Patricia Carlin - KPS Teacher, Kalamazoo Central
Since she began serving students as the AGA (All Giants Achieve) Teacher at Kalamazoo Central in the 2001-02 school year, Patricia Carlin has helped us shed light on the great work of community partners and volunteers coming into Kalamazoo Central to make a difference for students.
It is appropriate to use this day as an opportunity to shine light upon Patricia Carlin. Patricia plays an integral part in supporting the mission of KCIS within her school. The founder of CIS, Bill Milliken, often reminds us that “programs don’t change kids, relationships do”. Patricia epitomizes this truth. She knows all the kids in the school, and they know her. She is great about referring students with unmet needs to the Site Coordinator, be it for glasses, tutoring support, mental health services - you name it. She shares her extensive knowledge of community resources and her professional expertise with Site Coordinator Deb Faling and is supportive of the partners and volunteers KCIS connects to Kalamazoo Central.
When it comes to implementing a new service to meet an identified need, Patricia is instrumental in doing whatever it takes to foster success for students. For instance, with the Depression Screening Project that took place over a 3-year period, Patricia offered up her space to a host of KCIS partners coming into the school to organize themselves for the screening, interviewing and referral process of freshmen students. She consistently and willingly shares her space so that volunteers and professional partners can help students. She helps volunteers and other providers feel welcomed to and valued by the school and smoothes the connection between them and students.
Generous of her time, gifts and insights as well as her unwavering attention to students in need, we are glad to have her in our corner.
Patricia Carlin, we thank you for helping students stay in school and succeed in life.