A New Beginning: Outreach Efforts in Alexandria

By Candace Hill, CIS of NOVA Outreach Coordinator As the Communities In Schools (CIS) of NOVA Outreach Coordinator for Alexandria, I feel fortunate to be a part of a team that’s out there helping to educate our city residents and businesses on the needs of Alexandria City Public School’s students, and to find the resources needed to enable their success in school. The journey that led me to CIS of NOVA is one that has consistently involved working with youth, as I’ve always been fascinated with child development. My career began in research, managing the Temple University site for the NICHD Study [...]

2020-03-08T14:21:00+00:00June 2nd, 2016|0 Comments

Healthy Hammond Community Fair & 5k Color Run

By Candace Hill, CIS of NOVA Outreach Coordinator The forecast had predicted a torrential downpour with heavy winds and rain, but there was no turning back, as the already rescheduled Healthy Hammond Community Fair and 5k Color Run was going to happen on May 21st, rain or shine! Even with the unpredictable morning rain, there were many “shining moments.” I could talk about the girl that came to the event alone, walking 1.5 miles from home to participate in the 5k, only to walk 1.5 miles back home after running the 3+ miles. Or about the other student who showed up an [...]

2020-03-08T14:21:26+00:00May 27th, 2016|0 Comments

A New Beginning: Partnership Debut with Barcroft Elementary

By Elizabeth LeRoy, Barcroft Elementary School CIS Site Coordinator Barcroft Elementary is the newest school partnership for Communities In Schools of NOVA, and the first elementary school for the CIS of NOVA network. We are thrilled to partner with Barcroft's students and families and to grow the connections between Barcroft and the surrounding community. As the Site Coordinator for Barcroft, it is a new beginning for me in Arlington, too. Starting out in the high-rise world of Crystal City, I learned the ropes of volunteer management in my first two jobs out of college, quickly growing to appreciate the way volunteerism fosters [...]

2020-03-08T14:23:36+00:00April 22nd, 2016|0 Comments

Shop for a Cause at Whole Foods Market TODAY!

We know first-hand the challenges that our students face, and we're grateful for the services from our volunteers and partners for all that they do to support CIS. Today, there are two additional opportunities where everyone is able to contribute, and in turn, help our students succeed. Whole Foods in both Arlington and Alexandria will be supporting CIS of NOVA with its 5% day. This means that Whole Foods will donate 5% of Wednesday’s total sales from both their Clarendon and Old Town stores to CIS of NOVA. Why not pick up some groceries mid-week and help CIS at the same time! Can’t make it to Whole [...]

2020-03-08T14:24:18+00:00April 20th, 2016|0 Comments

CIS Staff Supporting Arlington ALL IN Conference 2016

On March 12th, CIS of NOVA intern Pauline Jo attended the Arlington ALL IN Conference 2016 at George Mason University.  In this conference, education professionals from all across Arlington had a chance to learn more about teen mental well-being and healthy relationships, as well as network with other mental health organizations and professionals in the area. At the first workshop, Ending the Silence-Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention, participants were able to learn more about the statistics of Americans who are diagnosed with a mental health condition or have mental health related issues, the impact of the stigma of mental health illness [...]

2020-03-08T14:24:33+00:00April 15th, 2016|0 Comments

UPDATED! Healthy Hammond Community Fair & Color Run 5k School Fundraiser

Walk, jog, and run your way toward a healthier life while raising funds for Francis C. Hammond Middle School. All are welcome! See the event information below. Date: Saturday, May 21, 2016 (new date!) Location: 4646 Seminary Rd., Alexandria, VA 22304 Time: 8:30am to 12:30pm Deadline: Register by May 5th Please contact Candace Hill at candace@cisofnova.org for more information.

2020-03-08T14:25:11+00:00April 8th, 2016|0 Comments

CIS of NOVA Celebrates Programming at Hammond MS & Joins Spring2ACTion in Alexandria

Communities In Schools of NOVA will be participating in SPRING2ACTion, a one-day online fundraising event on April 20th, sponsored by ACT for Alexandria. Help spread the word that CIS of NOVA has expanded programming to Alexandria by sharing our Spring2ACTion LINK with your contact list and friends on social media. What if we all gave on one day – APRIL 20th? How much can we raise to support our students? We believe that when the needs of children are met, they can be free to learn and teachers can be free to teach. We believe ALL kids can succeed. We never give up on [...]

2020-03-08T14:25:38+00:00April 7th, 2016|0 Comments

Communities In Schools of NOVA Expands To Its First Elementary School

In early March, Communities In Schools of NOVA brought its mission of empowering students to stay in school and achieve in life to Barcroft Elementary School. Barcroft became the fourth Arlington Public School to partner with CIS of NOVA, and the organization’s first elementary school. Located three blocks off of the Columbia Pike and South George Mason intersection in south Arlington County, Barcroft Elementary School has a rich history of community, and a strong mission of developing the youngest members of the community: “Originally opened in 1925, Barcroft Elementary School has had longer, continuous service to the community as an elementary facility [...]

2020-03-08T14:26:19+00:00April 5th, 2016|0 Comments

Full Circle: Reaching Back and Reaching Out

By Cathy Celestino, CIS of NOVA Outreach Coordinator If you were to find (or lose) yourself wandering the stacks of the Perry-Castañeda Library on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin, you could dig up a bound report dated 1992 and titled, “A Gang Prevention Model for Communities In Schools of Texas.” It’s hard to believe that 24 years ago that was my Professional Report, the hard-copy product of the capstone experience of the Master of Public Affairs degree at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. One of the hallmarks of the LBJ School degree programs is the emphasis on [...]

2016-08-16T15:32:54+00:00March 11th, 2016|0 Comments

Diversity within Arlington Mill High School & the Arlington Career Center

By Cristian Pineda, Arlington Mill High School CIS Site Coordinator Before the first bell rings at 8am, the Arlington Career Center is filled with over 1,000 students coming from all over Arlington County. There are students who come from other high schools to take the career and technical classes, those who stay here full-time in the special programs of the school, and there even is Arlington Mill High School based inside the Career Center. It is a buzzing bee’s hive, and while all the students are worker bees in their own respective way, their differences are what unite them as future leaders [...]

2016-08-16T15:32:11+00:00February 26th, 2016|0 Comments
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