Student Stories

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Jar’Quavis has been enrolled in Communities In Schools since 2018. He was referred to the program after receiving his ADHD diagnosis. He was struggling academically and had difficulty focusing in class. His new curriculum had higher academic expectations, and he struggled to stay on top of classwork while trying to juggle multiple sports and after-school practices.

Jar’Quavis met his student support specialist, Mrs. Michelle, and she began providing the supports necessary to get him back on track academically. Whether it was helping him with homework, providing a quiet space for him to complete schoolwork before practice, or following up with his mother, Michelle established a relationship with Jar’Quavis and encouraged him to excel both in the classroom and on the court.

Now, Jar’Quavis is flourishing in school. He has exceeded all of the academic goals while playing sports. He also won the “Jimmy Jones Award” which honors basketball players who show great sportsmanship, leadership skills, and academic success.

Jar’Quavis has shown exceptional growth and is excited to attend high school next year where he will try out for the basketball team. After high school, he would like to enroll in college and major in Sports Management to eventually become an athletic director on the collegiate level. Jar’Quavis continues to show exceptional growth despite the learning disadvantages he has against him. I know Jar’Quavis has a bright future ahead of him.

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Elijah, a 10^th grader at Rocky Mount Senior High in Rocky Mount, was struggling with academics and behavioral/emotional issues, largely because he was being bullied at school. Once he connected with his CIS Student Support Specialist, Tia Evans, that all changed. Elijah is now part of the RMSH drama and poetry clubs and enjoys writing science fiction in his spare time. 

Elijah says he’s always been interested in writing, and his CIS mentor has helped him explore and grow this skill: “Ms. Evans encouraged me to keep writing and share my ideas. And it helped me build confidence for myself.”

Tia Evans says, “When I first met Elijah he made it really clear to me that he wanted to be a part of CIS…but he had a little cloud over him. So we’re just trying to work with him to manage his anger…and recognize that you don’t have to be what people want you to be; just be yourself.”

Since classes have become virtual, Tia continues to check in on Elijah’s academic progress as well as his feelings around the isolation of working from home. She’s making sure he stays on track with schoolwork and continues to work through his emotions constructively.

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Pictured on far right, Shatoria Davis has always been drawn to the medical field, and – thanks to guidance from her CIS Student Support Specialist at Northern Nash High School – she was able to hone in on her future career.

Shatoria always performed well academically, keeping her options open, but due to her limited experience with post-high school options — Shatoria wasn’t sure which direction she wanted to go.

After CIS helped her participate in the Area LAHEC Youth Health Service Corps and visit several colleges to learn about their Health Science departments, Tori (as she is affectionately called) has decided to become a medical assistant.  She thanks CIS for helping her narrow her choices down while keeping her options open.