn abotu bats and present bat boxes to the park. An animal supplies collection drive was also held where students collected, counted, sorted and delivered bags and sponsored animal adoptions. CISLH's 120 after-school program students successfully mobilized and involved 1,500 of their fellow students to make service learning a meaningful experience for their schools.