PORTSMOUTH, Va. — This story is a part of 13News Now's Making a Mark Series.
A Portsmouth-based but regionwide operating nonprofit is fighting to keep kids in the classroom.
Communities in Schools of Hampton Roads, or CISofHR, is part of a national dropout prevention program for elementary, middle and high school students.
"Our kids are sometimes considered lost," said Executive Director, Dr. Hope Sinclair. "The biggest... reason we're in the school is to ensure that our students attend school on time and graduate on time."
Program Director Joseph Jones said the nonprofit works to surround students, especially those considered at-risk, with support and provide them with necessary resources in the classroom and beyond.
"The main areas that we support our students [are] in attendance, behavior, and course performance. But we don't just stop there," Jones said. "We reach out to community partners to give them all the things that they need to be successful."
On-site coordinators in 30 schools across the seven cities connect students with mentors, help them learn valuable skills, and show them how to get involved in their communities.
"If we expose kids and children to any and everything-- opportunities all around, especially right here in Hampton Roads-- that will open up the segue for them to have something... solidified in the future," Dr. Sinclair said.
CISofHR supports students by involving their families, teachers, and neighborhoods in their education.
"The secret to a lot of what we do is not the programs that we're providing, but it's the relationship," Dr. Sinclair said.
"We want to bridge the... divide between the community, the school, and the students and the parents," Jones said.
The nonprofit reports that 96% of high school seniors enrolled in the program last school year graduated.
Jones said the group's mission is to ensure kids become confident in their abilities and believe they have a bright future.
"Every student has the potential to do anything that they want to do," Jones said. "We give them that capacity to thrive and get to their potential, regardless of what communities they come from."
You can support Communities in Schools of Hampton Roads by donating or becoming a volunteer, mentor, or community partner. You can also learn more about enrolling your student or their school in CISofHR by contacting the group through its website.