20th Anniversary
1987-1988
United Way Needs Assessment identifies 25% of school dropout rate as one of the top community concerns.
1988-1989
Cities In Schools Board of Directors established. One part-time teacher, a half-time social worker and a nurse are repositioned to CIS. Thrity-nine students stayed in school; 57% promoted at end of school year and 82% after summer school.
1989-1990
CIS becomes an United Way member agency. Full-time teacher was hired to teach CIS and a full-time social worker. Sixty-four students enrolled; 97% stayed in school, 64% promoted at end of school year and 71% after summer school.
1990-1991
Level II CIS is created for tenth grade students. “Veterans” Program started for students who have successfully completed CIS class, but have not graduated. 109 students enrolled. 74% are promoted at end of school year; 81% after summer school. A second part-time teacher and a second full-time social worker.
1991-1992
117 students enrolled. 86% stayed in school. 85% promoted at year-end and 96% after summer school.
1992-1993
Second site initiated at Ferndale Middle School with 40 seventh and eighth graders. One full-time teacher and half-time school social worker make up CIS team at Ferndale. Total of 172 students enrolled at Central High and Ferndale Middle Schools.
1993-1994
Two sites are operational with a total of 203 students. 123 volunteer partners were paired with 136 students seventh through tenth graders.
1995-1996
An agreement for coordination with CIS of Greater Greensboro is established in May by vote of the Board of Directors of both organizations. CIS of High Point establishes an administrative office. A site director is hired for Central High School. 257 students are served. 93% promotion rate and 95% stayed in school or graduated.
1996-1997
High Point Cities in Schools becomes Communities In Schools of High Point INC. as of July 1, 1996. It became officially chartered by National Communities In Schools after a quality and standards review in April.
261 students were served. 94% of students stayed in school or graduated and 96% were promoted.
1998-1999
A sixth school site, Johnson Street Elementary, was added through the Communities of Faith Partnership of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church and the school. CIS coordinated a partnership of First Presbyterian Church and Union Hill Elementary school. ThinkCOLLEGE, renamed 21st Century Scholars Advisor Project, in High Point and Greensboro was developed. A partnership with GTCC provided a summer transitional program into college for 50 high school graduates. All school sites shifted to a comprehensive school model which enabled CIS to serve 1016 High Point children and youth.
1999-2000
Three new elementary sites were established at Parkview, Kirkman Park and Northwood Elementary. Jump Start Reading was developed in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, the High Point business community and Guilford County Schools. Jump Start provided 299 volunteer tutors for all fourth graders reading below grade level. 68% of students showed improvement on EOG tests and 33% reached grade level. Partnerships with 111 business, 15 churches and 7 civic clubs were connected to schools.
2000-2001
CIS The second year of Jump Start Reading created two new sites at Montlieu and Allen Jay Elementary. 460 volunteers were recriuted, trained, and matched with all fifth graders reading below (level 2) grade level. The outcome for Jump Start Reading was 79% of fifth graders scored at grade level and 98% improved.
21st Century Scholars began to enroll students at the seventh grade level, held career fairs, financial aid workshops, job shadowing and college visits. 330 students were served and 13 last dollar scholarships were awarded to graduating seniors.
A year-end event for 12 CIS school sites and 4 Jump Start school sites was held on May 31, 2001. Over 800 students, parents, volunteers and friends attended.
2001-2002
CIS partnered with the HIgh Point Housing Authority to place a Scholars Advisor to work with students from J.C.Morgan and Carson Stout Housing communities who attended Welborn Middle and T. Wingate Andrews High school to promote high school graduation.
Another partnership developed during this year was with N.C.A&T 6 year GEAR UP program for college readiness.
Jump Start had another successful year with 236 volunteers working with 3rd and 5th grade students who showed 94% improvement on the End of Grade test scores and 65% moved to grade level in reading.
530 middle and high school students enrolled in the 21st Century Scholars program. 66 seniors graduated with 10 students receiving last dollar scholarships.
There were 4062 students served in 14 school sites.
The end of the year event had over 900 parents, students, and volunteers in attendance.
2002-2003
CIS added 1 new site, Faiview Elementary.
The second year with the High Point Housing Authority partnership produced 11 high school graduates.
21st Century Scholars had a total of 132 graduates from High Point Cental and T. Wingate Andrews receiving over $28,000.00 in scholarships.
The curriculum for Jump Start was redesigned to be more volunteer friendly and CIS was able to match 277 volunteers with 291 3rd and 4th grade students. 86% showed improvement in reading and 83% moved to grade level in reading.
Project Pueblo, a program addressing the Hispanic and Latino needs, was implemented at 5 school sites.
REAL, an entrepreneurship program, was introduced to the high schools and incorporated into the marketing classes.
4735 students were served at 14 school sites.
2003-2004
With funding from a grant from the ABC Board, CIS was able to conduct an Alcohol Awareness campaign called “Think Don’t Drink” All school sites participated, and special sessions for the Latino population were conducted.
The partnership with High Point Housing Authority continued to prove successful with 13 high school graduates. The program added another Scholar Advisor to work with students attending Ferndale Middle and High Point Central High schools.
The 21st Century Scholars had 137 high school graduates with 10 students receiving CIS last dollar scholarships totaling $10,650.00.
Jump Start Reading focused on 3rd and 4th grade students at 11 elementary school sites. 228 volunteers helped 187 students with their reading skills. 88% improved their reading scores and 50% of the students moved to grade level in reading.
CIS partnered with CIS of Greensboro, United Way of Greater High Point and Greensboro, Lorillard Tobacco, Learning Together and Guilford County Schools to pilot a reading program called Grand Pals for 2nd grade students at Union Hill and Fairview Elementary.
2004-2005
CIS had another great year operating in 13 schools (2 high schools, 3 middle schools and 8 elementary schools) serving 4453 students with a program emphasis on the tool “A Safe Place to Learn and Grow”. Additional funding from the ABC board allowed CIS of High Point to have the first set of CIS Billboard advertisement with art work submitted by a student. This student was the winner of the “Think Don’t Drink” campaign.
The tool “A One on One Relationship with a Caring Adult”, resulted in placing 405 volunteers, tutors and mentors who contributed 15,630 hours to students in the schools. 138 Jump Start volunteers helped 3rd and 4th grade students prepare for the end-of-grade tests in reading. 81% of the students improved on their test scores and 55% moved to grade level in reading.
The second year of Grand Pals resulted in 84% of 2nd grade students moving to grade level in reading and 78% of 3rd grade students moving to and above grade level in reading.
There was a significant increase in the number of high school graduates who received assistance from the Scholar Advisors provided by the partnership with the HIgh Point Housing Authority. There were 46 housing student graduated. The total number of 21st century scholars that graduated was 160 with 12 students receiving CIS scholarships.
2005-2006
CIS served 4,184 students this year in 13 school sites (2 high schoos, 3 middle schools, and 8 elementary schools). The program focus was on the life tool, “A Healthy Start and a Chance for a Healthy Future”. CIS hosted 9 comprehensive health fairs.
393 volunteers, serving as mentors, tutors, breakfast and lunch buddies, contributed 14,148 hours of services to students.
93 Jump Start students were paired with 73 volunteers resulting in 88% showing improvement on EOG scores and 69% moving to the next grade level in reading.
21st Century Scholars had 135 seniors to graduate and CIS granted $12,300.00 in scholarships for students that planned to attend a 2 or 4 year institution.
2006-2007
4193 students at 13 CIS sites were served and program efforts focused on “A Healthy Start for a Healthy Future”. Health fairs were hosted at 8 schools inviting parents and community members to attend. After hearing presentations from a professional storyteller, 4 students published books on the topic of alcohol abuse and misuse.
Over 14,351 hours of services were given by 393 volunteers who served in the capacity of tutors, mentors, breakfast and lunch buddies and an Americorps VISTA. 84 3rd and 4th grade students received tutoring through the Jump Start Reading program. 80% of the students increased their reading score and 62% of the students were on grade level in reading at the end of the program.
143 21st Century Scholar seniors graduated and CIS granted $10,500.00 in scholarships for students to attend 2 or 4 year institutions of higher education. The senior class of 2007 received $1,485,109.00 in scholarship offers with 76 students going to 4 year institutions and 54 pursuing 2 year degrees.
2007-2008
Currently in 12 school sites serving 4126 students with 360 volunteers. CIS students from High Point Central were the first students in the nation to launch the Pen or Pencil B.U.S. Boycott, followed by Ferndale Middle and T. Wingate Andrews. Students traveling to Memphis, Tennessee to participate in a youth summit as part of the 40th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s death.
On April 22, 2008 CIS celebrated 20 years of service to the student of High Point. The celebration took place at the High Point Country Club. The featured speaker was William (Bill) Milliken, the founder of CIS National. The evening was a big celebration for everyone who has been involved with CIS. Executive Director, Mrs. Cerise Collins presented artwork depicting Bill Horney and commemorating the 20th anniversary of CIS.
