Sierra: Turning Her Senior Year Into a Success Story

At Ripley High School, senior Sierra set out to make her last year her best – and she more than delivered. Referred to Communities In Schools of Tennessee® (CISTN®) by her principal (and herself), Sierra connected with Hope Childs, her CIS program manager, to tackle two big goals: improving her attendance and getting career-ready.

It wasn’t an easy road – Sierra was navigating the grief of losing her father, battling old habits, and working hard to rewrite a story that included 9 trips to alternative school since the fifth grade. But from their first meeting, Hope believed in her, and Sierra began to believe in herself. 

Through a mix of grief counseling, goal setting, and just being a safe place to land, Hope helped Sierra stay focused. Field trips, career networking events, and daily check-ins became the new normal. Hope’s office turned into Sierra’s “safe zone,” a place where she could regroup when things got tough.

Sierra leaned into the support – reminding herself daily that it wasn’t worth going back to the start. Prayer, discipline, and a lot of self-redirection became part of her toolkit for success. 

And it paid off. Sierra’s attendance soared from a 65% baseline to 81.58% at the end of the year, making this her first fully completed school year since fourth grade. Her grades jumped from a D average to an A/B average. She became a leader on campus, joining Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), making the Homecoming Court, and winning the "Most Changed Since Freshman Year" award at Ripley High’s Oscar Night. For a student who once struggled just to show up, Sierra’s senior year became a full-circle moment. 

Today, Sierra has her eyes on the future – planning to become a medical assistant and maybe transition into full college after earning her license. She’s proud of the progress she’s made and wants other students to know that showing up matters.

Of course you want to have fun, but paying attention in class and working hard now puts you in a better position later.

-Sierra, 2025 Graduate

It’s advice she’s living by – and a reminder that with the right support and a lot of heart, it’s never too late to change your story. 

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