Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County

PPG Plant Manager, Todd Douthit (left) presents a check from the PPG Industries Foundation to CIS Executive Director, Christina Cooley Howell (center). Brigette Tinsley (right) is an environmental engineer at PPG and a CIS mentor. She also serves on the CIS board of directors.

At-risk students at Lexington Senior High School will receive vital support in the form of basic necessities, school supplies, clothing, and financial assistance for various activities this school year thanks to a generous $2,000 grant from the PPG Industries Foundation.

Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with PPG and over the years has received grants to support several schools in our service network. In addition, PPG supports mentoring relationships between its employees and local students in need.

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Dalewyn Spinks joined CIS as a mentor at the beginning of the 2012/13 school year. His mentee, Broderick, was a fifth grade student at Southwest Elementary School but will transfer to another school system for the upcoming academic year. Spinks plans to continue mentoring.

Dalewyn Spinks, a PPG maintenance engineer who joined CIS as a mentor at the beginning of the 2012/2013 school year recently was able to donate an additional $500 to the agency which he received from PPG Industries as a reward for his volunteerism.

Here’s what he had to say about his company’s generosity and the time he spent with his mentee, Broderick last year:

PPG seems like a company that really wants to reward its employees for giving back to the community – What did it mean to you to be able to hand over the donation after all the time you spent with Broderick? Handing over the donation was like adding icing on the cake. Unfortunately, the time I had with Broderick was cut short, but I am hoping the brief hour spent with Broderick weekly has had positive lifetime influences for him. I do not believe that a monetary donation is as important as the actual time spent; however it does sweeten the deal. This program’s support for all the kids you help is way more significant than what I can give.

What do you want your donation to do for CIS? Broderick used to always mention on Friday, “Dee I have to be back early today so I can get my backpack.” This was a necessity for Broderick and is very important to me. I would like for my donation to be used to support the backpack program.

What are you most looking forward to regarding being matched with a new mentee? I am around adults at work; whenever I have the opportunity to spend time with these kids it is a learning experience that offers another perspective of the things that happen each day. I am mostly looking forward to making a new friend.

What makes you want to continue mentoring? I don’t ever want to outlive where I came from or let where I could have been be forgotten. I believe that I can use some of my experiences in the past to assist someone in making the right decision in the future. The wheel has already been invented; some people just need guidance with the ways to turn it.

From left: Jamie Davis,  Rhetta Kepley, Rev. Dr. William B. Shrout Jr., and Curtis Putnam

Hundreds of students will walk into their classrooms on the first day of school this year confident that they have all the tools they need to be successful – all thanks to the generous spirit of one young woman.

Ashley Bracken Barnette, a youth member of Second Reformed United Church of Christ in Lexington, started a program called Pennies for Change several years ago with the simple goal of helping others in her community. Earlier this month, her grandmother, Rhetta Kepley, presented a check to Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davison County for more than $1,000.

“As a young person she quickly realized the need that existed for helping people of all ages,” said Curtis Putnam, a member of the Evangelism Committee at Second Reformed UCC, which directed the funds to CIS. He said Barnette originally approached various Sunday school classes at the church to explain her vision and was met with an enthusiastic response.

“The amount (she originally collected) was small, but with each passing week it continued to grow,” said Putnam.

When Barnette left Lexington to attend college, other church members took up the collection in her absence. Eventually, Kepley took the lead on Pennies for Change and the church continued to give.

“Each of the individuals involved in this project were gifted to be able to see the needs that were placed in front of our young people. Their love, patience, and drive to see this be a success were instrumental in growing the funds to an amount that far exceeded their hopes,” said Putnam. “It is with God’s blessing that these funds help our children to have the tools to help them learn and grow.”

Carol Crouse (left) and Myra Thompson (right) each served on the CIS Board of Directors for 9 years. Both women plan to remain supportive of CIS and its activities.

After nearly 20 years of combined volunteer service to an agency with a mission close to their hearts, Carol Crouse and Myra Thompson say goodbye to Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County.

Crouse and Thompson were originally recruited to join the CIS board of directors by the agency’s previous executive director, Donna Black. Both women say they were immediately drawn to the idea of bringing caring adults into the lives of children who needed role models.

“I was eager to serve” said Thompson, who currently teaches GED courses at Davidson County Community College. “Over time I realized that CIS actually could truly make a sustainable, positive and powerful difference in a young person’s life. Almost 10 years later, it is incredible and thrilling that community awareness and funding of CIS has spread to help and empower so many more students from additional schools in Lexington and Davidson County.”

Like Thompson, Crouse was introduced to CIS by Black.

“The tenets of the CIS program are very akin to my belief that caring adults truly make a difference in the success of students who lack a role model,” said Crouse, who serves as chairwoman for the Davidson County School board. “Donna showed me the statistics of the program’s success and I was hooked. I have stayed with CIS because it has been everything promised and more. It has been my honor to serve alongside future leaders of this city and county.”

For Thompson, the CIS focus on mentoring hits close to home.

“It’s amazing what one small compliment from a caring adult can mean to a young person who needs a word of encouragement. In second grade at Robbins Elementary School my teacher, Miss Eleanor Gray, once mentioned to me how well I could draw; something I had never thought about. My mother was hospitalized for most of that school year and, looking back, I guess I needed some special attention,” she said.

“I internalized Miss Gray’s confidence in me and over the years I continued to draw. Today my painting brings me great pleasure but I wonder if I would have continued … without a kind word from my unofficial mentor so long ago.”

Though she’s leaving the board, Crouse hopes to see CIS continue to grow, attracting more mentors and spreading the simple power of friendship.

“There is no more worthy avocation than mentoring a child who needs someone to love and care for them unconditionally,” Crouse said. “Keeping one student from dropping out is proof enough that there is value in the programs (CIS) provides all over the county.”

Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County will again partner with Walmart of Lexington to collect school supplies for economically disadvantaged students through the Build A Backpack campaign.

Now through Aug. 31, Walmart shoppers in 144 stores across the state will have the opportunity to purchase school supplies and place them in large bins marked with the Build A Backpack logo. Communities In Schools of North Carolina, which facilitates the statewide initiative, anticipates thousands of students in 80 counties will benefit from Build A Backpack.

Locally, CIS of Lexington/Davidson County expects to help hundreds of families who can’t afford to purchase necessary supplies such as notebooks, pens, calculators, and binders. Last year, nearly $29,000 worth of supplies reached the hands of students attending schools in both the Lexington City and Davidson County school systems.

Not sure what to donate? Our most-requested items are:

• Binders (1.5- and 2-inch three-ring)
• Bookbags
• Post-it Notes
• Index Cards
• Tab Dividers
• Two-pocket Folders
• Mechanical Pencil Lead
• Pocket Hand Sanitizer

Please call (336) 242-1520 or email CIS@triad.rr.com if you or someone you know would like to be placed on the waiting list for supplies.

When Brenda Everhart met Samantha as a sixth-grader at South Davidson Middle School, Samantha was convinced she would leave school behind for good as soon as she was legally allowed to drop out. Everhart helped her see the importance of staying in school and was there to celebrate as Samantha graduated from South Davidson High School earlier this month.

The conversation that would change the course of a Denton teen’s life forever started with a simple “hello.”

“I said ‘Hello, my name is Brenda Everhart. I’m with CIS (Communities In Schools). Do you know about the program?’” said the woman who had been matched as a mentor to Samantha, then a sixth grade student at South Davidson Middle School.

Everhart wasn’t expecting Samantha to immediately confide plans to end her formal education as soon as she turned 16, the age at which kids are legally able to drop out of school without permission from their parents in North Carolina.

“I told her, ‘Well, we are going to make a great team because I too at 16 had planned to quit school.’ She laughed and then we started quizzing each other about our likes and dislikes. We found out that though we are many years different in age, we had a lot in common.”

Time passed and Everhart’s relationship with Samantha deepened. Each day they discussed home, school, boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, sports, and weekend plans.

“Sometimes we did school work or school projects. We attended the theater, musicals, the symphony; we went shopping, out to eat, and to the movies,” said Everhart, adding that they spent the majority of their time together just goofing off and being silly, “not worrying about anything.

“She (Samantha) taught me so much about teenage life and how things are so different than when I was her age. There were days I would question whether I was really helping her or not but then I would arrive at school and she would bring me up with all of her excitement. We ended every visit with a hug.”

When the time came for Samantha to decide whether or not she would continue attending school, Everhart was honest about her feelings.

“I told her if she quit (school) I’d lose a best friend,” said Everhart. “She (Samantha) replied, ‘I’m not quitting if you stay my mentor until I graduate.’ I said ‘Sam, I will be your best friend even past graduation! We are now life friends.’”

Having met her goal of seeing Samantha through to her graduation day, Everhart said she will continue sharing a message of hope for the future with other students – especially with the seventh grade student she is currently mentoring through the CIS program at South Davidson Middle School.

“She (Samantha) is my first success story. I’m so glad she graduated.”

Deneesha Edwards has developed a close relationship to her lunch buddy, Ja’Nia over the last three years. The pair met at Charles England Elementary School when Ja’Nia was in third grade. They recently celebrated her fifth grade graduation together.

When Ja’Nia arrived at Charles England Elementary School on June 7 to participate in her fifth grade graduation ceremony, she had no idea there was a special person waiting in the audience there to cheer her on.

Days earlier she had been told that her mentor, Deneesha Edwards, a reporter with The Dispatch, had a scheduling conflict and would not be able to attend the ceremony. Ja’Nia understood and was happy enough to know that Edwards would celebrate with her another time.

“My sister’s fifth grade graduation was the same morning as Ja’Nia’s graduation,” said Edwards, who recently was named the Donna H. Black Mentor of the Year for Charles England.

She was torn, but after careful consideration, Edwards made her decision. She explained to her little sister, who lives in Rowan County, that there was another child her age in need of support.

“I knew that my sister’s mother and other family members had plans to attend the ceremony in Rowan County. I chose to attend Ja’Nia’s graduation because I wanted to make sure she had someone in her corner rooting for her. Even though it was something so simple, I wanted my mentee to know she can count on me. I also wanted her to know that I am always there for her and whatever I can do to help her be successful, I definitely have her back,” said Edwards. “I know my sister will have more important graduations, from high school and college for example, that I will definitely attend.”

Ja’Nia was thrilled to receive this graduation gift from her mentor, Deneesha Edwards. After the ceremony the pair celebrated by taking a trip out for ice cream.

Edwards watched as her mentee of three years crossed the graduation stage and celebrated alongside Ja’Nia as she was presented with several awards.

“I was proud to attend the awards ceremony for Ja’Nia because not only did she receive a certificate of completion, she received certificates for perfect attendance for the fourth nine weeks and the Most Improved Reader award. Back in her classroom she received the Best Actor award,” said Edwards. “We talked about her awards, especially the Most Improved Reader award, because I wanted her to understand the outcome of working hard. We discuss grades all the time.”

Edwards gives the majority of the credit for Ja’Nia’s success to the teachers and staff at Charles England but she calls herself Ja’Nia’s biggest cheerleader.

“I let her now she can do whatever she puts her mind to. I’m hoping she will take everything she learned from her teachers at Charles England and what we talk about with her to Lexington Middle School,” said Edwards. “As a mentor, I was just excited to be able to share Ja’Nia’s special day with her. She was happy, so I was happy.”

Mentors – we need to hear from you!

You are the driving force behind our ability as an agency to reach at-risk students on an individual level and, hopefully, to keep them from dropping out of school before they reach their graduation day.

You are the reason that every single school year more than 95 percent of the students who are enrolled in Communities In Schools and are eligible to graduate DO graduate.

Because you play such a powerful role in the success of CIS, we need to hear your opinions!

Please share your thoughts with us by downloading the End-of-Year Evaluation and returning it as soon as possible to Program Director, Jamie Davis. You can reach her via email at CIS@triad.rr.com, or via phone/fax at (336) 242-1520.

Your responses WILL be used to improve CIS programs in 24 schools in the Lexington City and Davidson County school systems.

Thank you for your participation in this vital process!

The results are in! Here’s a look at the individual school winners of the Donna H. Black Mentor of the Year Award for 2013 (don’t forget to check back soon to learn which two of these deserving mentors are named system-wide Mentors of the Year!):

Lexington City Schools

 Deneesha Edwards Charles England Elementary

Dexter Garner Lexington Middle School

Liz Shive Pickett Elementary

Matt Swift Southwest Elementary

Davidson County Schools

Brenda Hipp Brier Creek Elementary

Elizabeth Thompson Churchland Elementary

Andy Morris Denton Elementary

Mandy Lawrence Davidson County High School

Lori Hughes  Hasty Elementary

Kathryn Schenk  Pilot Elementary

Jo York Silver Valley Elementary

Dean Gadwah  South Davidson Middle & High Schools

Rev. Billy Pearson Southmont Elementary

Eddie Kearns  Southwood Elementary

Margaret Jackson Welcome Elementary

Eddie Kearns, a local real estate entrepreneur, makes Wednesdays worthy of excitement for fifth-grader, Triston, who has been looking forward to his mentor’s weekly visits for the last six years.

As the owner and operator of Kearns & Associates Inc., Eddie Kearns spends the majority of his week immersed in the very adult world of buying and selling property. But Wednesdays are different.

As a mentor in the Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County program at Southwood Elementary, Kearns gets to put away the paperwork and spend his midweek lunch break letting his inner child out to play.

“I have the mind of a kid so it’s really fun for me to get around kids,” said Kearns, who joined the CIS program six years ago after then-principal of Southwood, Deana Coley gave an impassioned plea for mentors at Bethany United Methodist Church where they are both members. “I like to play anyway so I figured this was an opportunity for me to come and play once a week. It sounded like something I’d enjoy and if I could help out at the same time, even better.”

Kearns has been tossing the football, shooting hoops, playing board games, and doing the occasional lesson with his lunch buddy, Triston ever since.

Asked to describe Kearns in one word, Triston chose “awesome.”

“He’s hilarious, he makes jokes and he helps me with sports,” said the fifth grader. “I used to not have very many friends, but then Eddie started coming and sitting with me at lunch and people would crowd around. He really helped me with my personality.”

Triston said he looks forward to Wednesdays more than any other day of the week.

“I didn’t realize it when I started doing this, but the kids really look forward to their ‘lunch buddy day’ too, which is kind of nice,” said Kearns.

“Wednesdays are like an awesome day for me,” said Triston.

When they’re together, Kearns and Triston typically try to focus on just having a good time rather than on serious matters.

“Once in a while we’ll do school work but mostly we just play and talk about what’s going on. We just kind of hang out.” said Kearns, joking with Triston that he might have to change that after seeing his last report card. “It’s not a big deal if you get a bad grade, but it’s when you don’t put in the effort that it becomes a big deal.”

“Sometimes I get in trouble and he’ll (Kearns) talk with my teacher about it,” admitted Triston.

“But you haven’t had anything this year have you?” Kearns asked.

“Nope,” said Triston, adding, “I’m a lot more mature now.”

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CIS is part of the nation’s largest stay-in-school network, helping young people stay in school, successfully learn, and prepare for life by connecting needed community resources with schools. Founded in 1997, CIS of Lexington/Davidson County currently serves 24 schools in both the Lexington City and Davidson County School systems.  If you would like to become a Lunch Buddy and mentor a student in need, please download a Mentor Application today.

It seems like every week, every month, and almost every day, is dedicated to honoring a different group of people or activity. We at Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County try to stay on top of them all – last month we honored volunteers, back in January we appreciated mentors, and on April 4th we even celebrated National Tell A Lie Day.

Well this week (May 6 – 10) is all about teachers – educators of all sorts, really – and May 7 was National Teacher Day.

 We thought we’d take just a moment not only to give our sincerest thanks to the teachers and educators who make our dropout prevention work possible in the Lexington City and Davidson County school systems, but to remind them to use CIS as the resource we aspire to be. 

CIS is about keeping kids K-12 in school until they graduate. We do that by providing at-risk students with adult mentors that they can trust to guide and encourage them.

But we also accomplish our dropout prevention goals by simply stepping in to alleviate problems individual students might be having at any given time, even if the student isn’t in one of our programs.

When it comes to this part of our work, teachers are our greatest ally. Teachers see when students aren’t eating enough, or don’t come to class prepared because their families can’t afford a trip down the school supply aisle. Teachers see it in students’ eyes and, most often, in their actions when trouble at home becomes overwhelming.

We need teachers to tell us what’s happening in their classrooms so we know how to intervene. 

Teachers have a hard job – the hardest job. Help CIS help them – Tell a teacher about CIS today!

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Some things we can help with:

• School supplies
• Hygiene items
• Food
• School-appropriate clothes
• Connections to community resources (assistance with housing, utility, and other services)
• Supplies for extracurricular activities (sports equipment, club fees, etc.)