Today, we’re announcing Communities in Schools as our official Not-for-Profit sponsor and kicking off Fill the Backpack 2011 with our fantastic giveaway on all 8 blogs of Splash Creative Media.
Remember how I met John Legend and learned about Communities in Schools a few weeks ago? Well, we were so inspired by what the not-for-profit is doing, that we asked them to partner with us for this year’s Fill the Backpack Campaign so that all of our readers can learn and share even more about the goals and initiatives of Communities in Schools.
Communities in Schools is an organization built around keeping kids from dropping out before graduation. It’s a group that emphasizes community involvement and brings community members into the middle and high schools, identifying at-risk students and supporting them through their education. Communities in Schools also recognizes that the support for these at-risk students needs to start as early as Kindergarten, and supports teaching that parent involvement is critical to student success at the middle and high school ages.
They have a fabulous model for success: one that consistently re-evaluates students’ needs, both inside and outside the classroom. They enlist a network of assistance, from tutors and mentors to food banks and college visits, helping to show students that getting out of their positions is possible.
I’m enlightened every time I read about a successful case, like the 2002 graduation of teen mom Rasheedah Phillips who went on to graduate from Temple University in only 3 years, and Irvin Navarro who had been expelled from schools and involved in gangs, but turned his life around and is now on this way to becoming a teacher. I’ll admit, every time I read another Success Story bio, I cry. In fact, CIS has amazing proven results:
- 91% of CIS students were promoted to the next grade
- 93% of CIS students reduced their high risk behaviors
- 97% of CIS-identified potential drop-outs stayed in school
- 84% of CIS seniors graduated on time
The Fill the Backpack Giveaway
The Fill the Backpack sponsors
The Fill the Backpack prize
- Eventbrite: $50 credit for Eventbrite events-great for school events and fundraisers.
- Leapfrog: LeapFrog’s Leapster Explorer ($69.99) provides handheld learning experiences in a portable device designed for ages 4-9. It serves as a mobile hub for downloadable Learning Apps that include eBooks, video, games, and flash cards that auto adjust during game play according to a child’s needs and skills and works with LeapFrog cartridges (prices vary).
- Sleep Innovations: Help your kids get proper rest, so they can study better Sleep Innovations REMedy Study Bundle set, twin XL, contains a 1 1/2 inch twin XL-size gel memory foam topper and gel memory foam pillow in a reusable zippered canvas bag. ($80)
- Etymotic: You’ll receive an exciting new family product from Etymotic that will be released next month! You’ll be among the first to own it! ($49 or $79)
- HP: With the HP Photosmart e-All-in-One Printer your student can use ePrint technology which gives them the ability to set up a customizable ePrint address, allowing the sender to receive documents, email or photos from any smartphone or laptop, the same way they would send an email message. ($99.99)
- AVG: AVG Internet Security($54.99), a complete line of products for the whole family to match your digital lifestyles. .
- Mabels Labels: Labeling all the kids lunchboxes, water bottles, clothes and more is easy (and fun!) with Mabel’s Labels ultimate back to school combo pack ($39) and a set of adorablebag tags ($21).
- Marble Jar: Looking for a way to help reinforce positive behavior for your family? The Marble Jar app for iPhone ($2.99) can help you and your kids stay motivated.
- ChicaLogic: ChicaLogic is a company that creates software for women, by women to keep your PC running smoothly. ChicaPC Shield ($29.95) and ChicaPC Fix ($29.95) work to scan your PC to find and remove threats caused by malware invasions and errors caused by regular use.
- Lands’ End: You can’t beat Lands’ End backpacks for durability and quality for kids of all ages. We love that these come sized to fit toddlers-high schoolers. (prices vary)
- Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac ($150) or Microsoft Office 2010 for PC ($149.95) are packed with features that help you tackle every assignment, and work together on group projects-from almost anywhere.
- California Innovations: California Innovations eco-friendly lunchboxes are offered in a variety of colors, sizes, and even with your children’s favorite Disney characters, making them a great alternative to paper bags.
- Stonyfield: From everyone’s favorite organic yogurt company, we have a gift pack with coupons for YoKids, an activity book, and more! (approx value $15)
- Carolina Pad: Carolina Pad offers a fun back to school package featuring exceptional quality and design. You can find everything from binders to notebooks, planners to folders for back to school in their online store or at retailers nationwide. (prices vary)
- Scholastic: Literacy is the cornerstone of a child’s growth, and for nearly 90 years Scholastic has created quality products and services that educate, entertain and motivate children and are designed to help enlarge their understanding of the world around them.(prices vary)
- P&G: P&G offers an Back to School box filled with tons of great products to help you and your family get back to school. Even better you can help kids stay in school by purchasing products using P&G’s brandSAVER. (prices vary)
- Johnson’s & Johnson’s: A back to school gift pack including Johnson’s products including detangler (no more tears over hair brushing), hand and face wipes (perfect for classroom cleanup), and baby powder (for everything from the locker room to your shoes). For all those playground scrapes, and bumps they’ve also included Neosporin, and Mickey Mouse Band Aids.“They work better together.” (approx value $20)
- Playful Planet: Keep your kids healthy, and get some fun exercise in on rainy or cold day with theSplash Creative Media.
How to Enter
- Required for entries: Comment on this post about something related to Communities in Schools. Are you familiar with the cause? Do you have experience with at-risk kids? Or go over to the CIS website and learn something to share in the comments
- Share the Fill the Backpack giveaway on twitter using #Backpack11. Here’s a sample tweet: I entered the #backpack11 giveaway from @justprecious, worth over $750. http://wp.me/pHY8M-196
- Subscribe to the Just Precious RSS Feed
- Follow @justprecious on twitter
- Partake in the Just Precious clue hunt: At the end of each Fill the Backpack post will be a clue. Comment with the answer to the clue on this post. (You can use the Backpack tab in the navigation bar to find more Fill the Backpack posts.
Still more chances to win!
I’m giving away one prize package on Just-Precious, and all the other Fill the Backpack team members are doing the same, so that’s 8 prize packages right there. BUT we’re also giving away more prize packs during our twitter party on September 6. Stay tuned for the RSVP so you can enter to win.
Enter on all the Splash sites!
Visit the sites of the Splash Creative Media team to learn about the other companies who have generously donated items for our Fill the Backpack giveaway! The Fill the Backpack team consists of:
- TechSavvyMama by Leticia Barr @TechSavvyMama
- Clueless Mama by Laurie Cooper, @Clueless_Mama
- Formerly Gracie by Grace Duffy, @GraceDuffy
- Savvy Sassy Moms by Andrea Fellman, @SavvySassyMoms
- Just Precious by Julie Meyers Pron, @JustPrecious
- Sassy Moms in the City by Alison Ray @SassyMomChicago
- It’s My Life by Jessica Rosenberg, @Kikarose
- The Centsible Life by Kelly Whalen, @CentsibleLife
The fine print: ONE winner will be chosen on September 15, via random.org from the Just-Precious entries. The winner will be alerted via email or twitter and will have 24 hours to respond with her US mailing address. If the winner does not respond an alternate will selected.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Splash Creative Media as part of the Fill the Backpack Campaign.
© 2011, Julie Meyers Pron. All rights reserved.
The community in my local area helps the school kids raise money for different field trips. Having the community involved in our childrens schooling will help keep the neighborhood safe. sweepmorey at gmail dot com
I follow you on twitter JammieM79
I subscribe via email.
Twitter: FashOrganized
says:
just tweeted again http://twitter.com/#!/FashOrganized/status/114192483122028544
From the site, I learned: “Communities In Schools currently serves 1.3 million young people in 25 states and Washington, D.C” and that “Communities In Schools received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.”
Twitter: Chillygal
says:
Like everyone else, we struggle with keeping high risk kids in school, so have dropout prevention specialists in our schools. Too often parental support isn’t there to encourage their children to stay in school. We have community involvement in our schools, but I’m going to look into whether we are following the CIS program.
I think cis is an amazing program! Some of these kids its all they need is to see someone cares that they do well!
Twitter: mommapolarbear
says:
While I don’t live in an area that CIS currently services, I am all for any organization that strives to help make sure that all students have access and the skills, and the support to be successful in schools. Everyone deserves a decent education!
Twitter: mommapolarbear
says:
I tweeted about the contest (@mommapolarbear)
Twitter: mommapolarbear
says:
Following #justprecious on twitter (@mommapolarbear)
Twitter: mommapolarbear
says:
Signed up for the Just Precious RSS feed
Twitter: jgsweeps
says:
Communities in Schools is a well respected non-profit accredited by the BBB!
Twitter: jgsweeps
says:
I tweeted…http://twitter.com/#!/jgsweeps/status/114347576949616641
Twitter: jgsweeps
says:
I subscribed to the Just Precious feed!
Twitter: jgsweeps
says:
I follwed on Twitter!
Twitter: Twenteries
says:
Sounds like a wonderful program. From the website, I learned about the Keeping PACE Act. The Keeping Parents and Communities Engaged (Keeping PACE) Act supports students by supporting the work of Communities In Schools. This bill provides resources and opportunities for Communities In Schools to hire school-based coordinators to work with students in partner schools.
Twitter: Twenteries
says:
I follow @justprecious on twitter!
Twitter: Twenteries
says:
I tweeted about the giveaway! http://twitter.com/#!/Twenteries/status/114355539969966082
I am not familiar with the organization, but I popped over to their website and I like what I see. As a homeschooling mama, sometimes it’s easy to forget about needs at our local schools, but it’s important for everyone to get involves and help these children. Parents and school staff are doing all they can, but they need help. Communities in Schools sounds wonderful!
tweeted.
subscribed
following on twitter
Twitter: niko2k4
says:
I learned that CIS works with schools to provide students what they need so they can focus on school and not have to worry about other things — I love it!
Twitter: niko2k4
says:
I follow you on twitter (niko2k4)! Thank you
Twitter: niko2k4
says:
I also follow you via google reader! (same e-mail addy)
Twitter: niko2k4
says:
I have also tweeted about the giveaway:
http://twitter.com/#!/niko2k4/status/114384441610211328
Thank you!
Twitter: annstiptoes
says:
http://twitter.com/#!/AnnsTipToes/status/114384157865558017
Tweeted again! I really hope I can win for my family!
82% of CIS students reduced their high-risk behaviors! Pretty cool.
Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/#!/Skaketgirl/status/114386763560132608
I follow you on Twitter.
@skaketgirl
I help my son use his imagination when instead of just answering his million questions, I ask him what he thinks the answer is!
I would be super excited if my daughter’s school started using EventBrite…I love to use online stuff rather than having to send a note in to school and hope it gets to the right person.
love that it works within public school systems
follow splash on twitter as ebmommy
]
i love that is a great cause they have over 57,000 volunteers and i love reading about how they changed so many teens life.
http://twitter.com/#!/purplelover04/status/114434518844313600
im following with goggle reader
im following @purplelover04
The Keeping Parents and Communities Engaged (Keeping PACE) Act supports students by supporting the work of Communities In Schools. This bill provides resources and opportunities for Communities In Schools to hire school-based coordinators to work with students in partner schools.
I do not think we have anything in our area like that
follow u twitter kendra22007
thanks
rss subscriber
Twitter: #!/MikeyRSinglemom
says:
I was almost a dropout. I went to 4 different high schools. We moved a lot. It was difficult for me to make friends and my self esteem was below average. When I moved out here to PA the guidance counselor told me that if I failed 1 class I wouldn’t graduate- a lot of the credits from prior high schools didn’t count because the programs weren’t offered here. I had to cram 4 years of high school classes into one year- my senior year. If it weren’t for the teaching staff and guidance counselors I probable would have dropped out of school. I think what CIS is a wonderful program and wish that more organizations were more like them perhaps more students would realize their potential and a cure for cancer might be found or a new species of underwater sea life. Who know what these amazing kids that they are helping will do with their lives. The opportunities are limitless!
Twitter: #!/MikeyRSinglemom
says:
tweeted the giveaway
Twitter name: @MikeyRSingleMom
Twitter: #!/MikeyRSinglemom
says:
following on twitter
Twitter: AngEngland
says:
I loved your scribbles idea. The kids used their imagination recently when we laid out on the trampoline and watched the clouds and told stories about the shapes we saw. It was SO much fun to see them laughing and telling stories to eachother.