Project Imagine will be participating in the Community in Schools (CIS) of Virginia program at Danville Public Schools by providing instruction that addresses the self-efficacy of students.
Robert David, violence prevention manager for Project Imagine, said he is excited about the partnership.
“This is another opportunity to do some great work by extending what we do into the school system,” David said. “Project Imagine is already deeply embedded into the community. What this does is bridge the gap.”
Project Imagine is a community violence intervention collaborative for ages 21 and under that provides at-risk and gang affiliated individuals opportunities for success through multi-resource interventions. The idea is to create a positive "image" in the mind of a youth so that they he or she can "imagine" a life without gangs or crime.
Willie Gillus Jr., director of embedded operations for the CIS of Virginia program, said CIS programs operate nationally. They work by forging partnerships with schools and bringing in community resources such as Project Imagine to provide additional support to students in need. The goal is to keep students in schools and have them graduate.
“We want to wrap our arms around students not only during the school day but after school as well,” Gillus said. “We want to extend the learning process. Learning does not stop at 3 o’clock. Some students deal with conflict resolution issues, so this is a great opportunity to work with professionals who work with kids and provide awesome support to these students.”
Brenda David is the CIS of Virginia student support coordinator for Danville Public Schools. She will be working with up to 60 students from grades 9-12 at George Washington High School. The students in the program will come from referrals from teachers and parents.