Small Town News

Mentoring one of many Communities in Schools services at CMS

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National nonprofit organization focuses on dropout prevention programs that engage kids

Cheney Middle School is abuzz with activity most days after school. Teens and preteens grab snacks, participate in clubs, go to dance classes and play games.

Communities In Schools of Spokane County hosts these activities with a very serious goal: dropout prevention.

"We provide services that are targeting dropout prevention for the entire school population and then we provide targeted individual interventions for some of the most vulnerable youth in each of the schools that we serve," program director Sherry Barrett said.

CIS is a national nonprofit organization that began in Spokane County in December 2007. They currently serve schools in District 81 and the Cheney School District.

At CMS, the organization offers general services that engage kids in school--like after-school homework help, clubs and fun classes--and they organize specific programs to help struggling kids. One of those specific programs is an after-school mentoring group that matches a student who may be struggling academically, socially or both with a volunteer mentor.

Teachers, counselors and administrators at CMS work with CIS site coordinator Sherri Frantillo (SP) to identify students who are failing at least two of their core classes as candidates for the mentoring program. Barrett said they also look for students who are disengaged from the school community.

"We're looking for students who can benefit from social skill building and growth from that one-on-one attention from a caring adult," she said.

The mentoring program began in spring 2009 with a group of 10 young women who were identified as struggling. They were matched with 10 adult women who served as mentors, helping the students with homework, talking about their interests and playing games together one afternoon a week.

"It was magical. It was transformative for the girls in the program just to see them relate to these women who came in," Barrett said. "We got really inspired by that to do a similar kind of program the next year and expand that."

Through outside funding, the program expanded last year, serving 22 students in an 18-week program. Frantillo said 70 percent of students improved their grades and many had a new attitude toward school.

"They seem to be more excited and more proud of their accomplishments and what they're doing" she said.

Last year many of the mentors were students from Eastern Washington University. One of OS's main goals is to engage community organizations to help operate programs. After Frantillo approached EWU for help, several students and others volunteered to serve as mentors.

"They've made it tremendously easy to facilitate this program because there's just such a great pool of dedicated people," Frantillo said.

Frantillo said they hope to serve 35 students for this year's mentoring program, which starts Oct. 28, and mentors are still needed. Volunteers will mentor students every Thursday afternoon for two hours. The site-based program offers a scheduled, controlled environment for volunteers to work with students.

Volunteers must complete a background check and a six-hour training. Trainings are scheduled Sept. 24, Oct. 1 and Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, contact Sherri Frantillo at 559-1407.

"It really just takes somebody that cares about kids and wants to show up and be a part of their life for a couple hours a week," Barrett said.

Becky Thomas can be reached at becky@cheneyfreepress.com.



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© 2010 Cheney Free Press Cheney, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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