- Marian Wright Edelman
Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting Communities In Schools of Delaware (CIS) in Dover, DE. If you have been following my journey, you may recall that I also visited CIS of Kalamazoo in Michigan. They were the ones who in fact put me in contact with CIS of Delaware, and I am very thankful that they did.
Visiting CIS was such a great experience for me because it further strengthened the theme of community that is making more and more of an impact on me through this journey of giving. Rather than tell you about CIS directly, let me share what I did and what happened on my visit. Sharing this story should convey just how needed CIS is as an organization, and how truly amazing the people are who work for CIS (in addition to the wonderful teachers who give their time after school).
When I arrived at the school (this was just one school of many that CIS operates in throughout DE) I was directed to the cafeteria where almost 100 students of various ages were already gathered (keep in mind this was after school). Let me say, and probably repeat a few more times, how impressed I was with the courteousness and attentiveness of these students. As I was introduced, every single student was paying attention and all of them thanked me in unison for my donation. I was then directed to three different classrooms where I was able to present my donation (Play-Doh, Play-Doh, and more Play-Doh!) to students of different ages who would be using the Play-Doh for different purposes. In each class I was warmly greeted and kindly thanked by each student. After seeing the three classrooms I spent some time in the hallway talking to two CIS employees. As we were talking we would be politely interrupted every now and then by students walking by who would again thank me for my donation.
Okay, I mentioned being thanked by the students three times now. These students were not prompted to thank me. As I drove back home I thought about what that meant. Should I be so impressed by what many see as a common and simple gesture? Let me come back to this question shortly.
On the day of my visit the after school coordinator for CIS whom I met with had learned that more of the students in her program had passed and increased their scores on the DCAS (Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System) tests. She also told me about the types of programs they were leveraging to really make a difference in these students' lives. As I stood listening to her speak about all of this, I could really feel her positive energy, spirit, and passion about what she is able to do with CIS at this school. So getting back to my earlier question, I believe the answer is yes because it is clear to me that what I saw and experienced is directly tied to CIS, and that is certainly something that I am so glad I was able to see firsthand.
Finally, as I asked her about her vision for their program, she told me about the community outreach she wants to expand with her students (realizing how powerful a tool it will be for her students). Here is one example of how CIS is enriching its students and their community:
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