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L to R: Lee High School Principal Monica Quintero, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, CIS Project Manager Neysa Gavion, and HISD Superintendent Terry Grier

On his way to the NBA All-Star Game festivities, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan stopped at Lee High School to get a firsthand look at the Houston Independent School District’s (HISD) reform effort.  Lee High School is a part of HISD’s “Apollo 20″ program, aimed at turning around some of the district’s lowest-performing schools.

Duncan was joined by HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, Lee High School Principal Monica Quintero, district and school leaders, teachers, tutors, students and parents for a roundtable discussion. Participants shared their experiences as part of the Apollo 20 efforts and the impact on student achievement so far.

During the visit, Secretary Duncan took a moment to meet Lee’s CIS Project Manager Neysa Gavion and express his admiration for Communities In Schools. “Every school needs a CIS” Duncan enthusiastically states.

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Communities In Schools of Houston is excited to have been invited by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to participate in an important national study that seeks to highlight best practices that help youth at risk of dropping out of high school prepare for postsecondary education.  Based on a rigorous nomination process, including conversations with national experts, meetings with officials at the U.S. Department of Education, and a review of existing research, Communities In Schools of Houston has been identified as one of 15 sites across the country at the forefront of tackling this urgent and persistent problem in education, preparing high school students for college.

The study, Strategies for Preparing At-Risk Youth for Postsecondary Success, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, will include detailed case studies of each of the 15 nominated sites. Through these case studies, teachers, principals and administrators across the country will have the opportunity to learn from Communities In Schools of Houston’s experiences and can identify strategies they might be able to implement to better serve their at-risk youth.

In order to develop these case studies, a national research team will visit the CIS program at HISD’s Lamar High School in March. The two-day visit will include interviews with individual district and school staff, key external partners (e.g., higher education institutions, community-based organizations, social services, local businesses, etc.), and focus groups with parents.

Ultimately, the project aims to provide information that is useful to other practitioners and policymakers in implementing promising strategies.  CIS of Houston considers it a great honor and opportunity to be able to highlight its programs and partnering schools and, ultimately, aid in providing best practices helping high school students prepare for college.

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CIS Alum Selene Nanez (lft) w/ CIS' Cecilia Lee

My name is Selene Nañez. I am a sophomore at Sam Houston State University. I am also a former CIS student from Milby High School.

During my senior year, I had many questions as to what I was supposed to do once I graduated high school. No one in my family ever attended college. I wasn’t even sure if I was even smart enough to go. I come from a single parent home and up until recently, my father was incarcerated.

A friend of mine told me about CIS. She took me to their classroom and that’s where I first met Mrs. Cecilia Lee. I asked her if she thought I was able to get into Fordham University in New York because I always wanted to go to New York City and go to school there. She talked to me about how I can accomplish anything I set my mind to! I was so excited to know that there was someone who believed in me and encouraged me to follow my dreams.

I kept going back to CIS because it felt like home to me. I was dealing with problems at home and even though I wasn’t ready to talk about them, I knew Mrs. Lee would be there to listen when I was ready.

I didn’t get into Fordham, but I wasn’t discouraged one bit. CIS helped me fill out other college applications and I quickly found myself applying for Sam Houston and University of North Texas. I remember rushing over to the CIS office to share my great news when I received my acceptance letters to both schools! I couldn’t think of anyone else I wanted to share my happiness with.

I love college life and I love Sam Houston. I also love the fact that even though I’m no longer in high school, I can turn to CIS and Mrs. Lee for anything. My goal is to one day help someone like myself who wants to follow their dreams. My dream is still to go to school in New York City…Fordham is still on my radar…or NYU…or Columbia! Thank you!

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Tristan Love, CIS Alum and Booker T. Washington High School graduate, opened the Greater Houston Link Up Conference on October1st as its conference opening guest speaker.  Tristan motivated nearly 700 attendees with powerful words designed to build character through the 40 Developmental Assets.

He challenged the assembly of youth and adults to become individuals of great character and value. He stressed the importance of connecting with the community so that youth thrive especially during these uncertain times and inspired youth to catapult into becoming productive human beings.

The Link Up conference was conceptualized by CIS Board member, Pat Rosenberg, who partnered with more than 20 agencies and countless stakeholders to implement this successful conference; giving the community an opportunity to unite to improve the lives of all youth in the Greater Houston area.

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