This month, the CP Board of Directors and staff came together for an all-day retreat focusing on the past, present, and future of Covington Partners. Board members and staff heard from Dr. Janice Wilkerson, founder of Covington Partners.

Wilkerson expressed how impressed she is with the work of the organization since its inception in 1999. While she never dreamed Covington Partners would play such a large role in the support of students and families in Covington over 20 years after the first coalition meeting, her dreams for the next 20 years are beyond measure.

"The Covington Partners board retreat provided the perfect leadership opportunity to join our hearts and minds in the important work of supporting the children of Covington," said Dr. Angie Taylor, long-time CP board member. Taylor led the group in a discussion surrounding the preferred future and vision of the organization.

Board members and staff also explored their character strengths by completing the Values in Action (VIA) character strength survey prior to the retreat. Discussions included utilizing the survey results to build strength-based teams, how to balance innovation and growth with sustainability, and exploration of strengths that align to the vision and mission of Covington Partners.

Board members reviewed progress of the strategic plan, discussed next steps, and participated in a data walk which outlined program data in the five focus areas of CP: prevention, education, mentoring, family engagement, and wellness.