From student showcases to alumni reunions, this school year gave us countless reasons to say WOW! Celebrate a year of powerful learning and reflection as we mark 30 years of impact.

As Citizen Schools celebrates its 30th anniversary, we honor the incredible community partnerships that have been instrumental in bringing our mission to life. Over the past three decades, collaborations with organizations like Google, Bank of America, and Morgan Stanley have created countless WOW! moments—transformative experiences where students showcase their learning and growth.

When Mal Davis reflects on his time with Citizen Schools, one word rises above the rest: Pride. His journey—from Teaching Associate to Teaching Fellow—was full of transformational moments, not just for himself, but for the students whose lives he helped shape.

This Teacher Appreciation Month, we’re proud to honor Jessica Lander—a former Citizen Schools Teaching Associate, award-winning educator, and author—whose journey from a shared table in a Charlestown school office to classrooms across the country shows what’s possible when we invest in teachers from the very beginning.

This Teacher Appreciation Month, we’re honored to celebrate Sydney Chaffee, whose journey from Teaching Fellow to National Teacher of the Year shows how transformative educators—and the organizations that support them—can be. 

This Teacher Appreciation Month, we honor educators like Tara Hollins, whose journey from Citizen Schools AmeriCorps Teaching Fellow to classroom teacher embodies the power of giving back—and the impact of Citizen Schools.

Teacher Appreciation Week is a special time when we pause to honor educators—the passionate, dedicated changemakers whose work shapes futures and inspires students every day. This year, Citizen Schools proudly joins the celebration by recognizing our nation's teachers and reflecting on the transformative journey we've shared alongside them over our 30-year history.

How did a middle school visit to a downtown law firm inspire Andy Pamphile’s path to becoming a Senior Treasury Analyst at Klaviyo? Read how Citizen Schools helped shape his vision for success. Andy’s story is a powerful reminder that early exposure and mentorship can open doors that young people may not even know exist.

In order to reach all students who deserve a high quality education, Citizen Schools partners with schools, districts, organizations and coalitions like Shore Educational Collaborative. Shore is one of 24 educational collaboratives across Massachusetts, and provides public, special education services to students from preschool to age 22. Through hands-on projects, leadership opportunities, and a platform to showcase their ideas, students are empowered to dream big, act boldly, and create change that matters.

Citizen Schools is proud to celebrate National Volunteer Month this April! We are grateful for the thousands of volunteers who have made our mission possible, through millions of hours of experience-based learning across the country.

This month marks the fifth anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption of schools and learning communities across the globe. We’re looking back to our 2022 Most Resilient Mentor Award winner who supported students returning to in-person classrooms after a year of remote learning.

Citizen Schools launched its partnership with AmeriCorps in 2002. Since then, 2,400 AmeriCorps members have served with Citizen Schools, providing 4.8 million hours of support to students, school staff, program partners, and volunteers.

Naphtalie Dorcius was a student at Patrick Gavin Middle School back in 2007, and remembers her Citizen Schools team leader, Nadia K. Selby. 

Tiara Davis is a science teacher who is now in her 12th year with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, and she started working with Citizen Schools in 2018.

On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1995, Eric Schwarz and Ned Rimer walked into a Boston classroom with a bold idea: what if students could learn not just from teachers, but from everyday professionals willing to share their skills and passions?

30 years ago today, Citizen Schools launched. It was MLK Day in 1995, and our founders chose this date, inspired by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call for Americans to serve.

Eric Schwarz co-found Citizen Schools in 1995 with a dream of reimagining the school day and challenging the standard approach to who, what, where, when, and how learning was happening. Citizen Schools’ flagship program allowed middle schoolers in Boston to participate in a 10-week apprenticeship with volunteers across different industries.

In November 2023, Citizen Schools was excited to announce that Nadia K. Selby was stepping into the role of Chief Executive Officer. Nadia has been a vital member of the Citizen Schools team for over 16 years, driving our organization’s growth and evolution in regional and national leadership positions, including most recently as Interim CEO.