Apr. 29—The Communities in Schools of the Permian Basin fundraiser Jockeys, Juleps and All that Jazz is coming up at 5:30 p.m. May 2 at the Petroleum Club in Midland.
This is the 11th edition of the Kentucky Derby-themed event in 13 years. Executive Director Eliseo Elizondo said COVID interrupted things for two years. The event usually draws between 300 and 500 people.
For the most part, Communities in Schools is grant funded, but it has other funding sources and even gets some state money. But as far as local fundraisers, this is the only one.
“It plays an important part, because we’re trying to … net six figures. This goes a long way in helping us maintain our staffing levels to where we can maintain our services and our footprint in the Permian Basin,” Elizondo said.
Initially established to address the area’s dropout rate, Communities in Schools of the Permian Basin’s mission is to “surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.”
It serves Ector, Midland and Reeves counties. They were in Big Spring, but the district ran out of funding.
Midland and Ector County ISD have maintained their financial support, despite both districts having to undergo belt-tightening measures. This is important and speaks to the knowledge and confidence the districts have in Communities in Schools.
“I’m extremely grateful and happy to hear that so far, so good that we’re not on anybody’s chopping block. It’s business. I realize that. I’ve served on school boards, and I know those tough decisions that come up when you’re in those situations. You’ve got to make some really tough decisions … so I have an extreme appreciation for that processes they are going through, and the pain they’re feeling,” Elizondo said.
But having come through it so far, he said, speaks volumes to Communities in Schools’ on the districts in the community.
“We wrap up in May, towards the end of the school year. It’s a Kentucky Derby-themed event, hence the jockeys and juleps and all that jazz,” Elizondo said.
He added that this is a busy time of year, especially for the schools, but it’s a chance for the organization, the board, schools and supporters to have a fundraiser and celebrate the accomplishments of the year.
“It’s kind of a twofer in that sense. Like I said, it’s a good time and, of course, an important fundraiser for us,” Elizondo said.
Generally, it has raised six figures.
“The schools support us financially and logistically. Then that goes for other funders. Our foundations are great partners … and then we get a little bit of state funding, which, again, is not guaranteed. I’m on pins and needles waiting to see the outcome of what the budget looks like coming out of this legislative session. Every two years I’ve got to sweat that out. There’s a lot of things up in the air right now. … I try not to assume anything. We’re planning to continue to do our work to the best of our ability, as much as we can and maintain, if not even grow possibly, in the near future,” Elizondo said.
He has been at CIS of the Permian Basin for nine years and when he first got there state funding made up about 40 percent of the budget and he’s got it down to about 20 percent. That’s with tripling the size of the program. It is administered as a line item through the Texas Education Agency budget.
Elizondo said they keep an eye on public school funding because as public education funding goes, so goes funding for Communities in Schools in general.