Corporate social responsibility

Spotlight on education

Partnering with Elementary Schools in Fairfax, Virginia

For several years, CGI has partnered with elementary schools located near its Fairfax, Virginia, office buildings to provide tutoring and mentoring services.

At Greenbriar West Elementary School, a group of 15 member volunteers (some of which are pictured at left) work weekly with students to provide coaching in reading, math, science, social studies and history. The school has a diverse student population, and this additional support provides much needed one-on-one attention to the students. The volunteers also act as role models for students and help them prepare for Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, which measure student and school performance statewide.

“The staff at Greenbriar West is grateful to the tutors from CGI. It is a testament to the tutors' strength of character to take on the extra responsibility of providing assistance to our students,” says Patty Granada, the school’s assistant principal. “With all of the other demands in the tutors' professional and personal lives, they come faithfully every Tuesday morning and make a difference in the lives of children. Thank you, CGI!”

Last year, CGI’s successful partnership with Fairfax Villa Elementary School won the Fairfax County Public School’s “MentorWorks Program Award.” Thirty-one CGI member volunteers act as mentors to students, engaging with them through a variety of activities, such as studying, playing educational games or sports, reading books, working on computers, setting goals and so on. The program’s students have been identified as “at risk,” having trouble in school for a variety of reasons, and often need and benefit from a positive role model to inspire them to do well.

“The mentoring program with CGI has been such a success at Fairfax Villa,” says Christy Partlow, a guidance counselor and the school’s mentor program coordinator. “It has been a neat experience to watch as the students and mentors interact and form relationships throughout the year. These relationships have had a positive impact on the student’s grades, self esteem and social skills.”

“When you see the excitement on the faces of the children as we walk through the door, that makes it all worthwhile,” says Andrea Jung, a Fairfax Villa volunteer and CGI contact for the Fairfax Villa Mentor Program. “It’s truly an honor to give back to the community and to be a part of something so special.”