Media Coverage of Citizen Schools and the After-School/Out-of-School Time Sector:

New Report Released on Expanded Learning Time
Time Matters Blog
April 11, 2008
"One thing that the Edwards Middle School in Boston decided to do was to invite community partners like Citizen Schools to be active participants in shaping the new school day. This meant giving kids what they need. So whether that was more math, reading, or more opportunities for enriching activities like dance, filmmaking, or jazz ensemble, they took the time to figure out—at a student-by-student level, what kids need. The result? Students are more engaged, and test scores have gone up (see p. 17 of the report for more)."

The School Experiment That's Paying Off
The Boston Globe
April 11, 2008
"It's the most felicitous of developments: an education reform that is not only delivering results, but is also popular with school administrators, students and their families, and teachers and their unions. The experiment has helped boost MCAS scores, while providing more opportunities for activities like theater, music, art, and sports. So what is this miraculous solution? Simple common sense: a longer school day. To see the idea in action, consider the Clarence R. Edwards Middle School in Charlestown."

New Study Shows Positive Effect of Extending the Learning Day
Citizen Schools
April 9, 2008
"A groundbreaking seven-year study released today by Citizen Schools finds that middle school students in Boston public schools who enrolled in expanded-learning after-school programs outperform peers not involved in such programs and establish positive momentum that continues into high school and beyond. Citizen Schools is also releasing a white paper on the impact of a promising expanded learning program at Clarence R. Edwards Middle School in Charlestown, MA. 'After-school programs have the power to make positive changes in children's lives,' said Eric Schwarz, President and CEO of Citizen Schools. 'People often think that after-school is 'nice' but not very important. We set out to change that mindset and the results of this longitudinal study and the pilot program at Edwards clearly show that extending the learning day beyond the school bell has a clear and lasting positive effect on student success.'"

Eastern Bank awards $1M in grants to Mass. nonprofits
Boston Business Journal
March 25, 2008
"[Eastern Bank's] Chairman and CEO Richard E. Holbrook and former quarterback Doug Flutie, the bank's spokesman, honored the organizations during a ceremony at the headquarters of Boston-basedCitizen Schools, which was also one of the organizations recognized during the event."

After-School Program Highlights
Afterschool Zone
February 21, 2008
"Grady school staff, Citizen Schools staff, parents and students work together to make sure that each student is successful, both academically and personally. It is truly a community effort."

8th Grade Academy Students from Boston Pay a Visit to the Hill
Hamilton College News
February 20, 2008
"During this college-immersion trip, middle school students got a taste of college life - including watching explosions in a chemistry class, holding reptiles in a biology lab, eating meals in the campus dining halls, taking a 'sample class' in German... They also met with admissions and financial aid officers and explore what it takes to get into and finance college." 

The AmeriCorps Role in Education Reform
Center for American Progress
February 14, 2008
"By giving children—and teachers—extra support, AmeriCorps members can help students succeed not only in school, but also in their communities...The substantial benefits of these programs indicate a need for increased support from both the public and private sectors to continue placing AmeriCorps members in our nation’s public schools."

Tax associate takes an after-hours adventure
Bank of America Bottom Line
February 13, 2008
"Bank of America has invested in Citizen Schools through grants, which have helped to launch and grow Citizen Schools in Charlotte, Boston, California, and New Jersey. Engaging associates in meaningful apprenticeships is just one of the ways that Bank of America has teamed up with Citizen Schools. The bank has emerged as a leading corporate partner– supporting the organization and students on several levels, in many regions, and in multiple capacities."

APS Middle School Students Try Apprenticeships
Albuquerque Public Schools
February 11, 2008
"The program benefits students, businesses and the program organizers who work with the students, said Emily Foster, campus director at Wilson who taught math at that school for three years. 'As a teacher, I didn’t have much time to talk to the kids about their other interests,” Foster said. “I love getting the kids and their families involved, and bringing the business community to them.'"

Long Students Earn Ticket to Ride through their Volunteer Efforts
HISD Connect
January 29, 2008
"After watching the students build more than 30 bicycles together, David L. Moore, the founder of Elves and More, was so impressed with their skill and attitude that he donated 60 already assembled bikes to be distributed among Citizen Schools students and 30 more to be used for future bike assembly apprenticeships at all four HISD Citizen Schools sites (Jane Long, Henry Grady, Paul Revere, and Sharpstown Middle Schools)."

At new afterschool program, kids play smart
The Northeastern News
January 14, 2008
"'What these kids are doing is serious stuff," said Jennifer Wong, a senior development officer for Northeastern's College of Computer Information and Science (CCIS). 'When you see 10 and 11 year-olds making video games and talking about X and Y [coordinates], it's a great experience,' she said."

They've got a different point of viewfinder
The Boston Sunday Globe: City Weekly
December 30, 2007
"Tired of the gloss and the glitz of professional postcards, these middle-school students took to the streets two years ago with disposable cameras to capture what they call "our Boston." Last month, their work went public and commercial at two downtown drugstores. As the artists autographed and discussed their work, customers purchased 529 postcards in just three hours. Locals as well as tourists welcomed their Boston."

New Fund to Help Charities Add Efficiency by Growth
The New York Times
December 21, 2007
"A New York foundation that focuses largely on opportunities for low-income youths is creating a fund to help charities become bigger and more efficient. The new fund...will initially benefit three charities: the Nurse-Family Partnership, Youth Villages and Citizen Schools."

Grant Makers Collaborate on New Effort to Help Effective Charities Expand
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
December 21, 2007
"The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation has raised $88-million for a new fund designed to help nonprofit organizations with proven track records grow and become more efficient, reports The New York Times....The fund will initially benefit three charities: the Nurse-Family Partnership, Youth Villages, and Citizen Schools."

Students design T stations makeovers
Boston NOW
December 18, 2007
"Portillo and nine other students at the Clarence R. Edwards Middle School in Charlestown got help developing his ideas from designers at Cubellis, a downtown architecture firm. About 120 other students from 10 schools worked with other design companies in the career-education program run by Citizen Schools."

Working in, around real world: Apprentices learn careers from local art to S. Africa mission work
The Charlotte Observer
December 16, 2007
"'Wow!' was the reaction at the Hart Witzen Gallery Theatre in NoDa to their discussion and skits about apprenticeships that included art/mural, real estate, photography, teaching, forensics and cosmetology, and a recent 10-day trip to South Africa."

Kids’ hip-hop skills take center stage
The Boston Sunday Herald
December 16, 2007
"The [Boston Youth Hip Hop Shop apprenticeship at Citizen Schools] mission is to teach students various aspects of the entertainment business, and yesterday more than 100 participants pooled skills they acquired this semester to entertain an auditorium packed with friends and family."

Urban planning sparks pupils' creativity: Chance to draft T makeover gives youth a voice
The Boston Globe
December 14, 2007
"When middle school students from Roslindale teamed up with architects from Boston's Gund Partnership to brainstorm ways to improve the Jackson Square MBTA Station on the Orange Line, the architects got an earful..." "The program, sponsored by Citizen Schools Boston, was created to give minority and low-income students the knowledge that they have a voice in the development of their neighborhoods, and in particular, their T stations..." "'The fact that the kids produce high-quality work and could talk about it and feel like their opinion matters to the city, that's really special,' Werner said. 'A lot of young people don't get these opportunities. They walk around the city, they have these ideas, but no outlet.'"

Mass. Initiative: Does More Time Equal More Learning?
Education Week
December 11, 2007
"Students spend the rest of the afternoon in either academically oriented study sessions or electives, all of which are offered on alternating days. Besides band and musical theater, the offerings include cooking, art, photography, step team, Latin dance, karate, cheerleading, art, community service, and an outside apprenticeship program... This semester, Mr. Riley estimates that two-thirds to three-quarters of the afternoon classes were staffed by Edwards teachers. Outside partners, such as Citizen Schools, a nonprofit group, teach the remaining classes... over the 2006-07 school year, Edwards went from being one of the lowest-performing of Boston’s 16 middle schools to one of the best."

Citizen Schools' Solar Car Race at Revere Middle School
Houston Chronicle: chron.com Photo Gallery
December 10, 2007
"Scenes from the Citizen Schools Solar Car Race"

Students Race To Finish Line With Solar Power
KPRC Local 2 News: Click2Houston.com
December 10, 2007
"Citizen Schools recruited volunteers for this after-school program to teach hands-on classes. 'Hopefully we'll get one or two of these kids really excited about engineering and get them to go into that before they graduate,' Moller said."

Hub students learn music biz: After-school gig teaches marketing
The Boston Sunday Herald
December 9, 2007
"While most eighth-graders are just hanging out after school or avoiding weekend trouble, 14-year-old Ibrahim Wanu and his classmates are laying down music tracks in the studio and building business plans to market their new hip-hop/rock CD and collaborative project, 'Citizen Schools General Eclectic Volume IV: The Recipe.'"

Long, Sharpstown middle school pupils build solar cars for Saturday's race
Houston Chronicle
December 6, 2007
"'Revere is excited about hosting the solar car race this Saturday,' said principal Anastasia Lindo... 'This event showcases the wonderful synergy of innovation, team work, math and science skills that many of our students possess. This Saturday we are hoping that the students have fun and enjoy the hard work they've put in.'"

Citizen Schools receives 2008 Fast Company/Monitor Group Social Capitalist Award
Fast Company
December 2007
Citizen Schools receives the 2008 Social Capitalist Award for a 4th consecutive year out of 5.
"Along with the 45 world-changing non-profits, we also honor ten companies not only striving to make a profit, but to also make a difference."

Building Stronger Schools and Communities
My School Rocks!, Charlotte, NC
November 2007
"Ordinary people throughout our community are playing extraordinary roles in the lives of Charlotte-Mecklenburg middle school students. That's because they're volunteer teachers for Citizen Schools, a national network of afterschool apprenticeship programs..."

Pay it forward: IBM engineer steps up to bridge 'digital disconnect'
Mass High Tech
November 30, 2007
"Angelo Lynn, who works on IBM Corp.'s Lotus Domino server product at the computer giant's Westford site, headed up a five-person team last January that ran a 10-week afterschool "apprenticeship" in robotics at the Doctor An Wang Middle School in Lowell."

Governor Patrick signs bill establishing Commonwealth Corps, encouraging service
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Executive Department
November 27, 2007
"'In a time of constrained resources, the Commonwealth Corps will tap a deep reservoir of talent and idealism to tackle pressing priorities in our communities,' said Eric Schwarz, president and CEO of Citizen Schools, a Boston-based national non-profit focused on afterschool programs. 'One of the best things about the Commonwealth Corps will be its ability to mobilize tens of thousands of additional citizen volunteers to support student learning and solve other pressing problems.'"

Happily ever after school
The Boston Globe: Editorial
November 17, 2007
"There's also evidence that these programs promote academic success. Citizen Schools, which runs after-school programs in 18 Massachusetts schools, found that graduates of its eighth grade academy - a high school and college preparation program for after-school participants - outperformed their public school peers on the 10th grade MCAS exam and were more likely to graduate from high school on time and attend college."

New Executive Director of Public Policy and Communications
Citizen Schools
November 2007
On January 1, 2008, Christin Driscoll will step into the new position of Executive Director of Public Policy and Communications, marking a major investment in pursuing greater national presence around education reform...

Eight isn't enough for college
The Boston Sunday Globe: City Weekly
November 4, 2007
"Boston, however, is at the forefront of the early awareness movement, which seeks to direct students to focus sooner on college..."

Early awareness resources
The Boston Sunday Globe: City Weekly
November 4, 2007
In conjunction with the article "Eight isn't enough for college," Citizen Schools is listed as a resource for early college awareness programming.

Citizen Schools Apprentices Awarded Prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship
Citizen Schools
October 1, 2007
"Two Citizen Schools apprentices – from the Bedichek Middle School in Austin, TX and the Eastway Middle School in Charlotte, NC – have been accepted into the prestigious and life-changing Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program."

For urban youths, architects consider revising their plans
The Boston Sunday Globe: City/Region
September 16, 2007
"[John] Werner [Executive Director of Citizen Schools Boston] pitched the idea of teams of professionals and students competing on new designs for two Orange Line stops: Jackson Square and Charlestown's Sullivan Square.  Kairos Shen, director of planning for the Boston Redevelopment Authority, then announced his office would judge - and seriously consider using - the winning plans."

The Case for National Service
TIME Magazine

The Critical Years
The New York Times
2006-2007
Articles in this series look at changing theories of how middle school should be taught.