Helping kids stay in school

Supporters of Communities in Schools of Houston (CIS) gathered at the Post Oak Hotel for the Stay in School gala. Suzanne Farrow, CIS board member Suzanne Stiles, Christi Tullos, Shannon Mahan, Courtney Anderson, Whitney and Marc Lawson, and Lexi and Mike Marek were among the 475 guests at the event that raised $425,000 for CIS programming for academic support, mentoring, and mental-health services for local at-risk students. Emcee Lisa Malosky welcomed the crowd and introduced Rev. Matt Russell, Chapelwood United Methodist Church, who gave the invocation. After hearing from board president Omar Reid, the crowd listened to testimonials from students, including a senior from Northbrook High School. She shared that she will be attending Barnard College at Columbia University in New York City in the fall, and credits CIS with helping her be successful. Following the program, guests hit the dance floor with music from The Spazmatics and stayed up way too late on a school night. 

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