Relationships Matter.

That’s why we’re starting strong in 2021 by recognizing the amazing partnerships we have with school & community leaders across North Carolina.

We’re so grateful for the folks who work side-by-side with us each day to ensure the students in their schools and school systems get the crucial supports CISNC is able to provide. During the pandemic, inequities among students have been highlighted more than ever before, and students are still relying on CIS Support Specialists to provide daily academic and social/emotional supports as well as food and community resources.

And it’s the strong partnerships we’ve formed with principals, school superintendents and community leaders across North Carolina that allow us to serve the students who need us most – those that are economically disadvantaged, struggling with homelessness or hunger issues or overcoming other barriers in their personal or academic lives.

We recently asked some of these partners to talk about how CISNC has been serving their students – especially during the Covid-19 pandemic – and why their partnership with CISNC is crucial to the continued success of vulnerable students in 2021.

Here’s what they had to say:

Jan King is the Assistant Superintendent of Henderson County Schools where CISNC has a Jobs for North Carolina’s Graduates program. JNCG College & Career Coaches work with vulnerable students across Henderson County to make sure they make it across the high school graduation stage and find the right next steps for their life: whether that’s trade school, community college or university. Jan says of CISNC:

“The Jobs for North Carolina Graduates (JNCG) program has been a wonderful programmatic addition to the Henderson County Career Academy. The program, under the stellar leadership of CIS instructor Virginia Haynes, bolsters student success and career-readiness. Mrs. Haynes goes the extra mile to support the students she serves. Whether in face-to-face instruction or in remote learning due to COVID-19, Mrs. Haynes provides individual, whole-child supports to the Career Academy JNCG students.”

To learn more about the amazing work being done by our JNCG College & Career coaches in Henderson County, read the story of Nichelle – a JNCG student who was struggling to adapt socially and emotionally until her JNCG coach tapped into her love of art. With the help of CIS, Nichelle found her confidence, applied to colleges and will be attending the Savannah College of Art & Design in fall 2021!

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Amy Rice is the Principal of J.F. Webb High School in Granville County. CISNC Student Support Specialists in this rural county often expose their students to college and university options they otherwise would not know about – taking them on college tours and helping them fill out college applications and the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Here’s what Amy had to say about CISNC’s impact in Granville County:

“Our school serves students from a rural area with many that are economically disadvantaged. Having CIS in our school allows our students to understand & believe that college is an option for them.”

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Phebe Eley, Assistant Principal at Northhampton County High School, has expressed her gratitude for having Student Support Specialists who truly know and understand the communities they serve. The Northhampton County High School Student Support Specialist is Nicole Boone, and Ms. Eley has only great things to say about the work Nicole and CIS are doing in her school:

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mrs. Boone has made it her priority to inspire kids by promoting healthy conversations with parents and students. CISNC is vital to the success of Northampton County High School.”

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Gerald Miller is the Principal at Glade Creek School in Alleghany County where CISNC has been providing academic, social/emotional and food supports to students during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Pamela Gould is the Executive Director of the Strategic Twin-Counties Education Partnership and has worked alongside our programs in Rocky Mount. She praises the dedication of our Student Support Specialists in Nash County and we are proud to count Pamela and her organization among our community partners!