The newest board member of the Communities in Schools of Rome-Floyd County Inc. knows her way around the local school systems from being a graduate of Rome High School and Phoenix Learning Center participant.

Diana Cisneros, member service specialist with Coosa Valley Credit Union, will be providing direction for CIS board activities, said Gregory Wooten, executive director and CEO of the organization.

Wooten said one of his main goals as head of CIS has been to get the input of a former student and Cisneros will make a great addition to the team.

“I feel like it all comes full circle if we can use her experiences to develop new programs. Ms.(Jennifer) Perkins and Ms. (Gail) Veal said that she would be perfect because she was such a great student and because she is still doing great things after graduation,” he said.

Communities in Schools is a national organization which has been in Rome City and Floyd County schools since 1993. The goal of their organization, according to their website, is to provide community involvement in local schools, focusing more on relationships between community members and students rather than just school programs.

Cisneros said she sent Wooten her resume not expecting to be considered. Then Wooten called her to tell Cisneros she would be serving on the board alongside community leaders like Todd Jones, Shorter University campus dean and VP of student affairs; Tom Diehl, CFO of Harbin Clinic; Vondell Ringer, support services specialist at Floyd County Schools; and Lou Byars, superintendent of Rome City Schools.

“I could not believe it and I am so honored to serve on the Board for Communities in Schools,” Cisneros said. “PLC has meant so much to me and I am so glad to help shape the future of what they offer students needing extra help to graduate.”

The Communities in Schools offers opportunities for those who wish to invest in local students to volunteer in schools on a weekly basis. The organization also co-sponsors the Rome-Floyd Cardboard Challenge, a creativity-stimulating, competitive event designed for area elementary, middle, and high school students who use recyclable materials to build various contraptions and designs.