Program seeking support to expand
BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — Don’t call it a comeback. In fact, Communities in Schools of Bradford County has survived a pandemic and other challenges while maintaining its mission — to surround students with a community of support and empower them to stay in school and achieve in life.
The nonprofit’s tiny staff has a giant heart for what they do, working with at-risk students one on one and recruiting dozens of other mentors, volunteers and donors to support its programs.
The staff includes Cindy DeValerio as executive director; Martha Boyette and Linda Bennet, who work with the Take Stock in Children program; Michelle Fox, a site coordinator managing numerous cases at Bradford High School; and Kris Dunfee, their financial director. Not too long ago, Candace Osteen was also added as a reengagement coordinator working to get students back in school.
Each of them knows there is so much more to what they do than improve grades, discipline and the graduation rate. Every time they reach a kid — and the success record is high — they are shaping that student’s future for the better.
Visiting with them last week to share her story was Morgan Alvarez Winkler. Staffers fought back tears as she told her story.
“Without this scholarship, there is no way my family could have sent me to college. I’m one of three in a single-parent household. My mom worked multiple jobs. It was ‘We have to eat,’ not ‘We have to go to school.’ So, this was a huge opportunity for me, and I would not be able to do the things that I’m doing now to give back to our community without the scholarship,” she said.
That scholarship was the one she earned by graduating high school as part of CIS’s Take Stock in Children program. From the time she was in middle school, she was mentored by volunteer Cheryl Canova and given the guidance she needed to get through high school and college and return to Bradford County as a teacher. Canova recently introduced Winkler at the annual CIS banquet, where she spoke about her experience, which includes watching one her own mentee graduate this year. Yes, when she joined the high school, Winkler said she reached out to Boyette about becoming a mentor.
“It’s been very helpful for me, but also, ignites that passion where you do want to give back and you do want kids to have the same opportunity,” she said.
As an intensive reading teacher, she works with students who need both personal and financial support.
“We have a demographic here that is unfortunate, but with love and guidance and support from stable adults, I think that they understand that they have the same opportunities, and that people will do for them,” Winkler said.
Boyette explained that in addition to the two-year Take Stock scholarship, they can connect students with other gap scholarships to fund a four-year degree. But the best part of the program is the mentorship from caring adults who often go above and beyond listening and offering advice to providing school clothing or help students through rites of passage like getting a driver’s license. One student was surprised with a car this past Christmas.
“I’m in there working in the trenches, so to speak, but I get humbled every day just about by my mentors and the things that they give to these kids. The effort is just tremendous, and I don’t think we’d be as successful as we are without that mentorship program,” she said.
Boyette worked with 32 mentors and students this past school year. All six seniors graduated, and the team is already on the lookout, evaluating new young recruits to join next year. The process includes meeting with parents, whose support is also important to student success.
The need for mentors is always there. The minimum commitment is meeting with their student twice a month, usually for lunch. No special skills are required, although volunteers must clear a background check. They also receive training and staff support.
“This program, I just totally believe in it,” Bennett said.
As the only site coordinator currently on staff, Michelle Fox works with dozens of additional students on dropout prevention, addressing problems with attendance, discipline and academic performance.
“We set goals for those kids and help them to achieve those goals, in the meantime providing a lot of wraparound supports, because there are lots of things that get in the way of kids succeeding in school,” she said. “It’s not always willpower or things like that. If kids don’t have clothes, they don’t want to come to school. If they smell bad, they don’t want to come to school. If they’re having problems at home, they don’t have a parent that will push them to go to school, then they have a lot of absenteeism. A lot of time that causes behavior problems. Anytime I see a kid that’s getting into trouble a lot, I want to know why. What’s making them tick? What’s making that kid be a bully, or what’s making that kid skip class, or what’s making that kid sit and put their head on the desk instead of working?”
Fox said they spend time asking questions and trying to get to know the students and help them make achievable goals — academic and behavioral goals, but also social and emotional goals.
“We end up working very closely with the guidance office, with Meridian at the school, any local resources,” she said.
CIS forms the connection between the students and the many resources available to help. More help is always appreciated. Fox wanted people to know that in addition to being a mentor with Take Stock, there are other ways to volunteer with CIS, such as being a tutor, or offering apprenticeships or internships to students who are not collegebound
“There’s lots of different paths, and we work with students on trying to discover who they are and what they would want to do. What’s their dream in life? How to work hard and have integrity and achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves,” she said.
DeValerio said it could be a school or program alumnus who comes to speak with students during a lunch meeting.
“One of my goals is more career shadowing, getting our students out — not out of school, per se — but out of what they think life has to be like based on their past history or generational curses and bondages,” she said.
DeValerio said one of the resources they created this past year is a room called The Hangar stocked with hygiene products, clothing, shoes and school supplies — all free for any student who needs them. They go on field trips to places like Santa Fe College, the zoo and theme parks that are both rewarding and experience expanding. They learn about educational and financial aid opportunities. CIS advocates for students and gives parents the tools they need to be more involved. And they celebrate their achievements, including the 15 seniors Fox worked with this year, all of whom graduated.
Fox said students are referred to her by teachers, administrators and guidance, but the biggest support of referrals is from other students who recommend their peers go speak with her. Those 15 graduates were just a fraction of the 100-plus cases she worked on this year.
DeValerio said Osteen has done a phenomenal job in just six months as reengagement coordinator, reaching out to families to get students back in school or ready to take the GED exam. Her position is grant funded.
“This grant provided an opportunity for staff to reach out to students that had either not enrolled in school since COVID, had truancy concerns, or needed support to find an effective pathway to achieve their educational goals,” Osteen said.
“I had the privilege of working with district staff and Bradford High School administration to identify the initial list of students to contact. This opened doors for CIS to work with seven students to provide support and resources for their educational success. Students ranged from 10th to 12th grade, and we had a lot of learning opportunities together. It has truly been a rewarding, challenging and overall great experience to help students find their pathway to educational success.”
Following the pandemic, when campuses were closed completely or closed to outside visitors and CIS staff and volunteers had to work with students from a distance, DeValerio said the organization has been in a rebuilding phase and is once again looking to expand. That means calling upon new sponsors and donors for support. Whether it’s a one-time donation or a continuous sponsorship, or a donation of time and experience as a mentor, tutor, etc., all gifts benefit the students and community at large.
“We’re building upon what’s already here and trying to sustain and strengthen the program. We’re kind of open to what people would want to give and do for us,” DeValerio said.
To get in touch with Communities in Schools of Bradford County, call 904-966-6004, or visit www.cisbradford.org.
CIS wants to recognize its donors over the past school year, including Kiwanis of Starke, Capital City Bank, Bradford County commissioners, Clay Electric, Teal Tile, Downtown Grill, Communities in Schools state office, United Methodist Women, Murray Ford, Santa Fe College, Bradford County School District, Woman’s Club of Starke, First Baptist Church of Starke, Linda Lee, BHS resource officer, Lifespring Church, Bradford County Sheriff’s Office, local golf sponsors, Edward Jones Financial, Hailey McElhenny and the Blue Ribbon 4-H Club.
Thanks also go to local board members and volunteers, including board President Cheryl Canova, Vice President Shannon Smith, Secretary Linda Johns, Treasurer Pat Mundorff, Austin Carter, Courtnie Douglas, Dawn McKinley, Will Sexton, Julie Johnson, Noele Miller, Kim Paige, Chrissy Allen Thompson and Trish Tucker.
They especially wanted to thank the staff and administration at the middle and high schools as well as Superintendent Will Hartley for accommodating CIS in so many ways and helping make the connections that allow them to do their important work.
