Citizen Schools Featured on Public Media's American Graduate Day!
This fall Citizen Schools was a featured on Public Media’s American Graduate Day for the second year in a row. American Graduate Day is a live TV event that celebrates organizations that provide support, advice, and intervention services to students, families, and schools to promote higher graduation rates in communities across the country. See Citizen Schools' segment below. http://youtu.be/_dGGvnxfT40?list=PLcuRHUY9gEvRAczA8SXp09J1SlBQsxGT5
American Graduate Day is part of the public media initiative, American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen, created to help more kids stay on the path to graduation. Hosted by bestselling author and education advocate Wes Moore, the third annual broadcast was centered on recognizing one million American Graduate Champions who volunteer their time, talent, or other resources in their own communities. Citizen Schools' volunteer Citizen Teachers and AmeriCorps Teaching Fellows are among this celebrated group!
During Citizen Schools’ segment Jacor, a 7th grade student at Eagle Academy for Young Men of Newark, Piyush Modak, three-time Citizen Teacher from Endomedix, and Chanelle Baylor, Deputy Campus Director of Citizen Schools at the Eagle Academy were interviewed by NBC News Correspondent Rehema Ellis, about their experience in Citizen Schools. Piyush and Chanelle described the deep connection between the school’s staff and Citizen Schools and the benefits volunteers and students gain from the program. Jacor impressed with his in-depth knowledge of solar car engineering and design, which he learned in his solar car apprenticeship.
Jacor also had a special experience outside the studio that illustrates the important connections Citizen Schools fosters for students. Jon Rubin, WNET’s Director of Education Services, shared this story:
I was with host, Wes Moore, all day and in the late afternoon we walked over to the social media area located on the Lincoln Center sidewalks on Broadway Avenue. Once we were there we saw Jacor from Citizen Schools and I thought it would be nice to introduce him to Wes. As they chatted I stepped back and then I saw two West Point Cadets who happened to be walking by at the time.
Since Wes was in the military, I went up and asked if they knew who he was and wanted to meet him. They immediately said yes and began to quickly walk over.
As they approached Wes – in unison the two U.S. Military Academy Cadets said…
”Hey Jacor!!!”
It turns out the previous weekend they had met Jacor at West Point during a Citizen Schools college visit. Talk about a pathway of powerful experiences for kids!
Looks like Jacor trumps Wes on Broadway Street.
Amazing kid…amazing program.
Citizen Schools is grateful to Jacor, Piyush, and Chanelle for sharing their experiences on the panel, to Eagle Academy for their continued partnership, and to the WNET American Graduate Day team. We are proud to be among a group of dedicated and impactful organizations that are helping to increase graduation rates for children like Jacor across the country.