Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County

Blue Wave Auto Wash is located at 1109 South Main Street in Lexington.

“Thank you for all you do for our community!

As a member of the greater Lexington community, we would like to thank all of you at Communities In Schools for the wonderful service you provide our community.

As a token of our appreciation we would like to offer ALL the employees and volunteers of Communities In Schools a discount of up to 50% in our new state-of-the-art soft cloth carwash that was proudly manufactured in Statesville, NC.

This is not a one time benefit. We will be running this from now on as our way of saying thank you!”

Discounted Prices

Ultimate Wash (Rain-X and Double Bond) – $6 (regularly $12)

Supreme Wash – $5 (regularly $10)

Deluxe Wash – $4 (regularly $8)

Express Wash – $3.50 (regularly $5)

Please enter this code for your discount: 4727800

Lexington Middle and Lexington Sr. High schools will honor their mentors on Thursday, Jan. 24 at noon with a luncheon. Location TBA.

Don’t see your school? Check back soon.

We’ll be updating the schedule as our site coordinators finalize their plans!

Spotlight on Mentoring | January 2013

Dalewyn Spinks, a maintenance engineer at PPG Industries has been mentoring Broderick since October of last year.

On a recent Wednesday morning, Dalewyn Spinks arrived at Southwest Elementary School to spend his lunch break with Broderick, the shy fifth grader he’s been meeting with on a weekly basis since October.

Spinks was a little early so he waited patiently for the young man he was matched with through the Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County mentoring program.

“How do you like your Christmas present?” Spinks asked when Broderick finally appeared at the front desk.

Broderick, who transferred to Southwest at the beginning of the school year from Cook Elementary School in Winston-Salem, looked down at the blue socks he wore pulled up to his knees and smiled.

“I like them,” he answered quietly.

Though their relationship is only a few months old, Spinks and Broderick display an easy friendship, bantering about where they would eat that day.

Broderick smiled sheepishly before suggesting Golden Corral, his favorite.

“Have you been good this week?” Spinks asked.

Grinning again, Broderick admitted he’d had a few slipups.

“We’re going to McDonald’s then,” Spinks laughed.

Spinks, a maintenance engineer at PPG Industries, chose to be trained as a CIS mentor after a coworker mentioned the program to him. As a child, he said, he had a similar relationship with an adult who guided him and motivated him to reach the level of success he enjoys today.

“It means a lot,” Spinks said of his ability to now give back to a young person in the same way. “I see the way a mentor changed my life, taking me from a negative situation to my current, well-maintained situation. I just hope I can influence Broderick to make the sacrifices he needs to make while he’s young, (such as) not trying to do things that make him look cool so he can fit in now; that way he can have an established life in the future, support himself and help others.”

During their visits to area restaurants each week, Spinks and Broderick set goals and talk about any issues Broderick is having that might prevent him from meeting those goals.

“We both enjoy eating. I spend a lot of my time with him trying to understand how he is feeling and what I can do to make his day better,” Spinks said. “He enjoys just talking and I enjoy listening.”

Spinks, affectionately known as “D” to Broderick, admitted that the most challenging thing about being a new mentor is building trust and respect.

“Initially (Broderick) would not say much to me, but after following through on promises and treating him with the utmost respect the tables turned,” he said, noting his surprise at the readiness with which Broderick finally accepted him, a stranger, into his life. “When I first started meeting with him I didn’t expect him to be so honest with me so quickly. I expected it to be a little more difficult to gain his trust.”

So far, Spinks has helped Broderick focus on getting his schoolwork completed on time and reducing the number of times he gets into trouble each week.

“His teachers tell me he has definitely improved in terms of his attitude, respect, and patience,” Spinks said. “The biggest thing I hope he takes away (from working with me) is the importance of respecting others. Having respect for grownups and other kids will take him further than anything else in the world.”

For Spinks, being Broderick’s mentor is rewarding on many levels, allowing him to remain grounded with his own roots in sight while witnessing firsthand the impact he’s making on a future generation.

“I don’t ever want to outlive where I come from or let where I could have been be forgotten. (Being a mentor) lets you experience life from another point of view while making a difference. These kids are not in a particular situation because they want to be, but because they have no choice.”

Regular listeners to WLXN (99.9 FM | 1440 AM) should now be hearing a series of messages about the importance of mentoring  from our very own board members, Mark Smith, Sol Coltrane, Tina Royal, and Will Tate!

Their heartfelt pleas for new mentors are being broadcast on a loop throughout the month of January but you can listen right now as many times as you’d like!

Don’t forget to share these clips with your friends as we work to match all 118 kids on our list with the caring adult mentor they’ve been waiting for!

Mark Smith – G.W. Smith Lumber Company

Sol Coltrane – Coltrane and Company, Inc.

Tina Royal – North Carolina Probation Officer

Will Tate – Davidson Broadcasting (WLXN and KOOL 99.9 FM)

Jo York visits Silver Valley Elementary School twice a week to work with second grader, Jesse (left), and third grader, Haven.

When she was asked five years ago to become a mentor in the Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County program at Silver Valley Elementary, Josephine York didn’t have to think long before deciding she would do it.

“I’m glad I said yes. It makes me feel good to know that I have helped students and made a difference in their lives,” said York, who currently mentors a second grade boy, Jesse, and a third grade girl, Haven.

After taking some time off from mentoring, York became active again in 2010 first with Haven. The following school year she was matched with Jesse.

When “Ms. Jo” comes to visit, Jesse and Haven enjoy reading in the library, going to the computer lab, and just spending quality time talking.

According to Christy Vitou, CIS site coordinator for Silver Valley Elementary, both Jesse and Haven have improved academically and behaviorally as a result of working with York. They have also made great strides in terms of their self-esteem.

“She (York) has made a world of difference in the lives of these two children.  They adore her and she adores them,” Vitou said.

Though Jesse and Haven have responded positively to her presence, York acknowledges that being a mentor is sometimes a struggle.

“It’s a challenge every time I come to visit. I never know what to expect but I love them,” said York, who is also an active volunteer at her church, Hughes Grove Baptist in Thomasville.  “There are so many students who need a mentor. If you want a blessing, become a mentor. You’ll surely be blessed yourself. To put a smile on a child’s face gives me a wonderful feeling.”

York said her ultimate goal in working with Jesse and Haven is to help them along their path to discovering what they want to accomplish in life.

“I hope I can help them along the way to meeting their goals and deciding what they want to do in the future. I hope they both turn out very well.”

Pat Ellison , pictured with seventh grader, Aliyah, will hand out 106 books to CIS students just before the holidays thanks to a grant from First Book.

On Nov. 8, the last of 2,000 books that CIS received through a grant from First Book were delivered to students in the Lexington City and Davidson County school systems.

The books, written on a variety of reading levels in both English and Spanish, will be distributed to CIS students by their site coordinators over the next few weeks.

Pat Ellison {pictured right}, site coordinator at Lexington Middle School, will hand out 106 books to 53 students like Aliyah.

First Book is a national organization dedicated to putting brand new books into the hands of low-income students across the country.

On Dec. 17, local Zumba instructor Lindsay Goins will host a Zumba dance party at Sheets Dance Academy with all admission fees going to benefit the children served by Communities In Schools.

The special 90 minute class will feature music and club-style lights by DJ Ryan Short (Ryan Short Entertainment). Holiday colors are encouraged.

Admission is $7.

Punch card members will be charged one punch plus $2.

For more information visit Facebook.com/ZINLindsay.

On Dec. 28 and 29, Lexington will play host to the first annual North Carolina Music and Arts Festival. Organized by Chris Phelps, co-owner of High Rock Outfitters, the festival will feature performances by more than 10 bands (details here) across several venues including the Edward C. Smith Civic Center and the Bob Timberlake Gallery.

Phelps is currently looking for local businesses and individuals to sponsor the first time event, with five percent of the cost of each sponsorship level going to benefit CIS of Lexington/Davidson County.

Your decision to attach your name to this event means you will be supporting the future of our community on multiple levels.

Not only is it necessary to support local businesses like High Rock Outfitters in order to grow the economy, it is necessary to support our students so that they can continue the cycle of support as productive members of society.

To find out more about how to sponsor the N.C. Music and Arts Festival and to purchase tickets, call (336) 248-4444 or visit NCMusicFest.com.

Now through Dec. 12, Davidson Broadcasting (KOOL 1440/99.9FM) will be collecting items for CIS students through their annual A Season of Giving campaign.

The following items will be accepted:

• Basic toiletry items
• Backpacks (any size/style)
• Girls and boys underwear
• Socks
• Standard Mode of Dress (SMOD) clothing

Donations can be dropped off at:

Davidson Broadcasting (200 Radio Dr.)

Lanier True Value Hardware (218 S. Main St.)

Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant (278 N. Talbert Blvd.)

Alpha Healthcare (300 E. Center St.)

Lexington Flea Market (308 Berrier Ave.)

Parrott Insurance (150 Weaver Dr.)

For more information about the A Season of Giving holiday campaign, please visit WLXN.com.

For questions about donations, please contact Communities In Schools at (336) 242-1520 or CIS@triad.rr.com.

This year Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County welcomed five new site coordinators at Reeds Elementary, Tyro Elementary, North Davidson Middle, Welcome Elementary, and Pilot Elementary schools. Hear from four of them below!

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Angie Lanning, counselor at Tyro Elementary School

Birthday Month: January

Hometown: Denton, N.C.

How long have you worked in education? 9.5  years

What’s your favorite food? Mexican or Italian food

What do you do when you aren’t at school (hobbies)? Work a second job and read

What’s the best lesson you learned from a mentor you had in your life? To believe in myself and work hard

What’s your favorite book? I have too many favorites to name one

What does CIS mean to you? Help for students who need it whether with schools supplies or with friendly “lunch buddies” who spend time with them

What is one thing you’ve learned about the CIS program that you didn’t already know? CIS helps with funding for glasses and things other than school supplies

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Tommy Henley, counselor at Welcome Elementary School

Birthday Month: December

Hometown: Greensboro, N.C.

How long have you worked in education? This is my 15th year in the North Carolina school system

What’s your favorite food? My favorite food is spaghetti and my favorite place to eat is probably any Mexican place (love the chips and salsa as the appetizer!)

What do you do when you aren’t at school (hobbies)? My wife and I have a 3 year old daughter, so she takes most of my time outside of school.  Even though it’s limited, I love to read, do yard work, and be outside as much as possible.

What’s the best lesson you learned from a mentor you had in your life? I can think of several good friends I would consider mentors and I have taken several lessons from each of them; lessons in courage, honesty, and for all the hard parts of life there are the good parts that deserve our energy as well.

What’s your favorite sports team? TARHEELS!

What’s your favorite book? A few of the best books that have stuck out in my mind are “The Green Mile” by Stephen King, “The Prince of Tides” by Pat Conroy, and “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follet.

What does CIS mean to you? CIS means helping kids reach their full potential through supplies, mentoring, and more.

What is one thing you’ve learned about the CIS program that you didn’t already know? I thought CIS was only in the elementary schools.

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Suzanne Stevens, counselor at North Davidson Middle School

Birthday Month: June

Hometown: Welcome, N.C.

How long have you worked in education? I have been in education for 34 years.

What’s your favorite food? My favorite food is steak. I love Outback!

What do you do when you aren’t at school (hobbies)? I love playing piano, organ and ukulele, and spending time with children.

What’s the best lesson you learned from a mentor you had in your life? A lesson that a mentor taught me is to never ever give up, no matter what I am doing or what life is throwing my way.

What’s your favorite sports team? The Florida Gators of course!

What’s your favorite book? I love all types of books, really no favorite at all!

What does CIS mean to you? CIS means allowing children the chance to be mentored, guided and loved by someone in the community.  There are so many young people who need this.

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John DiBonaventura, assistant principal at Reeds and Tyro Elementary schools

John DiBonaventura, assistant principal at Reeds and Tyro Elementary schools, is managing the CIS program at Reeds.

Birthday Month: September

Hometown: Allentown, Pa.

How long have you worked in education? I’m currently in my 12^th year

What’s your favorite food? Hero House pizza

What do you do when you aren’t at school (hobbies)? Outdoor activities/softball

What’s the best lesson you learned from a mentor you had in your life? Follow through on what you start

What’s your favorite sports team? Washington Redskins

What’s your favorite book? “Where the Red Fern Grows”

What does CIS mean to you? Providing positive influences for students

What is one thing you’ve learned about the CIS program that you didn’t already know? CIS is active in academics, not just student wellbeing