Communities In Schools Counselors Earn Praise for Impact on Youth
Joselyn King Trending
WHEELING -- Communities In Schools counselors in Ohio County Schools -- social workers assigned to work in specific schools -- raised $25,000 during the recent holiday season to help students and their families in need.
And their efforts continue throughout the year, they explained.
The CIS counselors provided insight into their work during a recent meeting of the Ohio County Board of Education.
The counselors came at the request of board member Andy Garber, who thought their accomplishments needed to be highlighted.
"Their work needs to be made public," he said. "The public needs to hear and see the people who are having a really positive effect on our students. The work they do many times goes unnoticed."
Kristen Payner, CIS counselor at Warwood and Woodsdale elementary schools explained the CIS program is "a statewide initiative designed to address barriers to education and help students succeed both in and out of the classroom."
The counselors connect students and their families with community resources such as academic support, mentoring, basic needs support and mental health services, she added.
CIS counselors are placed in the schools, and work to build strong one-on-one relationships with students to promote attendance, improve behavior and enhance academic performance.
The goal is to keep students in school and assist them in achieving their full potential, Payner continued.
There are nine counselors/site coordinators employed by Ohio County Schools. In addition to Payner, there is Abby Pownall at Bridge Street Middle School, Unique Murphy and C.J. Besece at Wheeling Park High School; Marleah Donahie, Elm Grove Elementary; Heather Weekly, Warwood Middle School; Mike McLeod, Wheeling Middle School; Brooke Barton, Ritchie Elementary School, and Jessica Stradwick, Madison Elementary School.
Collectively, they serve 425 students in Ohio County, according to Payner. She added there are also 475 snack items sent home with the students each weekend.
During the recent holiday season, the counselors raised about $25,000 to help assist students, which was put toward gift cards and assistance to families in need, Payner continued.
"We can't do that by ourselves. We need people in the community to help us do that," she said. "We partner with businesses and organizations in Ohio County to help us do that."
The CIS counselors partnered with more than 50 local businesses and groups to achieve the $25,000, Payner reported.
Murphy also took the podium, and spoke about what she has planned at WPHS in the coming year.
She will be leading a group of students to tour historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) this fall. It will mark the second year WPHS has partnered with the YWCA Wheeling to make the trip, Murphy added.
There are 42 students in the WPHS Black Student Union, she reported. Seniors and juniors among them will get the first opportunities to take the trip.
"Eventually, everyone will get the chance because we're planning on doing this every single year," Murphy said.
She told board members the NAACP also has offered to pay for all 42 students to be youth members of their organization at no cost, and they will be able to attend for free the NAACP Youth Convention this summer in Charlotte, North Carolina.
"They will get to experience all things NAACP, and meet with people from all over the country," Murphy said. "It is a great opportunity, and it is all free."
She also shared a story about a student that occurred earlier in the school year. The student had initially stopped in to her office to chat, and asked her exactly what it was she did in her job.
Murphy described the student as one who wouldn't normally be in need of her assistance.
About a week later, the same student returned to her office, and this time he was distraught, she said. That morning he had discovered an eviction notice on the door to his family's home.
"My mom is a single mom, and I don't know what we're going to do," Murphy said the student said to her. "I don't even want to ask her because I don't think she knows what we are going to do."
She explained to him how the eviction process worked in West Virginia, and how he and his family wouldn't have to leave their home just yet and there was time to find a solution.
During their conversation, she learned the mother has spent more money than usual that month to cover her youngest son's football-related expenses with hopes she would find a way to pay the rent later.
Murphy later conferred with the other CIS counselors to see if they knew of any contacts who might be willing to help pay the bill, and Payner was able to find a source.
Murphy checked to make certain it was OK with the mother to intervene. While the mother had figured out the financial situation, the money donated permitted her to provide a Christmas for her children.
Murphy explained too often students who aren't struggling academically and families who don't appear to have financial issues get overlooked in the community.
"We don't think to act if they're struggling," she said. "One of the great things about Communities In Schools is we don't discriminate in that aspect. We ask everybody if they are OK."
Superintendent Kim MIller said the school district applauds the efforts of the CIS counselors finding ways to assist students in need.
"We can't be an excellent school system without filling in all those spaces," Miller said. "And we are able to get closer because of the work you do."