Governor And Jessica Doyle Kick Off Community Connections Initiative

Governor Doyle and First Lady Jessica Doyle chat with Cherokee Middle School student Isaac Montgomery in Madison. Isaac said he has benefited from the assistance he gets from community volunteer Jack Benjamin. The Doyles were kicking off the Community Connections programs, which promotes volunteerism between citizens and middle schools.

The program is designed to get middle schoolers involved in their communities, as well as get citizens involved in working with middle school students.

The program is coordinated by Jessica Doyle, who is on leave from her job as a learning coordinator at Cherokee Middle School in Madison, where she has worked for the past several years. Before that, she worked at three other middle schools in Madison.

Thursday's kickoff included visits to John Burroughs Middle School in Milwaukee, De Long Middle School in Eau Claire, and Cherokee Middle School in Madison.

At Cherokee, the first lady said the program seeks to get citizens involved in such activities as serving as mentors, participating in after-school activities, tutoring in reading or math, providing apprenticeships, or being a personal coach to a middle school student.

She and the governor met with several students, educators, and volunteers who touted the critical role that volunteers play in helping middle school students succeed.

"We are fortunate in that we have an army of volunteers here at Cherokee," said Principal Karen Seno. She said the volunteers come from all ages and walks of life: bankers, attorneys, college students.

"There is no typical volunteer," Seno said. "Some work with one student, some with three or four students, and some with entire classrooms."

Reading tutor Jack Benjamin said he treasurers his chance to work directly with students. "I feel like I have an important role to play," he said. "It's been a very satisfying role, and inspiring."

"The challenge is how do you get more people to volunteer," said volunteer Peter Cleven.

Several students talked about how volunteers helped them focus on their school work, improve their grades and think more about their futures.

"I want to be successful," said Cherokee student Kala Taylor. "I want to make something of myself."

"When I grow up, I want to be a lawyer and an artist," said student Isaac Montgomery.

Jessica Doyle said the Community Connections programs is aimed at drawing attention to programs that already work, such as those at Cherokee.

"A lot of this is showcasing the great things already being done in this state, and then putting schools in touch with each other," the first lady said.

The program goals include helping middle school students develop greater civic responsibility, enhanced skills for participation in a new economy, and improved academic performance.

According to the program outline, Community Connections will:

• Promote communities and schools working together.
• Showcase schools with successful community programs.
• Help recruit volunteers for middle school programs.
• Create an annual conference to showcase best practices.

Essential elements of the initiative are to:

• Develop volunteer initiatives in middle schools.
• Increase academic progress of students.
• Encourage idea sharing and networking of middle school
  students, parents, teachers, and administrators around Wisconsin.
• Create community relationships between students and
  community members.

Community Connections Web site
Community Connections brochure (pdf file)