Empowered by Elevate

Dear Elevate Family,

Welcome to the August 2025 edition of Empowered by Elevate! This newsletter is designed to keep you connected, inspired, and informed about the exciting things happening at Central through Elevate.

Each month, we will highlight what is new, what is most important, and share a word of encouragement as we continue this journey together.

Best,
Mr. Mario Cooper, Executive Director

We have officially wrapped up our first full week of classes, and what an exciting start it has been! This semester, Elevate West Alabama is serving 60 students—our largest enrollment yet at Central High.

Nearly one-third of these students have already completed one or two Elevate classes, a powerful sign of the lasting impact of our program.

This marks our third year at Central, and the energy is higher than ever.

This summer, board members Brent, Romel, and I had the opportunity to meet with Central’s new principal, Dr. Thomas E. Jones. With more than 30 years of educational experience, Dr. Jones brings both wisdom and vision to his leadership.

In our first conversation, he emphasized his belief in the power of relationships and his strong support for students—values that align perfectly with Elevate’s mission. We are excited to partner with him to make this year our best yet.

When Dr. Jones asked what we needed most, our answer was simple: a roster and a classroom. He delivered—and now we have a larger, brighter space for our students to learn and grow.

Our team members have loved decorating and creating a welcoming environment that reflects the spirit of Elevate.

Once everything is finalized, we would love for you to visit, meet our students, and see the new classroom in action.

Falcon Flight was a wonderful success! We are so grateful to Ms. James and the CHS student organizations for creating such a meaningful and memorable experience for our students. During the event, students learned more about Elevate West Alabama—our purpose, vision, mission, and involvement right here at Central High School. At Central, every student should feel connected to something bigger, and Falcon Flight was the perfect reminder of how strong we are when we come together as a Falcon Nation.

We are grateful for your continued encouragement and cannot wait to share more good news throughout the year. Together, we are building stronger connections and brighter futures for every student we serve.

— The Elevate West Alabama Team