We are thrilled to announce that Difference Makers® CLT 2022 has officially launched! On February 9th, we welcomed twenty inspiring students to our program orientation at Dilworth Neighborhood Grille to share more about this year’s cohort and our vision for the group.
Initially launched in 2019 as a collaboration between The Gambrell Foundation and Communities In Schools, Difference Makers CLT is a leadership development program for CIS students and community members. The goal is to increase all participants’ understanding of social capital and create spaces for meaningful exchanges. After two years of virtual programming, we are excited to be heading to Washington, D.C. in late March for a very special trip (as we did in the first year of the program in 2019), with our group of 55 students, community members, staff and team from The Gambrell Foundation.
Students apply with the support of their CIS Site Coordinator and are selected based on their commitment to leadership, social impact and academic success. Our community members are selected based on their skills sets, lived experiences, readiness/willingness to engage with our students, belief in social impact and diversity (racial, gender, professional occupation).
As we prepare for the trip to Washington, D.C., we’ll host a few activities here in Charlotte including orientations for students and community members, a special Shop Night at Belk for students, and a Pre-Trip Social for all participants at TopGolf. If last week’s orientation is any indication, this group will come together like none other to share in each others’ lives. As we like to say at CIS, “We create the space and the magic just happens!”
We thank this year’s students, community members, CIS Steering Committee and The Gambrell Foundation for partnering on this year’s incredible venture. We will share more pictures and updates this spring!s
Difference Makers CLT 2022 Participants
