Still Struggling Three Years After Storm

There was an article in The New York Times last week that discussed that there are still a lot of children who are Hurricane Katrina victims that lack stability in their lives. The article discusses how these children are behind in school and really need a lot of help. To view this article, click the following link, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/us/05trailer.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ei=5070&emc=eta1.


In 2006 Communities In Schools Houston (CIS) announced its involvement in Houston's Kids, a project that addresses Houston’s need for quality out-of-school time programs/activities, a need that grew significantly in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, when approximately 20,000 displaced students enrolled in Houston area schools.


CIS provides the summer job/intern program for high school students which trains them in job readiness skills—such as resume writing, job searching and professional etiquette—and provides an internship or job placement that includes above minimum wage salary. CIS staff also coordinates the middle school stipend program, through which students are eligible to participate in an incentive program that provides a stipend for achievement in their summer school coursework and attendance and participation in the programs provided. Elementary and Middle school students participate in YMCA Day Camp, which includes field trips and programming from the Houston Children’s Museum and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department.

CIS Social Service Coordinators, available at each Houston’s Kids summer program site, serve as the referral person at the campus to perform intake with evacuee students and families to assess their basic needs. The Social Service Coordinators assist students and their families with basic and emergency needs, provide referrals to other community resources, and promote community-building activities that involve both evacuees and existing students, in order to support community building.


Are you still working with evacuee students, and how are they doing?


by - Heather Martin, Development Associate