Latest news with #CommunitiesinSchools
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Communities in Schools sets Jockeys, Juleps and All that Jazz
Apr. 29—The Communities in Schools of the Permian Basin fundraiser Jockeys, Juleps and All that Jazz is coming up at 5:30 p.m. May 2 at the Petroleum Club in Midland. This is the 11th edition of the Kentucky Derby-themed event in 13 years. Executive Director Eliseo Elizondo said COVID interrupted things for two years. The event usually draws between 300 and 500 people. For the most part, Communities in Schools is grant funded, but it has other funding sources and even gets some state money. But as far as local fundraisers, this is the only one. "It plays an important part, because we're trying to ... net six figures. This goes a long way in helping us maintain our staffing levels to where we can maintain our services and our footprint in the Permian Basin," Elizondo said. Initially established to address the area's dropout rate, Communities in Schools of the Permian Basin's mission is to "surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life." It serves Ector, Midland and Reeves counties. They were in Big Spring, but the district ran out of funding. Midland and Ector County ISD have maintained their financial support, despite both districts having to undergo belt-tightening measures. This is important and speaks to the knowledge and confidence the districts have in Communities in Schools. "I'm extremely grateful and happy to hear that so far, so good that we're not on anybody's chopping block. It's business. I realize that. I've served on school boards, and I know those tough decisions that come up when you're in those situations. You've got to make some really tough decisions ... so I have an extreme appreciation for that processes they are going through, and the pain they're feeling," Elizondo said. But having come through it so far, he said, speaks volumes to Communities in Schools' on the districts in the community. "We wrap up in May, towards the end of the school year. It's a Kentucky Derby-themed event, hence the jockeys and juleps and all that jazz," Elizondo said. He added that this is a busy time of year, especially for the schools, but it's a chance for the organization, the board, schools and supporters to have a fundraiser and celebrate the accomplishments of the year. "It's kind of a twofer in that sense. Like I said, it's a good time and, of course, an important fundraiser for us," Elizondo said. Generally, it has raised six figures. "The schools support us financially and logistically. Then that goes for other funders. Our foundations are great partners ... and then we get a little bit of state funding, which, again, is not guaranteed. I'm on pins and needles waiting to see the outcome of what the budget looks like coming out of this legislative session. Every two years I've got to sweat that out. There's a lot of things up in the air right now. ... I try not to assume anything. We're planning to continue to do our work to the best of our ability, as much as we can and maintain, if not even grow possibly, in the near future," Elizondo said. He has been at CIS of the Permian Basin for nine years and when he first got there state funding made up about 40 percent of the budget and he's got it down to about 20 percent. That's with tripling the size of the program. It is administered as a line item through the Texas Education Agency budget. Elizondo said they keep an eye on public school funding because as public education funding goes, so goes funding for Communities in Schools in general.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Former student highlights CCSD's efforts to support kids in need
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — According to the Clark County School District, more than 13,000 students are experiencing homelessness in Clark County. 'I predict it's going to be very similar to last year, I don't think the numbers are going to go down,' Meg Pike with CCSD said. The district has programs and partners with other organizations to provide them support. Former student of Rancho High School Jazzmine Adair shared with 8 News Now her story about experiencing homelessness while in school. 'My first period, I was always late because I would change in the bathroom like every day,' Adair said. '[I] experiencing homelessness, an abusive household, [and] moving around.' Adair said she spent time living in shelters to even sleeping in a park with her family. 'I categorize it as the best and worst time of my life,' she said. Timing is everything, and she said it is what makes her good at her job now. Having walked the halls as a student at Rancho High School, she now walks them working for the nonprofit that helped her find a path forward. Communities in Schools of Nevada supports underserved students to stay in school. It is available to students at schools like Rancho High, where school-based programs empower kids like Adair. 'They need somebody to tell them they can do it,' Adair said. Schools often partner with nonprofits to help students thrive. While Communities in Schools is a valuable resource, it can't do it alone. It works with CCSD's Title 1 Homeless Outreach Program for Education, or HOPE, to remove barriers for students experiencing homelessness. It also partners with an online nonprofit called Purposity. This is an app where community members can support students without leaving their homes through simple donations from a cell phone. It's a year-round effort, especially during the holidays. 'I've also seen people request suitcases on that platform because people are moving around,' Meg Pike, CCSD's Title 1 HOPE coordinator, said. She's one out of 13 staff members in the program covering the entire school district. 'Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, 'I want to be homeless,'' Pike said. 'I think it's easy for the general public, it's not easy for this staff or anybody in this building, partly because we are mandated to know how many students.' Her message: no one should forget that. 'I am positive that there are families out there that are experiencing that right now,' she shared. Right now, many programs and nonprofits across the valley are making it easier for them. Most of all for current and former students like Jazzmine, who now feel seen. 'I love being here,' Jazzmine said about working for Communities in Schools at Rancho High School. Pike said for the 2023-24 school year, more than 230 students were served through Purposity donations. She also mentioned that the school district is working on a documentary called 'Learning to Survive: A Lesson in Student Homelessness.' It addresses students experiencing homelessness in Clark County. At the time this story was published, a set air date for the documentary was yet to be determined. According to its YouTube page, it was supposed to be out by Spring of 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
