Communities in Schools of Wilkes County Inc

By bringing caring adults into the schools to address children’s unmet needs, CIS provides the link between educators and the community. The result: teachers are free to teach, and students – many in jeopardy of dropping out – have the opportunity to focus on learning.

For over 30 years, Communities In Schools has worked to ensure that every child receives these “Five Basics”:

• A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult
• A safe place to learn and grow
• A healthy start and a healthy future
• A marketable skill to use upon graduation
• A chance to give back to peers and community

 

Communities In Schools of Wilkes (CIS) began as Wilkes One-on-One, Inc. in 1983 with 26 board members. The agency provided services to students who had been involved with the juvenile justice program by providing them with weekly one-on-one mentors. The Governor’s One-on-One program was a state program. Shortly after, the agency added the Friends of Youth Program becoming Wilkes One-on-One Friends of Youth. By adding this program, the agency was able to serve more students with adult mentors by serving those students not yet involved with juvenile services. Both programs served students with mentors who spent four hours per week with children in 4th grade and up.

In 1998 the organization changed its name to Communities In Schools of Wilkes after learning of the CIS national organization. CIS National began in 1977 and offered Wilkes the opportunity to serve even more students by adopting their mission and expanding programs.