“My dad is in jail but I feel like he needs to be in there. He did something bad. I want him to know that I love him and forgive him.”—Jaylynn “One Jay” Nelms
Jaylynn Nelms is a 7th-grader at Callaway Middle School in LaGrange, GA. She had never struggled academically, but was timid and quiet. The first time her site coordinator, Nicholas Griffin, met Jaylynn, he could barely make out the words she was saying.
Jaylynn started to show up at POPS (Pain of the Prison System) Club, offered by CIS of Georgia in Troup County thanks to a grant from Project Safe Neighborhoods. She talked about her mother, two brothers, and two sisters.
Jaylynn transformed! One day she read a poem she had written to her father. She explained that he was incarcerated, but that she forgave him. After class, Jaylynn told Mr. Griffin she had testified against her father.
Jaylynn is no longer a quiet, reserved student, but a well-spoken leader in the classroom, and a role model in school and at home.
Jaylynn has maintained A-B Honor Roll this year and last year while also juggling court appearances related to her father’s case, counseling, church, babysitting, extracurricular activities and more. Jaylynn was also one of 6 Callaway Middle School students who published work in the Dream Catchers Anthology through the POPS Club. Jaylynn published her poem to her father that she read at the front of the class, and it received high praise on BYU Radio.
Jaylynn plans to self-publish a book with her site coordinator, train for Callaway High School’s flag football team, and practice public speaking so she can be a youth advocate.
Communities in Schools believes greatness exists in every child. By meeting students where they are to listen, learn and love, CIS GA helps kids realize their potential and plan for future success. In 2020, CIS GA served 88,978 students in 36 school districts, many of whose life experiences are similar to Jaylynn’s.
That’s the difference that Communities In Schools makes.