Tag Archive: MLK


Answering Life’s Most Persistent and Urgent Question

Filed Under: Affiliates, Volunteers by Briana Kerensky — Leave a comment
January 22, 2013

Volunteers at Communities In Schools of Milledgeville's service project.

“Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man of service. I believe that it’s our obligation to honor him and give back to our communities.”

For the past two years, Communities In Schools of Milledgeville, Ga., Site Coordinator Christi Tyson has emboldened her community to make Martin Luther King Day not just a day off, but a “day on.” Through planned service projects, the residents of Milledgeville come together to improve local schools and make them wonderful centers of learning for local children.

This year, the staff of Communities In Schools of Milledgeville, along with amazing volunteers from the Communities In Schools of Georgia state office, AmeriCorps, Georgia Power, Georgia College and State University Gamma Sigma students, assembled four basketball hoops, painted 12 bathrooms, painted outdoor railings and benches, and collected trash at Eagle Ridge Elementary School. Last year, they spread more than 140 tons of sand on the school’s playground.

“The kids are going to be so excited when they come back to school on Tuesday,” Tyson said. “I can see them running outside my office during recess. They’re going to be excited to be able to play basketball.”

Tyson has been planning this year’s Martin Luther King Day event since November. As the project manager, she worked with the principal at Eagle Ridge to figure out what work could be done around the school, made lists and purchased supplies, and kept the community partners well-informed.

“We’re so lucky because even though we’re in a small town, we have great partnerships,” said Communities In Schools of Milledgeville Executive Director Sandy Baxter.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” At Communities In Schools, we’re bringing people together to change the lives of students for the better.

Check out some more great photos from Communities In Schools of Milledgeville’s day of service! Click on a photo to enlarge.

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Words of Wisdom

Filed Under: Race Equity by Briana Kerensky — 2 Comments
February 21, 2012
Ella Fitzgerald

Singer Ella Fitzgerald said, “It isn't where you came from, it’s where you're going that counts."

We all know that to make a difference, it’s not about what you say; it’s about what you do. But sometimes, our words truly can have the power to motivate others to go out and change the world.

The people we honor during Black History Month are men and women of action. But their words, in addition to their deeds, continue to inspire people to create, to change, to persevere. We collected some amazing quotes from famous men and women in black history. Which one inspires you the most? Read each then vote in our poll! Is there a different quote you love, but we didn’t include? Share it in the comments section. View full article »

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Making Every Day a Service Day

Filed Under: General, Volunteers by Briana Kerensky — Leave a comment
January 17, 2012

On the Fourth of JulMartin Luther King, Jr.y, we watch fireworks. On Thanksgiving, we share a meal with our families. And on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we change our communities for the better.

In 1994, Congress recognized Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a national day of service. Yes, we may not have to go into the office or school on this federal holiday, but we are still supposed to work. Work to make our communities safer for children and families. Work to empower individuals who may not have a voice. Work to bridge cultural and economic barriers. The Corporation for National and Community Service describes it best: “Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a day on, not a day off.” View full article »

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Back with a Bang

Filed Under: National Office by Briana Kerensky — Leave a comment
January 10, 2012

January is usually a very cold, quiet month in the Washington, D.C, area, (I say “usually,” because lately we’ve had some crazy spring-like temperatures). But despite the quiet, January is the beginning of a new year, and in 2012 Beyond the Classroom is working hard to top the amazing posts we featured last year.

national mentoring summit logoThis month is going to be jam-packed. We recently re-launched our Site Coordinator Snapshot series, and can’t wait to share even more inspiring stories of the work Communities In Schools site coordinators are doing across the country to help kids succeed. We are also going to be live blogging from the National Mentoring Summit in Washington, D.C., posting photos from local Martin Luther King Day community service events with Communities In Schools students and alumni, and celebrating National Thank Your Mentor Day™.

In addition, keep an eye on the Communities In Schools national website. In the next few weeks we will be launching an innovative, interactive version of our model, which helps explain how we work in schools to meet each student’s individual needs.

Beyond the Classroom is really starting 2012 with a bang. We hope you share in the adventure with us!

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Keeping his dream alive

Filed Under: Dropout Epidemic, General, Pop Culture by Briana Kerensky — 1 Comment
August 29, 2011

Today’s blog post comes from Brenda Kittles, Development Operations Coordinator, Foundation and Corporate Relations.

“I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.”—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

MLK memorial closeup

Photo courtesy William Marlow via Flickr

I had planned on visiting the new memorial for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Washington, D.C. this past Sunday, on the anniversary of the march on Washington. Unfortunately, Hurricane Irene “blew away” that idea.

In remembrance of this momentous occasion, I have been thinking about the many leaders of the Civil Rights Movement who volunteered their time, and in some cases gave their lives to the cause. What were they thinking when they were faced with barriers? How were they able to go on, not knowing if their ultimate goal would ever be achieved?

Communities In Schools exists to help keep students in school and prepare them to achieve in life. The reality is that some students will be saved and other students will fall through the cracks. In our lifetime we may not see dropout rates decrease to a minimal level, but our work is important to ensure that strides are made to eliminate the dropout epidemic in our children’s and grandchildren’s lifetimes. It is during moments of uncertainty, when our faith is wavering, that we must find the strength and perseverance of individuals like Dr. King and others who knew they might never get to see the fruition of their hard work, but kept pushing until their last breath. View full article »

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