Communities In Schools Student Represents America's More Than 50 Million School Children in National Panel

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Sep 28, 2010, 09:52 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Communities In Schools is proud to announce that one of its students has been selected to represent students across the country on a national panel comprised of top education leaders, elected officials and policymakers. The interactive summit titled "Education Nation" will be held at Rockefeller Plaza and moderated by NBC's Brian Williams.

Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg student Rachael Wise will lend her voice to the summit by discussing her own background as a senior at Garinger High School who plans to become the first in her immediate family to graduate high school and attend college. Addressing the alarming dropout rate among her generation, Wise says, "I'm glad to be an example and part of a solution, thanks to Communities In Schools. It humbles my spirit and inspires me to think of how many positive influences I have in my everyday life."

The discussion, a field hearing on education policy, is intended to gather ideas and potential solutions to the education crisis. Leading members of Congress will be joined on the panel by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan as well as a variety of governors, mayors, and representatives of the State Education chiefs and National School Board Association.

"We are proud of every one of the nearly 1.4 million young people that we are honored to serve, and today we are particularly proud of Rachael for being the voice of her generation in this very important discussion," said Dan Cardinali, Communities In Schools President.

To hear Wise's testimony, you can tune in to the MSNBC broadcast September 28th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., either on television or at www.MSNBC.com or www.educationnation.com.

Communities In Schools surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Through a school-based coordinator, Communities In Schools connects students and their families to critical community resources, tailored to local needs. Working in more than 3,200 schools, in the most challenged communities, in 26 states, and the District of Columbia, Communities In Schools serves nearly 1.4 million young people and their families every year. It has become the nation's leading dropout prevention organization, and the only one proven to increase graduation rates.

Visit our website at www.communitiesinschools.org

SOURCE Communities In Schools