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We are so proud of our 2022 graduates, who have demonstrated that nothing will hold them back from achieving their goals! They successfully navigated their way through a truly turbulent high school experience and still came out on top.

In the 2021-2022 academic year, CIS Dallas served approximately 563 eligible high school seniors. Of that number, approximately 97% have graduated! While this percentage is still preliminary, it demonstrates the powerful influence that our programming provides on campuses and beyond.

Take a closer look at what it means to be #allINforkids by meeting our Class of 2022 below!

Meet The Class of 2022!

Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD

Max

In March of 2020, Max’s whole world came crashing down when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down school, affected his family’s livelihood, and isolated him away from his friends and teachers.

At the start of the 2019-2020 school year, a bright young man named Max was attending a high school in Carrollton-Farmer’s Branch ISD with dreams of attending UT Dallas. In March of 2020, Max’s whole world came crashing down when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down school, affected his family’s livelihood, and isolated him away from his friends and teachers. Having previously experienced very few struggles in school, Max’s grades began slipping as he struggled to focus. Understandably, Max’s teachers were unable to give him the one-on-one attention he needed to get back on track, and his academic performance suffered greatly.

After well over a year of online learning, Max returned to school in-person for his senior year, beginning in the fall of 2021. Virtual learning had taken a toll on Max, and his dreams of attending UT Dallas began to fade as he realized he may not have the grades needed to be accepted. A staff member at his school recommended Max join Communities In Schools to help improve his grades, work on college applications, and receive the individualized support he so desperately needed. The CIS site coordinator on Campus, Mr. Padilla, is a long-time employee of CIS Dallas with years of experience working with at-risk youth. Mr. Padilla helped Max join the program, and they immediately began working together to make Max’s college dreams come true.
During the entire school year, Mr. Padilla made sure Max turned in all school assignments, met the deadlines for college applications, studied for tests, and attended all of his classes. Max was in Mr. Padilla’s office every day, sometimes multiple times per day, often to receive help but sometimes just to take a deep breath and remember how much support he had in his corner. Max felt like he was the only student on Mr. Padilla’s caseload, even though he was one of over 100 students on campus working with CIS. Max’s favorite thing about being part of CIS was the feeling of safety and support he received from Mr. Padilla and other CIS students, who became like family to him. After working with Mr. Padilla for just one school year, Max will be graduating with all As and Bs, and has been accepted into the University of Texas at Dallas to pursue business. According to Max, that acceptance would not have happened without the caring attention and help from his CIS site coordinator. Max is still in the CIS office every day, helping Mr. Padilla with anything he needs regarding office work, other students, and school-wide events.

McKinney ISD

Ben

Ben has decided to pursue a 4-year degree in Construction Management following graduation. He had previously never thought college was for him until he discovered the dual-credit Construction Management program.

Ben became part of the CIS team at McKinney North HS when he was in 11th grade, just after the pandemic had overturned all sense of normalcy for students. Like many other students at the time, Ben was struggling in numerous classes, and his attendance was lacking. In the middle of the school year, he even considered dropping out altogether. His site coordinator Gina witnessed his struggles and knew he needed a motivational push. She then proceeded to invite Ben and several of his friends to tour the Collin College Tech campus. While on this tour, Ben showed special interest in their Construction Management Program.

When Ben returned to school after the winter break to begin his second semester, his ambitions had been reinvigorated. He had set new goals regarding his work ethic, creating a system that worked for him to ensure that he turned in all his classwork in a timely manner, and he started to attend school on a regular basis. By the end of his junior year, he had completely turned his grades and attendance around. Senior year, he then participated in a dual-credit Construction Management program, attending high school in the morning and classes at the Collin College Tech Campus in the afternoon. His site coordinator recalls that he would often come by her office in the morning to share what they were learning in Construction Management. Senior Site Coordinator Gina says, “I loved his enthusiasm! He even tried to teach me how to read blueprints which was a real challenge!”

Ben has decided to pursue a 4-year degree in Construction Management following graduation. He had previously never thought college was for him until he enrolled in the dual-credit Construction Management program.

McKinney ISD

Zamauria

Zamauria is a recent graduate of McKinney North High School and an aspiring hair stylist! After becoming a mother in 10th grade, Zamauria completed the incredible task of finishing high school with her class, while parenting and supporting her little boy.

Zamauria is a recent graduate of McKinney North High School and an aspiring hair stylist! After becoming a mother in 10th grade, Zamauria completed the incredible task of finishing high school with her class, while parenting and supporting her little boy. She will begin college in the fall, and dreams of owning her own hair salon. Zamauria's site coordinator, Gina, has know her for many years and is incredibly proud of the woman, mother, and high school graduate she has become. Being part of the CIS program helped Zamauria stay on track with her studies and understand her options for college.
McKinney ISD

Nick

Senior Site Coordinator Gina says, “Nick is one of the hardest working teenagers I had ever met! With his hard work and diligence, he graduated the first semester of his Senior year to work full-time. I am so proud of all that Nick has accomplished!"

Nick struggled the first couple of years of high school; both in trying to find himself as a student and in discovering which career path may be best suited for him. In the fall semester of junior year, as it does with many 11th graders, fear of the future began to set in. Upon witnessing this, Nick’s Site Coordinator Gina invited him and several path friends to tour the Collin College Technical Campus. She knew that Nick was concerned about his options and felt like a traditional university path wasn’t right for him. She also knew that there were various workforce education programs offered at CCTC including automotive, construction, health care, IT, & manufacturing.

During their tour, to Gina’s delight, Nick was instantly sold on their Automotive studies program. Building and working on cars was a long-time hobby of his, and the idea of turning that hobby into a career had Nick finally excited about his future post-graduation. Shortly after discovering this program, Nick enrolled in the dual-credit Automotive program at CCTC. Throughout his senior year, Nick attended high school in the morning and attended classes at CCTC in the afternoon. Now a high school graduate, Nick plans to continue working full-time in his chosen profession. Gina says that, “Nick is one of the hardest working teenagers I had ever met! With his hard work and diligence, he graduated the first semester of his Senior year to work full-time. I am so proud of all that Nick has accomplished! It has truly been a pleasure watching Nick achieve his dreams.”

Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD

Donovan

A senior at a north Irving high school, Donovan was a good student with dreams and ambitions. However, Donovan began the school year experiencing a myriad of barriers, not the least of which was the need to commute 40 minutes each way to school caring for his grandfather who had fallen ill.

A senior at a north Irving high school, Donovan was a good student with dreams and ambitions. However, Donovan began the school year experiencing a myriad of barriers, not the least of which was the need to commute 40 minutes each way to school caring for his grandfather who had fallen ill. Donovan and his mother took turns caring for his grandfather in South Dallas, but they shared one car between the two of them, which understandably affected his attendance and school performance, potentially jeopardizing his post-graduation plans of attending Collin College. Seeing his struggles, Donovan's site coordinator Issac stepped in with the support, resources, and counseling he needed to get his semester back on track. When we spoke with Donovan to share his story, he expressed his intent of inspiring others in his situation to keep going no matter what, and know that everything is temporary. He is incredibly grateful to have made it through high school, and is thrilled to be attending Collin College in the fall.