On Tuesday, February 22, the Tau Iota Sigma Chapter made history by officially adopting seven schools within the Memphis-Shelby County School District. The Adopt-A-School program is administered by the Family & Community Engagement Department’s (FACE). According to Ms. Judy Keys, Advisor (FACE) “this is the first time since the inception of the district’s Adopt-A-School program in 1979, that any fraternal organization has adopted seven schools”. Tau Iota Sigma adopted A. Maceo Walker Middle School, Geeter K-8, Havenview Middle School, Holmes Road Elementary, Oakshire Elementary, Robert R. Church Elementary, and Whitehaven High School. All the schools are located within the Whitehaven community in the city of Memphis.
By focusing adoption endeavors on the Whitehaven community, the Tau Iota Sigma Chapter has a strategic approach to serving the Memphis community. This approach to serving is imperative because over 70% of the more than 5,200, students within the seven schools come from under-resourced families.
Tau Iota Sigma through its foundations Hobson-Goodlow, Service 4 Humanity, and upon approval Memphis Sigma Beta Club will provide wrap-around resources such as a food pantry, clothing closets, school supplies, washers and dryers, and the creation of student incentive bookstores. The Chapter will work collaboratively with other non-profit organizations, Memphis, and Shelby County government offices to connect families to services and resources they need. Most importantly, the Chapter will implement and develop the Sigma Beta Club program in each middle school.
Untimely, the Tau Iota Chapter through its adoption program hopes to foster school environments where students are eager to learn, parents along with community stakeholders support the programmatic thrusts of each school. Through meeting the basic needs of students and their families, Sigma hopes to improve attendance rates, increase academic performance, and improve behavioral outcomes among students who attend the Whitehaven schools
