Empowering students to succeed inside and outside the classroom
Communities In Schools (CIS) is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to empowering at-risk students to stay in school and on a path to a brighter future. In Los Angeles working directly inside 11 schools across the city, CIS connects kids to caring adults and community resources designed to help them succeed. And, in partnership with local communities, CIS does whatever it takes to ensure that all kids—regardless of the challenges they may face— have what they need to realize their potential.
Our Goal IS 100% Graduation: READ OuR Stories
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Staying On Track
When Dou’Jae's father was killed during her sophomore year of high school, the pressures of providing for her family could have forced the straight-A student to drop out. But that didn’t happen. Instead, Dou’Jae was able to tap into our network of support at LAUSD’s Hamilton High School that kept her on track to graduate. Today, she’s heading into her second year at UCLA and plans to become a lawyer representing low-income people. |
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A Path To College
As an undocumented immigrant who came to the U.S. at age 4, Selena believed that college was out of her reach. Without a Social Security number, she couldn’t apply for federal financial aid, couldn’t qualify for in-state tuition and couldn’t get a job to pay her own way. Now a senior at Cal State LA, Selena is aiming to pursue an MBA. She still doesn’t know what the future holds, but she has no regrets about the past. |
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A New Path from an Unclear Beginning
Change is a natural part of life, but it can be intimidating for a 13-year-old girl moving from the hills of Pennsylvania to coastal California. “Will I like my new home? Will I love my new school? Will I meet new friends?” were all the questions that floated around in Ananda’s mind when the decision was made for her to move and live with her dad. |
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The Difference is "In"
Our site coordinators, like Kenn Campa at Mendez High School, work full-time, on campus to support the needs of our students. As Kenn shared, “ Being located on campus provides a unique opportunity to connect students to resources, staff, and opportunity. Working within the school makes it easier to do the work we need to do in coordinating resources and support. |
