CISNC Education Ball 2009

(Excerpt from the CISNC Rock the Dance Education Ball 2009 website, see link in the sidebar for more details)

The 7th Annual North Carolina Education Ball, to benefit the Communities In Schools network across North Carolina will be held in Raleigh on June 26, 2009 at the RBC Center. Unlike previous balls, which featured many Broadway stars performing on stage with children from across the state, this year’s event will feature several well known Triangle personalities in a dance contest similar to Dancing with the Stars, but with a twist. We are thrilled to announce Governor Beverly Perdue and her husband, Bob Eaves will serve as our Event Chairs!

While we are entirely mindful of the current economic situation, we also know the next couple of years stand to see an increase in dropouts throughout our state if we don’t remain unyielding in our work. Recent reports indicate that the current mortgage and loan disaster will displace some 40,000 North Carolina families with school-aged children. Additionally, we already know that over 80,000 of our children were retained in grade this past school year. Consequently, we know through research that both of these factors will contribute to higher dropout rates over the next twenty-four months, and these increases are certain to increase the already depressing thirty-one percent dropout rate. This is why we will not forgo this very important charity ball. Besides serving to raise several hundred thousand dollars, the ball increases the public’s awareness of this discouraging problem, and it helps to bring in new business partners and other friends to join the rest of us in conquering this problem.

Until we increase the graduate rate in the entire state to 100 percent, we will continue to raise the funds necessary to fight the good fight by any means which makes sense. Please join CIS this coming year by sponsoring the 2009 NC Education Ball. At a cost of just under $300 per student served, and a 98 percent success rate of keeping these at-risk students in school, your donation will make a difference for thousands of our neediest students and will have a positive impact on the communities where we live.

Sincerely,

Kate Kenney

2009 NC Education Ball Dancers

Harvey Schmitt, President Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
John Clark, News Anchor ABC11
Antwan Harris, Former UVA and New England Patriots football star
Billie Redmond, Owner Coldwell Banker Trademark Properties
Laura Bromhal, Raleigh Realtor
Acton Archie, Former CIS student; Current CISNC Board member; Currently with SAS

EVENT CHAIRS:
Governor Beverly Perdue
Bob Eaves

EVENT PRODUCER:
Kate Kenney

From CIS Moore County:

We thank all of our community supporters and participants as we attend the 2009 Education Ball. CIS Moore County has done a great job at the Ball in the past, we are sure this year will be no different! Thank you for your continued support, we look forward to seeing you there!

Pictures from the CISNC Conference in Pinehurst

 

A series of garden boxes were created by students for the theme Cultivating Success

 

Dr. Robin Moore talks about the COMPASS program

 

Yvonne Petersen (CIS Hospitality & Golf Academy Program Director) and Matrina McDonald (Hospitality & Golf Academy Student)

 

CIS Hospitality & Golf Academy students visit with Cynthia Marshall (AT&T) at CISNC State Conference at Pinehurst Resort

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each box was unique in its coloring, but included similiar tools for the garden

 

Dr. Moore with his attentive crowd

 

Jalesha Dunn, Coutland Lemon & Hailey Clevenger enjoy lunch at the conference

 

Kathy Byron gives a talk on the FirstSchool Garden Program

The garden boxes included information on the FirstSchool Garden program

 

Matrina McDonald and Danya Perry CISNC Representative

Attendees of the conference learned and had fun as well

 

 

 

 

 

The boxes were used as centerpieces on the tables

Each box included live herbs and planting instructions

Students at the CIS Annual Training Institute

On Wednesday, February 4th, 4 Pinecrest High School students from the Hospitality and Golf Academy participated in the Communities In Schools North Carolina Annual Training Institute in Pinehurst, NC.

Hailey Clevenger, Jalesha Dunn, Courtland Leamon, and Matrina Mc Donald were on hand to meet and greet institute participants prior to the luncheon. After a welcome by a member of CISNC, Matrina Mc Donald presented the blessing. The Hospitality and Golf Academy students enjoyed a delicious lunch while listening to student speaker, Omega Mc Kinnon—a CISNC student intern and keynote speaker and Cynthia Marshall—President of North Carolina AT&T. The students also enjoyed the company of Danya Perry, a Field Services Specialist for CISNC.

After the luncheon celebrating CISNC’s 20 years of service to North Carolina’s youth, all 4 students returned to school to complete their school day—a most worthy outcome after an inspiring luncheon!

North Carolina Annual Training Institute, Pinehurst, NC

 

We are pleased to be hosting the 2009 CISNC Annual Training Institute, February 3-5, 2009 in Pinehurst, NC. The conference offers three days of workshops with speakers from across the state and the country. The theme of the conference is Cultivating Success, which ties in wonderfully to our own FirstSchool Gardens that we will be happy to highlight at our Moore County schools. The conference will offer keynote speakers; training sessions on the subjects of: School and Community Partnerships, Supporting Families in Communities with Limited Resources, Adolescent Brain Wellness, Effective Performance Reviews, The School to Prison Pipeline, NC Graduation Project, Creating Confianza to Foster Success Among Hispanic Students; and informative sessions like “Orientation to the CIS Model, TQS and Integrated Student Services” by the CIS National Staff and an abbreviated session of ‘A Framework for Understanding Poverty’, by Ruby Payne, presented by Susan Pennock, which will cover the impact of economic differences on communication, interactions, and expectations of working with children and families in poverty. That session is designed for community leaders, CIS staff, community of faith members, site coordinators or anyone working with individuals living in poverty.

The keynote speakers will be: 

Dr. Chuck Davis, award-winning founder and artistic director of the African American Dance Ensemble, who is one of the foremost teachers and accomplished choreographers in the traditional techniques of African dance. Dr. Davis’ talk will be “Integrating the Arts Into the Curriculum.”

Cynthia G. Marshall, President, AT&T North Carolina, who is responsible for the company’s regulatory, legislative and community affairs activities in the state. A strong believer in public education, Cynthia serves on the General Assembly’s Committee on Dropout Prevention and has recently been appointed to the North Carolina New Schools Project Board of Directors.

Jessica Jacobs (Miss North Carolina 2007) is a graduate student of organizational communication at NC State University where she is a full tuition scholar and public speaking instructor. Jacobs placed as 4th runner-up in the Miss America pageant where she also placed as a finalist for the Quality of Life award for her work with Communities in Schools.

Amanda Watson (Miss North Carolina 2008) is a rising senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree with a concentration in education. Amanda is an active advocate for the ALS Association, serving people living with Lou Gehrig’s disease. She is proud to represent the state of North Carolina in the upcoming Miss America Pageant in January in Las Vegas.

CISNC and CIS of Moore County look forward to seeing you here in Pinehurst! Please find the CISNC “Cultivating Success” PDF conference brochure in the sidelink bar, download to your desktop and register today for this wonderful opportunity to learn more about Communities In Schools in our own backyard!

Gang Awareness Event—January 8th in Aberdeen

Communities In Schools of Moore County, The Town of Aberdeen Parks and Recreation Department, Moore Buddies and Pizza Hut are sponsoring an important presentation on gang awareness that all mentors, families, board members and staff are invited to attend.  We hope that you will be able to join us for this informative event.

Preventing youth from joining gangs is a formidable task. Based upon gang involvement research, prevention efforts must begin in the early childhood years.  Prevention and early intervention measures must include a variety of programs and policies aimed at reducing early problem behaviors, school failure, child delinquency, and later gang membership.

This presentation will emphasize the importance of identifying gangs and gang-related activities, along with implementing school and community-based prevention strategies to decrease youth participation. Understanding the gang problem within schools and the community is the first step in creating solutions. 

Mr. Danya Perry will conduct this gang awareness presentation. Mr. Perry, a Communities In Schools of NC Field Services Specialist and education consultant for the past 10 years, is an experienced presenter on the topic of youth gangs. He is currently serving as a national consultant for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Gang and Violence Reduction Project. He also serves as a trainer for the National Football League’s initiative on cultural diversity. His unique experience makes him both a credible and informative source on understanding gang dynamics. (see link to WRAL story on Gang activity, including interview with Danya Perry)

Date, time, and location information is presented below. We hope that you will join us for this most important event.

Date: Thursday, January 8th, 2009

Time: 4PM – 5PM presentation for 5th-8th graders from CIS/SOS and Moore Buddies

5PM – 6PM Students, siblings of students and families will share a pizza dinner

6:00 PM – 7PM presentation for parents, families, community representatives, mentors, staff, volunteers, board members.

Children will be entertained in the art room while parents listen to Mr. Perry’s presentation.

Location: Aberdeen Parks and Recreation Building/Aberdeen Recreation Station  

301 Lake Park Crossing (new building in front of Aberdeen Lake)

Please pass this information along, let’s get the word out!