I served my first year with City Year Boston in 2017, as an AmeriCorps member at The William Monroe Trotter Innovation School in a 6th grade English Language Arts classroom. I had the privilege to return to the City Year Boston team in 2018 as a Senior AmeriCorps member, serving as a Team Leader at the Curley K-8 School. Both years taught me more about myself, the meaning of community, and the importance of fighting for equity than my prior 23. 

I then transitioned to City Year Headquarters and had the chance to work on the National Impact team, working to ensure all AmeriCorps members across the country had tools to support students in Math, English Language Arts, and Social-Emotional (SEL) skill-building. Since leaving City Year, I have had the wonderful opportunity to continue to support Boston Public Schools, their resilient students, educators and families, and the Boston corps, as an Alumni Board member.

There are never enough words to explain the importance of City Year's work. If you are in the fortunate position of having enough, please consider donating to support an amazing mission, city, and a dedicated group of people and incredible students!

In March, Boston Public Schools (BPS) announced the closure of all 125 schools citywide. These school closures left 50,000 Boston students without access to in-person schooling.  City Year Boston is working closely with BPS to provide innovative distance learning opportunities to students, adapting our Whole School Whole Child program model to suit virtual spaces.

While teachers continue to provide whole-class instruction using platforms like Google Classroom or Zoom, City Year’s AmeriCorps members are providing academic supports in English language arts/literacy and math by facilitating breakout groups, answering questions, and leading enrichment activities.  Our corps members are assisting teachers in planning lessons and reviewing students’ assignments and holding office hours to provide one-on-one and small-group tutoring.  Importantly, our AmeriCorps members are also supporting students’ social-emotional health and placing phone calls home to students and their families as a way to build connectedness, troubleshoot, and communicate updates. 

City Year Boston is one of the only partners to support Boston Public School students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

City Year’s support of virtual classrooms is a pivotal step in preventing learning loss and generating opportunities for new learning, as well as ensuring greater equity of experience among families who may not otherwise have the ability to facilitate in-home instruction.  Beyond this school year, City Year will continue to engage in the virtual space to support BPS students and will be in schools next year to support students when they will need more than ever.