Joel Garcia: Hope Comes Home - Communities In Schools Florida

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Contents
President’s Message
Communities In Schools
Returns Value to Society
Seen and Heard
Take a Tour of
Our Model
Communities In
Schools and National
Volunteer Week
From the Rearview
Mirror Released In June
Building the Pipeline
AT&T Documentary
Highlights Communities
In Schools
Spotlight on Success
Clip, Save and Support
Communities In Schools
Accreditation Update
A quarterly newsletter of Communities In Schools,
the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization
Joel Garcia: Hope Comes Home
It’s lunch time at the childcare center next door to
Live Oak Academy, and Joel Garcia is playing peek-aboo
with his one-year-old daughter, Hallenna. Between
classes and a part-time job, the graduating high school
senior is working equally hard to be hands-on for story
time and daily meals, and to be a presence in her life.
This joyful snapshot could not have been taken two years
ago. Back then, Joel was a teen with a hot head — prone
to punching walls, overwhelmed with stress and at risk
of becoming a dropout. Today he thanks Communities
In Schools of Central Texas for helping him overcome
dispiriting obstacles and achieve academic success.
“I was on a bad road before Communities In Schools.
I didn’t think I was going to live to 25,” said Joel, who
struggled with anger management. “I never thought
I was going to graduate, and I actually am. I have a
smile on my face all the time now.”
By the time Joel transferred to Live Oak in 2010, the
photo album of his life was loaded with undesirable
images. Tension between Joel and his stepfather made
home feel like a combat zone. He was in a contentious
relationship with the mother of his unborn child.
Searching to feel like he belonged somewhere,
anywhere, Joel felt the pull to become a gang member.
Add in poor grades and frequent run-ins with
teachers, and life at school was just as unpleasant.
“I think if he had continued on the same track,
and continued taking out his aggressions the way
that he did, he might have been expelled,” said
Erica Gallardo, the Communities In Schools site
coordinator at Live Oak.
Bogged down by so many burdens, dropping out and
getting a job to support his family seemed the only
choice to Joel. Then, in March 2011, Joel was referred
to Gallardo, who is also a social worker. Joel started
attending one-on-one counseling sessions, though
initially he needed coaxing to open up.
“I came in with trust issues,” said Joel, whose father had
been in prison and absent for most of his childhood.
“Then I realized that someone actually wanted to hear
my story and help me out. I never had that before.”
VOLUME 8 • NUMBER 2 • JUNE 2012
With Gallardo, Joel learned how to identify his anger
triggers, and to focus on breathing and listening to
music as techniques to cope. He realized dropping
out would squash his dream of joining the military.
Gallardo helped Joel set new goals, meet with a
military recruiter and apply for college. Weekly
meetings with the Communities In Schools Chillin’
Group provided more support around his anger
management. Within four months, Gallardo began
to notice a different Joel, one who today, at 17,
feels optimistic, advises other young men he sees
struggling with similar issues and is flourishing.
The weight of despair has been lifted, and in its place
hope has found a home.
Continued on page 3
Joel Garcia, pictured here with Communities In Schools Site
Coordinator Erica Gallardo, will be a featured student success story in
the August Procter & Gamble brandSAVER® coupon booklet.
Photo by Tosca Radigonda/AP Images for P&G

Board of
Directors
Chairman
Elaine Wynn
Director
Wynn Resorts
Founder and
Vice Chairman
William E. Milliken
Communities In Schools
National Office
Christopher F. Allwin
General Maritime
Corporation
Robert H.B. Baldwin, Jr.
President
Heartland Payment
Systems
James Cox Chambers
Producer
Field Hands Productions
Rudolph F. Crew
Professor of Clinical
Education, K-12
Leadership and Policy
University of Southern
California
John R. Ettinger
CEO
The Helmsley Trust
Hon. Daniel Glickman
Executive Director
The Aspen Institute
Congressional Program
Senior Fellow
Bipartisan Policy Center
Rhoda Glickman
Senior Vice President
for Business Services
Empire State
Development
Corporation
Kevin Huvane
Managing Partner
Creative Artists Agency
Linda LeSourd Lader
President
Renaissance Institute
Jillian Manus
Founder
Manus Media &
Literary Agency Inc.
CEO and Co-Founder
Broad Strategy, LLC
John Nixon
Executive Director
ICAP ®
Michael Parham
Associate General Counsel
RealNetworks, Inc.
Yvonne Petrasovits
Jonathan G. Powers
Deputy Supervisor
Town of Pound Ridge, N.Y.
Rick Rieder
Managing Director
BlackRock
Leonard Stern
Partner
Shepardson Stern Kaminsky
Donna Weiss
Sherrie Rollins Westin
Executive Vice President
Sesame Workshop
Linda Gale White
Former First Lady
of Texas
Ava Youngblood
CEO
Youngblood
Executive Search
President
Daniel J. Cardinali
Communities In Schools
National Office
2 JUNE 2012
President’s
Message
The Gift of Graduation
At Communities In Schools, we celebrate
all of the young people graduating this time
of year — many of whom never imagined
they would walk across the stage to receive a
high school diploma. One of those students,
Joel Garcia, didn’t think he would finish
school, let alone live to see his 25th birthday.
Joel’s journey from angry young man to
college-bound high school graduate was
hastened along after his life intersected with
a Communities In Schools site coordinator
in March 2011. Erica Gallardo, Joel’s site
coordinator, first had to gain his trust. But
once she did, she was able to get him the
counseling he needed as well as the academic
support to show him there were choices and
possibilities other than dropping out and
joining a gang. Today, Joel is confidently
moving forward to achieve his goals.
Across the country, this scenario plays
out many times over in schools where
Communities In Schools has a presence.
Our site coordinators identify children
at risk of not graduating. Their purpose
is straightforward: to nurture students
in danger of dropping out and clear the
obstacles holding them back. Caring adults
are the heart of what we do, and enable us to
help countless students achieve their dreams.
Site coordinators forge bonds with students,
while simultaneously leveraging multiple
community partnerships to provide students
with whatever they need to survive, focus on
school and unlock their potential.
In this edition of Inside CIS, you’ll also read
about an important new study showing
the economic impact of our work. If site
coordinators and other caring adults are
at the heart of our mission, then careful
evaluation is the backbone that provides
strength and structure. We have worked
hard for clarity and transparency, and
are encouraged by the growing body of
evidence that Communities In Schools not
only lowers dropout rates, but also benefits
our nation’s economy.
The results of the most recent study
conducted by EMSI (see story on opposite
page) build on those of an independent,
five-year national evaluation released last
year that shows Communities In Schools
Dan Cardinali, President, Communities In Schools
Photo by William Waybourn
offers a proven, cost-effective, scalable and
adaptable solution to the dropout problem.
The purpose of the EMSI study was to
quantify the economic and social returns to
society of Communities In Schools’ 113 high
school-serving affiliates in the network.
EMSI’s analysis makes a clear case
that Communities In Schools’ dropout
prevention and intervention initiatives
have meaningful economic and societal
impacts. Students benefit by making more
over their lifetimes — a result of their
educational persistence made possible
by having the Communities In Schools
model of integrated student services in
their schools. Businesses benefit by having
a more skilled and productive workforce.
Taxpayers benefit through a broadening of
the tax base (increased incomes directly
translate into increased tax revenue). And
the public in general benefits from reduced
social costs (crime, poor health care and
unemployment).
Educational achievement is truly the gift
that keeps on giving. Our proven model, the
caring staff and volunteers in our network,
independent research and you — our
staunch supporters — all make graduation
season one of the highlights of our year. We
are so grateful for this synergy that bolsters
our efforts to reach further into regions
where our services are still needed.
Thank you for making this graduation season
possible. Have a wonderful summer.
www.communitiesinschools.org

Communities In Schools Returns Value to Society
New Study Shows Integrated Student Services Model has Significant
Return on Investment
Our evidence‑based model employs a school‑based site coordinator, which allows Communities In Schools to
strategically align and deliver needed resources so that students can focus on learning.
This past May, the Communities In Schools
national office released the results of a
comprehensive study conducted by Economic
Modeling Specialists Inc. (EMSI), which
specified the organization’s benefits to society.
Using the dropout and graduation data from
the results of a recent five-year longitudinal
national evaluation conducted by another
independent research firm, ICF International,
and basing their calculations only on those
113 Communities In Schools affiliates
working in high schools, EMSI calculated the
costs of the organization, including dollars
directly invested and the opportunity costs
of labor and capital. They then calculated
the benefits of the increased high school
graduation rates attributed to Communities In
Schools and the subsequent higher earnings
by these graduates, and social and taxpayer
savings based on the students’ increased
academic achievement. The research was
funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation
and Capital One.
Among the significant findings of the study are:
• For every dollar invested in
Communities In Schools, $11.60 is
returned to society.
• The average annual rate of return
to society is 18.4 percent over
the lifetime of the investment in
Communities In Schools.
• High school graduates will be net
contributors to their communities for
an average of 44 years of their working
life, using their increased income to
purchase homes and cars, and paying
taxes that will support police officers,
firefighters and teachers.
“Our analysis demonstrates thatCommunities
In Schools produces meaningful economic and
social impacts,” said Tim Nadreau, research
economist at EMSI. “The Communities In
Schools model produces lifetime benefits for
students who will earn more, businesses
who will have access to a more skilled
workforce, and taxpayers who will have
both a greater contribution and reduced
costs from these graduates.”
A copy of the full study is available on our
website at www.commmunitiesinschools.org
under Who We Are/Publications/
National Evaluation.
Joel Garcia:
Hope Comes Home
Continued from page 1
Instead of acting out in class, Joel
participated. Instead of confronting his
teachers, he asked them for help with
assignments. Joel’s grades improved,
and with the flexible course system
offered at the nontraditional school,
he earned credits quickly to make an
on-time graduation. He ended the
relationship with his girlfriend though
he continues to co-parent his daughter
with her. And although he was later put
out of his home because of his behavior,
Joel currently is living with a friend
in a stable environment. In January, at
Gallardo’s recommendation, Joel was
appointed president of a high school
chapter of the Hip Hop Congress. The
Texas affiliate’s partner program aims
to provide youth with opportunities to
make change through service projects.
“Joel is a natural leader,” said Jesse
Silva, a member of the advisory board
of the Hip Hop Congress at Texas State
University. “He avidly looks for input
from members and keeps everyone
involved. I think this is a young man
with a promising future.”
When asked about graduation, Joel
barely can contain his pride about
graduating on time. He is enrolled in
Austin Community College and waiting
to hear from Texas State. He plans to
major in business — then, with his
bachelor’s degree, enlist in the military.
Communities In Schools’ targeted
interventions helped remove the
barriers that blocked Joel from
achieving his potential, and now he is
on course to reach his life’s goal.
“I have seen him grow and mature
almost overnight,” said Gallardo, who is
also proud. “He has made great strides
just within the past year. To see him as
an involved teen dad who is setting and
accomplishing his goals is awesome. He
knows what he wants, what it takes to get
there and is willing to put in the work.
He has so many positives in his life now.”
And that includes a picture of a brighter
future for himself and his daughter.
800–CIS–4KIDS JUNE 2012
3

Seen and Heard
Dan Cardinali Enters
the Blogosphere
Communities In Schools’ President Dan
Cardinali took on a new role this past April,
when he became a contributing blogger for
The Huffington Post. Founded in 2005, The
Huffington Post has more than 9,000 bloggers
writing on a wide range of topics. Joining
the voices in the education space, Cardinali
will share his thoughts on education reform,
current events and nonprofit issues. A new
blog post is scheduled to run approximately
every two weeks. Visit the website at
www.huffingtonpost.com to read the latest
blog entry, sign up to receive new posts and
add your comments to the conversation.
4 JUNE 2012
Commentary
Take a Tour of Our Model
“This analysis of the
Communities In Schools
model reminds us that
the nation’s students
are its best investment,
and the best economic
stimulus is a high
school diploma.” — Bob Wise
President of the Alliance for Excellent
Education, on the significance of the recent
Communities In Schools economic return
on investment study
Communities In Schools has created an
online interactive model that takes readers
step-by-step through the Communities
In Schools’ evidence-based approach to
providing children with community resources.
Open “The Site Coordinator” tab and listen
as site coordinators describe their pivotal
role with students. Select examples from the
“Integrated Student Services” feature to read
about programs Communities In Schools is
organizing across the country to help young
people succeed. Click on “Success Stories” to
Elaine Wynn and Dan Cardinali
Discuss Economic Impact on
“Morning Joe”
Communities In Schools’ Chairman Elaine
Wynn and President Dan Cardinali sat down
on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on May 16 to talk
about the organization’s return on investment.
The results of a recent study conducted by
Economic Modeling Specialists Inc. specified
Communities In Schools’ economic and
social returns to society through a rigorous
third-party investment analysis. Wynn and
Cardinali were proud to share the results
on “Morning Joe,” which revealed that
Communities In Schools’ investment at the
high school level results in a benefit-cost ratio
of $11.60, which means for every dollar of
Communities In Schools investment, $11.60
of economic benefit is created. Since 2007,
“Morning Joe” has been discussing the news
of the day in a panel format featuring former
U.S. Congressman Joe Scarborough.
Watch Wynn and Cardinali on “Morning Joe”
at http://on.msnbc.com/JdlLXg
watch a video of a student who has benefitted
from Communities In Schools’ support.
From making sure children have coats in the
winter to helping students apply to college,
Communities In Schools is there every step
of the way to help young people unlock
their potential.
Check out the new model at http://www.
communitiesinschools.org/interactive_model/
www.communitiesinschools.org

Communities In Schools and National Volunteer Week
Students and Staff Clean Up, Give Back and Make a Difference
In April, Communities In Schools recognized
National Volunteer Week, a time to celebrate people
doing extraordinary things through service. As an
organization that believes strongly in providing the
students it serves with opportunities to give back
to their peers and their community, affiliates across
the nation honored the week through a variety of
volunteer projects. A group of high school students
from Communities In Schools of Los Angeles
committed themselves to two days of service.
From the Rearview Mirror Released in June
Inside CIS spoke with Communities In
Schools Founder and Vice Chairman
Bill Milliken about his new book.
Inside CIS: From the Rearview Mirror sounds
like a memoir. Is this the story of your life?
Milliken: Yes and no. I do share some
personal things about my own challenges
growing up, but it’s really the backdrop to The
Last Dropout, my book about Communities
In Schools. This isn’t just about the events in
my life; it’s also about the lessons I learned
and how they have contributed to the
Communities In Schools movement.
Inside CIS: Why did you decide to write
this book?
Milliken: When I celebrated my 70th
birthday and 50th anniversary of youth
advocacy work, I spent time reflecting
on what I’ve been through and what I’ve
learned. I thought it might be useful to
share this with others and maybe help them
make sense of their journeys, too.
Inside CIS: Who should read it?
Milliken: Several groups. First, the
Communities In Schools network (and
other youth workers) can relate to the
experiences with underserved young
people; members of the faith community
can understand the challenges I faced in
reconciling certain spiritual principles in
my life; the learning-challenged community
can appreciate the struggle to address my
own learning differences; and advocates for
social justice will trace many of the social
movements that emerged during and after
the 1960s, right up to the present.
Clean School Grounds:
The first service activity
Communities In Schools
of Los Angeles organized
was a campus clean‑up at
Alexander Hamilton High
School, one of the sites
the local affiliate serves.
By the end of the day,
24 students and six staff
members had collected
27 bags of trash and six
bags of recyclable waste.
Photo by Brianda Sernas,
student at Hamilton High
Beauty and the Beach: For their second day of service, Communities In Schools
of Los Angeles partnered with Heal the Bay, a local environmental nonprofit, to
clean up Santa Monica Beach. In addition to clearing the beach of trash and
other debris, the Hamilton High School students collected more than 120 petition
signatures to ban the use of plastic bags in stores, a law that also would help
prevent plastic litter from reaching the beach and harming marine life. “Clean‑ups
are beneficial in bringing awareness to an issue while getting our fellow students
involved,” said Sienna Tsan, a Hamilton High student.
Photo by Brianda Sernas, student at Hamilton High
Bill Milliken gives Inside CIS a sneak peek.
Photo by Ainsley Adao
From the Rearview Mirror is available from
Amazon.com
800–CIS–4KIDS JUNE 2012
5

Building the Pipeline
Board Member Profile
“Always Expect Great Things” is the line
that appears at the end of Ava Youngblood’s
emails. It is quickly evident this phrase
not only captures her optimism, but is her
guiding philosophy and driving force as an
executive recruiter and nonprofit champion.
It’s also clear that while Youngblood expects
great things, it’s in large part because she is
willing to put in the work needed to make
them happen.
A Chicago native, Youngblood’s involvement
with Communities In Schools spans a
decade, as a board member of Communities
In Schools of Chicago, and, since January,
a member of the Communities In Schools
national board of directors. When introduced
to Communities In Schools of Chicago,
Youngblood found that the mission spoke
to her passion for education. “I attended
Chicago Public Schools and went on to earn
my degree in chemical engineering from
Northwestern University and my MBA from
University of Chicago’s Booth School of
Business. I know that Chicago Public Schools
can prepare you for life. It’s why my children
went to Chicago Public Schools as well.”
Youngblood acknowledges that there have
been changes in the schools over the years.
“What I remember most from my education
are the teachers. I was excited about math and
science, and received special attention from
the teachers who cared about me succeeding.
We had all the services that students need,
like counselors and nurses. And we even had
Jean Rebecca, an AT&T site coordinator, with
students at North Charleston, S.C., High School.
Photo Courtesy of AT&T
6 JUNE 2012
classes like music and gym. I didn’t realize
their importance at the time, but that’s what’s
missing in so many schools today. It does
take a village — a community — for a child
to succeed, and that’s where Communities In
Schools of Chicago comes in.”
When asked what she finds most rewarding
about her involvement with Communities
In Schools of Chicago, Youngblood says it’s
seeing the growth and increased effectiveness
of the work. “When a principal changes
schools and insists that Communities In
Schools of Chicago partners with his or her
new school, you know we’re adding value and
making a difference.”
It’s seeing these outcomes, and the growth
of Communities In Schools of Chicago’s
work, that spurred Youngblood’s interest
in becoming a national leader. “[President]
Dan Cardinali and [Board Chairman] Elaine
Wynn came to Chicago several years ago
and I found their passion to be infectious.
Then I attended a dinner and heard from
Communities In Schools alumni from around
the country, and recognized that I could
play a role in both the Chicago work and the
national work.” Youngblood laughs when she
says, “I’m busy; I don’t need to look for more
things to do. But when it’s about helping kids
succeed in school, then I’m all in.”
In addition to the strong personal ties, there
also exists a strong link to Communities
In Schools through her professional life as
AT&T Documentary Highlights Communities In Schools
Communities In Schools was recently the subject of the documentary “Inspired,” produced
by AT&T U-Verse. The half-hour production focused on the work that both Communities In
Schools and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America do to help students get the resources they
need to graduate high school and attain a post-secondary education.
In particular, “Inspired” featured the work of Jean Rebecca, a site coordinator at North
Charleston High School in Charleston, S.C. Since 2010, Rebecca has been a constant, positive
presence in the lives of the students and is described by staff in the film as a “superhero.” Also
prominently featured in “Inspired” is Communities In Schools Founder and Vice Chairman
Bill Milliken, who talks about the history and goals of the organization.
Communities In Schools is the recipient of an AT&T grant, which enables affiliates to hire
amazing site coordinators like Jean Rebecca.
“Inspired” can be viewed at http://bit.ly/Lpx4dy
National Board Member Ava Youngblood
Photo by Victor Powell
founder and CEO of Youngblood Executive
Search, which she formed 10 years ago. “The
key to our future is that inclusive diversity
drives innovation. Without a diverse pipeline
leading to the executive suite, we’re not
going to have senior leadership in corporate
America that’s representative of our country.”
“If we’re not preparing today’s students, if
we’re not keeping them in school, helping
them finish high school and go on to college,
then we’re not preparing them to lead and
innovate. We can help our country’s children
be successful and build that pipeline. We can
make a difference.”
With enthusiasm and passion, Youngblood
declares, “I want today’s Chicago Public
Schools students to be the executives I am
helping to place in 20 years. That’s my goal.”
It’s clear that Ava Youngblood expects great
things for many years to come.
www.communitiesinschools.org

Spotlight on Success
News Briefs from the Network
Communities In Schools of Houston
was recently ranked by Charity Navigator
as one of the Top 10 Charities in America.
Ten years ago, when Charity Navigator was
first launched, Communities In Schools of
Houston was among the first 1,100 charities
evaluated. At that time, it was one of the most
highly ranked. Over the years, the affiliate has
achieved a 4-star rating six times, including
the last two consecutive years. Currently,
Communities In Schools of Houston has an
excellent 4-star in Financial Health as well as
in Accountability and Transparency, and has
an overall 4-star rating.
Communities In Schools of Atlanta
honored one of its students, Oshay Columbus,
a senior at Therrell High School’s School of
Law in Atlanta, with the Jonathan Babineaux
Award for improved attendance. The award,
named after the Atlanta Falcons football
player, honors one student each year who
has overcome struggles with attendance.
Oshay received her award from Babineaux
on May 2 at the affiliate’s annual Choose
Success Awards luncheon, where students are
recognized for making major improvements
in behavior, academics and attendance, and
for giving back through service.
Oshay Columbus holds her award, surrounded by Adrian
Malone, Jonathan Babineaux and Patty Pflum, Executive
Director, Communities In Schools of Atlanta.
Photo by Ben Kornegay, ProgressiveImagesPhotos.com
Students Emmilie Vann, left, and Brittney Etheredge,
with some of the donated jeans they collected for
Communities In Schools of South Central Texas.
Photo by K. Jessie Slaten
Communities In Schools of South
Central Texas recently received a donation
of more than 600 pairs of jeans thanks to
two generous and entrepreneurial girls.
Memorial Elementary School students
Brittney Etheredge and Emmilie Vann came
up with the idea of “Jeans for Teens” in
the winter of 2011 when they were in the
fourth grade. Since then, with the help of
their school principal, a local radio station
and the New Braunfels community, they’ve
collected 605 pairs of jeans, exceeding
their original goal of 500. Most of the jeans
were collected over the course of three
Saturdays in their school’s parking lot but
some were shipped in from as far as Indiana.
Communities In Schools of South Central
Texas then distributed the jeans to children
throughout the area.
In late March, Communities In Schools
of Rowan County, N.C., enlisted help
from the Salisbury Lions Club to sponsor
a traveling eye-care clinic — the Vision
Van — that would check the vision of
more than 400 students at North and South
Rowan High Schools. Executive Director
Vicky Slusser contacted the Salisbury
Lions Club for help with the screenings
after site coordinators at both high schools
expressed a need to get their students’
vision checked. Better vision means being
able to read clearly, and that leads to more
student success. The partnership among
Communities In Schools of Rowan County,
the Salisbury Lions Club and Sight for
Students will provide glasses for students
who require them.
Communities In Schools of Chicago
treated students at Sawyer Elementary School
on the city’s Southwest side to an assembly
with local motivational and educational
speaker Lloyd Bacharach. Bacharach, a
former Paralympian, used his story to inspire
students to believe in themselves. He spoke
with sixth- through eighth-grade students in
April about the importance of never letting
disabilities get in the way of reaching their
goals. Bacharach has already delivered his
message at 21 Communities In Schools of
Chicago school sites and reached nearly
4,000 students.
In March, Communities In Schools of
Scotland County, N.C., students received
a visit from U.S. Representative Larry Kissell
and a lesson in civics. Rep. Kissell stopped
by Carver Middle School where he spoke
with 35 students served by Communities
In Schools. In addition to advising students
to explore a variety of professions, he also
gave them a description of what he does as
a member of Congress. Executive Director
Katie Clark organized the visit to introduce
students to a number of career possibilities.
Representative Larry Kissell, (D‑N.C.), speaks with
students at Carver Middle School.
Photo by Andy Cagle, Public Information Office,
Scotland County Schools
800–CIS–4KIDS JUNE 2012
7

Clip, Save and Support Communities In Schools
New P&G brandSAVER® Coupon Booklet Coming in August
Under its philanthropic arm GIVE
Education, Procter & Gamble (P&G) will
once again partner with Communities In
Schools to solve the nation’s dropout crisis
and help thousands of students achieve in
school. The initiative allows for two ways to
support Communities In Schools. The first,
a rebate program, begins on Sunday, August
12. With every purchase of $25 worth of
P&G products, shoppers will receive a
$5 rebate, and P&G also will donate $5
to Communities In Schools. Second is
the P&G brandSAVER® coupon booklet
available Sunday, August 26, as an insert in
newspapers across the country. Simply clip
the coupons, shop for P&G products and
support Communities In Schools. For every
GIVE Education brandSAVER® coupon
redeemed, P&G will donate two cents
to Communities In Schools. Consumers
will get the reward of saving money and
feel good about being directly involved in
helping children in need get off to a healthy
Five Communities In Schools local affiliates
were accredited in April and May under the
Total Quality System (TQS). Communities In
Schools launched TQS in 2008, with the goal
of promoting uniform quality and improved
outcomes for students being served by the
organization. TQS establishes a common
set of operational and business standards
adopted by the Communities In Schools
national office. These standards, based on
nonprofit best practices, define what it means
start, receive access to education and build
skills for life.
The campaign kicked off in May on the
P&G myGIVE Facebook page. For every
“Like,” P&G will donate $1 (up to $10,000)
to Communities In Schools. Consumers can
spread the word about GIVE Education,
encourage friends and family to learn more
about the dropout crisis, and inspire others
to get involved. The link to the Facebook
page is: www.facebook.com/pgmygive
The P&G donation to Communities In
Schools will help deliver human, financial
and community resources to students
and their families, including tutoring,
mentoring, individual or family counseling,
health services, food bank access, college
visits and more.
Newspapers carrying the GIVE Education
brandSAVER® can be found at the following
website: http://www.pgeveryday.com/pgeds/
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Accreditation Update
Communities In Schools Local Affiliates Meet Quality Standards to Improve Student Outcomes
ATTENTION LOCAL AFFILIATES!
Help us tell your story to a national audience. Send story submissions to salamatm@cisnet.org
or reavist@cisnet.org. Please include “Inside CIS Story” in subject line.
Editor
Maureen Salamat
Managing Editor
Tracey Savell Reavis
Contributors
Chris Flynn
Briana Kerensky
Sally DeLuca
Cindy Nixon
Tim Plant
Erica Rafferty
8 JUNE 2012
to be a successful Communities In Schools
affiliate and/or state office serving students.
These organizations join the 65 other
Communities In Schools affiliates who
have been reviewed and received their
accreditation. There are 14 state offices and
nearly 200 local affiliates in the Communities
In Schools network in 24 states and the
District of Columbia.
Inside CIS is published quarterly by
Communities In Schools, Inc.,
2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 801
Arlington VA 22202.
© 2012 Communities In Schools, Inc.
All rights reserved.
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Congratulations to the board of directors,
executive leadership and staff of the following
most recently accredited affiliates:
Communities In Schools of Galveston County
(Texas)
Communities In Schools of South Central Texas
Communities In Schools of Lee County (N.C.)
Communities In Schools of Northeast Florida
Communities In Schools of Milledgeville/
Baldwin County (Ga.)
Communities In Schools National Office
2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 801
Arlington, VA 22202
800‑CIS‑4KIDS (800‑247‑4543)
www.communitiesinschools.org