Jackson Free Press

When a 9-year-old third-grade student at Walton Elementary told her teacher that she wanted to participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest, her teacher gave her an option. Because the girl did not complete assignments and often disrupted class, the teacher told the young girl she had to behave in class or not participate in the contest. With encouragement and one-on-one talks with Communities In Schools tutors, the student placed third in the essay contest and became a better student, paying more attention in class and being less disruptive.

About 35 years ago in Atlanta, Bill Milliken, a dropout who was inspired to go back to school, came together with David Lewis and Neil Shorthouse to create Communities in Schools, a national organization that brings existing resources, services (such as one-on-one tutoring), parents and volunteers together to meet children's needs, so students can concentrate on learning.

In November, CIS hosted a fund raiser at the Hilton Hotel. That afternoon I sat down with National Director of State and Field Support Mike Hayes and Jackson's Executive Director Carmen Dockins to discuss their plans.

Can you explain what CIS does?
Carmen: Here in Jackson, what we have is a 21st-century learning center at Walton Elementary; that is our one in-house school site. We case-manage about 120 students. The concept is integrated student services. First, we select students for the program based on the ones who are most in need academically or at risk of failing. We look at student's grades, attendance and behavior. We also try to keep some continuity there. If they were in the program the previous years, we keep them in the program so that we can track them and follow them, and see long term how well they do in the learning program. Initially, we had 5,000 children after Hurricane Katrina. After the first year, we had about 1,200, and now I think we have 500.

Mike: This gives a sense of what CIS does because all of those kids had special needs, whether it was clothing or counseling. That is what CIS rallies around.

What are some of the benefits of CIS?
Carmen: The cool thing about our program is that the teachers who teach all during the day (also) teach in the afternoon. There is another degree of continuity there because the kids are familiar with the teaching staff. Our programs include homework help, mentoring, life skills program, Alpha Kappa Alpha literacy project, and enrichment programs that include music, art and creative science program. We have numerous volunteers, from the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra to college students.

What are some of the challenges?
Carmen: Our challenge is to be able to reach more children to decrease the drop-out rate. Nationally, the drop-out rate is 31 percent, and we would like to help (the Mississippi Department of Education) reach their goal of reducing the drop-out rate by 50 percent.

How many schools are involved with CIS?
Carmen: Right now, we just have one school, and that is Walton Elementary. We are building a very positive relationship with (Jackson Public Schools). This is a new concept to communities and schools for them to allow us to come in. We are a pilot program to see how effective our services are. They are opening the door for us to move into other schools. However, it takes funding to go in and provide those types of services.

Mike: What we would like to do ultimately is both sustain the current program and expand it to additional sites.

How did you become involved with CIS?
Carmen: I worked with the organization about 30 years ago when it was Cities In Schools in Atlanta. I relocated to Mississippi and there was no such program. About two and half years ago (I was speaking with) Rhea Williams Bishop, founder of the CIS in Jackson and the acting part-time executive director … about how we can raise money to get CIS on its feet. Unfortunately, but thankfully (because of) Hurricane Katrina we were able to get some foundation and grant money to open the affiliate.

Mike: I retired from the Army in '96 and started working with CIS. I was actually working with CIS while I was in the army, running the JROTC program. We were working with CIS on some career academies.

How successful are the fund raisers?
Carmen: We are actually working to raise funds to build some sustainability outside of grants and foundational money, to have Mississippi businesses and benefactors take a stake in our youth. I think we should invest in our children now in a positive way, rather than having to invest in them later in a negative way. I hope that we will raise enough that we can expand (the program) to other schools—that is our goal. We need to get the local and state government involved, as well as individual donors, and recognize that investing in this is investing in our children's future.

For more information, or to donate or volunteer, contact Carmen Dockins at 601-714-4886 or e-mail her at [e-mail missing].