At Communities In Schools, everything we do is guided by the “Five Basics.” Developed by our founder Bill Milliken, the Five Basics are a set of essentials that every child needs and deserves. 1. A one on one relationship with a caring adult 2. A safe place to learn and grow 3. A healthy start and a healthy future 4. A marketable skill to use upon graduation 5. A chance to give back to peers and community Communities In Schools of Philadelphia’s vision is to create communities within our schools to address the whole child, adhering to the five basics of CIS, by having a positive impact on their values, self-esteem, job skills, and life focus.