NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

Surrounding students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
IN THIS ISSUE:
  • FEDERAL WAY CARES FOR KIDS

  • STAFF SPOTLIGHTS

  • STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS

  • PROGRAM SPOTLIGHTS
FEDERAL WAY CARES FOR KIDS
Join us in supporting families in need this holiday season!

VOLUNTEER
We are looking for 250 volunteers to fill 9 different volunteer positions on December 15th at Lakota Middle School!

Visit  http://www.fwcaresforkids.org/volunteer  to learn more and sign up for a shift.
TOY DRIVE
Donate new unwrapped toys for kids ages 11 and younger, and/or $20 Walmart gift cards for teens, now until December 10th!

Donations can be dropped off at our office at 1825 S. 316th St (inside Qualstar Credit Union).

All donations go to Federal Way Cares for Kids, which supports families in need at all schools in Federal Way Public Schools.
STAFF SPOTLIGHTS
CAMERON ENOCH
Sacajawea Middle School
‌
MEET OUR NEW
FEDERAL WAY STAFF!
DAISY ESPINOZA
Totem Middle School
COLLEEN MONAGHAN
AmeriCorps
Federal Way High School
MAKENNA LESTER
AmeriCorps
Sequoyah Middle School
TEHLIYAH STOTTS
AmeriCorps
Decatur High School
STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS
Kenneth, an 11th grader at Decatur High School, is a driven and determined young man who initially met our School Outreach Coordinator, Darius Alexander, to get breakfast and snacks throughout the day. Through his daily visits, Darius and Kenneth were able to build a relationship and discuss Kenneth’s goals as well as the challenges he was facing. Kenneth shared his desire to help his family and find a way to enjoy the teenage life others may take for granted. The little things such as being able to go to the movies, are a stretch for Kenneth.

During one of their meetings Kenneth brought in his resume and asked for help finding a job. Darius visited possible employers in the area and found a job opening at Fred Meyer. After meeting with the HR Manager, Darius was able to schedule an interview for Kenneth. Together, Darius and Kenneth worked on his resume and interview skills. On the day of his interview, Kenneth was hired on the spot and began the on-boarding process!

Congratulations, Kenneth!
During the past month, Pfylip, a student at Kilo Middle School, has faced a lot of adversity at school, in sports, and in life. Despite it all, he managed to keep a smile on his face and advance in the classroom!

Pfylip has been one of the first students to complete his class assignments this month due to comprehension and grit. Daily, he would come to our School Outreach Coordinator, Ariassa Wilson, and explain how excited he was to not only learn something new but to also be ahead in is work. It has been great to see Pfylip advance in his studies despite all that life has thrown at him. 

Keep up the good work, Pfylip!
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT
Our School Outreach Coordinators from Todd Beamer High School and Thomas Jefferson High School took a group of students to the Black Panther Youth Empowerment Summit at Rainier Beach High School. 300 young people from all over King County filled classrooms to learn about activism, addressing the issues of their generation, and making positive change in their community.
Black Panther Youth Empowerment Summit Spans Generations

In a room filled with an intergenerational group of people, Willard Jimerson described how at 13 he was sentenced to 23 years in prison and how that had influenced his life...

Read more
southseattleemerald.com
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHTS
GAY-STRAIGHT
ALLIANCE
Our AmeriCorps School Outreach Coordinator, Makenna Lester, at Sequoyah Middle School, has been advising the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA). The club is a safe space for many LGBTQ+ students to talk about their experiences and feelings. The club is a good mix of students who identify as LGBTQ+ and students who identify as straight allies, so the students can have deeper conversations from multiple perspectives.

The GSA is one of the largest clubs at Sequoyah; they have about 20 members at each meeting. The students feel very passionate about LGBTQ+ issues, and we are excited to see what kinds of projects and activism they will be involved in this school year!
SCHOLAR VOICE COLLABORATIVE
Through a partnership between Federal Way Public Schools and Communities In Schools of Federal Way, all middle schools have formed student groups called the “Scholar Voice Collaborative."

These students will meet throughout the year and come up with a scholar generated list of issues that are impacting their school and making students feel unsafe. These students will be practicing the skills of leadership and advocacy to create powerful solutions to these issues they identify as important to creating safe and welcoming schools. Scholars will have the platform to not only express their concerns, they will be providing tangible solutions that will shape the school culture.

CIS and FWPS are working collaboratively to amplify youth voice, and bring attention and visibility to the issues impacting their lives, to create a new transformative system that surrounds all students with an environment that supports their social, emotional and academic development.
THANKSGIVING SUPPORT
We are  thankful  for everyone who supported our School Outreach Coordinators
in providing 130 Thanksgiving meals to our families in need!
Communities In Schools of Federal Way | 253.529-7440 | info@cisfederalway.org