GOOD NEWS FROM CIS l WINTER 2021
"Love is not only something you feel, but something you do."
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
If "Love is not only something you feel but something you do," then please know that we see you and we are feeling the love! We see your acts of love and kindness and we are so grateful. These past 10 months have been hard, but they have also shown us just how much love and generosity is out there. CIS has the best partners and volunteers around, and we want to send a little love back to you this Valentine's Day!
CIS President-CEO Featured in SouthPark Magazine
We're excited to share that CIS-Charlotte President and CEO Men Tchaas Ari is featured in the February issue of SouthPark Magazine. Check it out!
The Art of Collaboration: Social Capital at Work
Sometimes an unexpected challenge shows us what is possible in our community.

That was the case when Charlotte artists Leon Parker, John Cheeks ("CLT Cheeks"), and CIS student Imani Reid, a senior at Harding University High School, were asked by the CIS Board of Directors to work together to create a piece of art as a gift for former CIS-Charlotte President and CEO, Molly Shaw. Read More
CLT Cheeks, Imani Reid, and Leon Parker


< < Check out the cool video!
CIS 8th Grader Wins College Scholarship
We are so proud of Getzemadi Aleman, an 8th grader at Whitewater Middle School! Getzemadi has won a Friedland Scholarship, which includes $20,000 towards a state school within N.C., as well as a professional mentor to Read More
Volunteer Spotlight: Lorie Spratley
As a corporate executive in the financial services industry for more than 25 years, Lorie Spratley knows a lot about managing other people’s “treasure”… but to us here at CIS, Lorie herself is a “treasure,” and we feel so fortunate that she volunteers her time and knowledge to benefit our students!
Shout-Out to Accenture!
On January 15, our Social Capital Team hosted a virtual “Professional Development Workshop” in collaboration with Accenture. Twenty-four CIS high school students were paired with 24 Accenture volunteers to work on mock interviewing skills and review resumes. The workshop was so helpful for students to learn virtual interviewing skills and receive one-on-one advice from career professionals as they prepare for summer jobs, internships, and post-secondary success. A HUGE thank you to our friends at Accenture for such a successful evening!
Bonding Over Bikes!
Efuru Cole-Brewer, a CIS senior at Harding University High School, just received some exciting news: her first acceptance letter to college! It was from Arizona State University, and while it was her first acceptance letter, those who know Efuru best say it will likely not be her last.

But wherever Efuru decides to attend college, she will certainly have a cool mode of trans-portation: a foldable Brompton bike, courtesy of CIS Board member and friend, Jon Davis! Read More
Our "Beacons of Hope" for 2021
Last month the e-newsletter for the Children & Family Services Center asked agencies to submit what we viewed as our "beacons of hope" for 2021. We responded that one "beacon of hope" for us was the thought of seeing our students in person again soon - we miss them and Zoom is not the same! We also believe that for our students and families, our Site Coordinators are "beacons of hope" for them, especially during this challenging time.
We'd like to share two of our "beacons of hope" with you here, in these two recent videos of CIS Site Coordinators Gwen Thompson and Tyrece Edwards.

Thompson, with 32 years of service at CIS, is our longest-tenured Site Coordinator and one amazing lady! She is a fine example of all our direct service team members. 

Edwards is newer to CIS, but he is "all in" and goes above and beyond to ensure his students have what they need to excel.
We know that each and every one of our Site Coordinators is a "beacon of hope" for their students and families, too. And for that, we are very grateful.
One More Video... in Español!
Thanks to Norsan Media for producing this story in Spanish to help get the word out that CIS is here to help! Absenteeism in CMS has greatly increased. We know that many students - and parents - are weary and frustrated with the challenges of remote learning. Please refer parents or students needing support to our website to complete an inquiry form. (Note that CIS is a school-based program and can only provide services to students attending one of these 53 CMS schools.)