Impact at Work Employee Volunteer Spotlight: May Chen

This holiday season, we’re spotlighting May Chen, one of our inspiring employee volunteers from Fidelity Investments. May has now volunteered on two skills-based volunteering projects, where she helped develop a Salesforce community application for Citizen Schools and an IT assessment and strategic roadmap with Metrocrest Services. Throughout both projects, May has been an incredible team player and is extremely dedicated to developing the most effective deliverable for her nonprofit partners.

Lost Einsteins: What does it take to realize every child’s potential?

IN A KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY, our greatest natural resources are not pulled from the ground. They’re in the minds of our children. But while we have continued to invent clever new ways to extract natural capital, a recent report from the Equality of Opportunity Project makes the case that we’ve been less successful in tapping the potential of our students.

US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge Receives 92 Applications from 35 states

On November 17, 2017, over 92 communities in 35 states across the country responded to the US STEM Coalition Challenge, an initiative to build cross-sector partnerships to bridge the opportunity gap and bring more STEM mentorship and maker-centered learning opportunities to students underrepresented in the STEM workforce.

National, US2020Whitney BuckleyDecember 19, 2017US2020, STEM Coalition Challenge

Empowering “Girls in Charge” to Become Women in Charge

Guest Post By: Lucy Vasserman, Google - Current Volunteer Citizen Teacher and Citizen Schools New York Board of Advocates Member

I am a software engineer at Google. I teach with Citizen Schools because, as a woman in a male-dominated field, I know personally just how important education is to empowering women and minorities to join the tech industry.

New YorkRebecca GentschDecember 7, 2017Apprenticeship, girls in charge, Citizen Teachers (CTs), google

Massachusetts Life Science Industry Gives Back With Grants of More Than $300,000

Grants to 19 organizations support education, economic sustainability and anti-poverty programs throughout Greater Boston.

Press Release, MassachusettsWhitney BuckleyDecember 6, 2017life sciences cares, citizen schools

Citizen Schools Accepting Applications for National Teaching Fellowships

Boston, MA —Dec 4, 2017—Citizen Schools is today announcing applications are available to become an AmeriCorps National Teaching Fellow in MA.

AmeriCorps Member Spotlight: Sydney Gillis

I ended up looking into AmeriCorps programs after hearing some friends talk about their experiences with AmeriCorps. After doing some research about AmeriCorps and its different programs, a year of service as a VISTA seemed like the best fit for me.

Catalyst Innovation Pilot: Launch Update

It is our pleasure to share this first update on Catalyst. And we look forward to sharing similar updates throughout the pilot. It is our commitment to share what we are learning through this iterative innovation pilot with partners like you to continue to keep you informed and to benefit from your feedback, insights, and questions as we pursue this shared learning agenda.

NationalEmily McCannNovember 30, 2017catalyst, volunteering, project-based learning, social emotional learning

Citizen Schools Accepting Applications for National Teaching Fellowships

San Jose, CA—Nov 30, 2017—Citizen Schools is today announcing applications are available to become an AmeriCorps National Teaching Fellow in CA.

Citizen Schools Accepting Applications for National Teaching Fellowships

New York, NY—Nov 29, 2017—Citizen Schools is today announcing applications are available to become an AmeriCorps National Teaching Fellow in NY.

Duke Students Develop After-school Program To Bring Science To Low-Income Middle Schoolers

Two students have created an after-school program at a nearby middle school intended to broaden participation in computer science. Now, they are trying to expand the curriculum. ophomore Carter Zenke and senior Tanner Johnson took on their ambitious goal to teach middle-schoolers computer science skills by designing Mobile Citizens. David Malone, professor of the practice of education, described the program as "one of the most thoughtful, student-created community engagement projects I have worked with over the past 25 years."

Media CoverageShannon FangNovember 20, 2017Mobile Citizens, Curriculum, Duke University

AmeriCorps Member Spotlight: Jamal Smith

I wanted to service the young people in my community through the education field by creating unique programs and raising awareness on opportunities. Citizen Schools is continuously making efforts to achieve equity through education and nurtures and encourages teaching fellows to prioritize forward thinking. As a teaching fellow, I have developed valuable skills with the help of my colleagues and campus directors that I will be able to take with me after my two years of service.

Partnership Spotlight on CAW: Nonprofit Collaboration Maximizes Impact in the Classroom

One of Citizen Schools New York's most impactful and valued partnerships to-date is with a longstanding nonprofit partner: Creative Art Works (CAW). CAW is a 31-year-old nonprofit that empowers NYC young people through the visual and multimedia arts. A Citizen Schools collaborator and partner since 2012, CAW has led nearly 40 apprenticeships covering innovative topics such as Cartooning and Anatomy, Urban Design, Stop-Motion Animation, and Sneaker Branding.

AT&T Helps Students Reach their Potential at Citizen Schools

AT&T asserts that, “Every student deserves opportunities to reach his or her full potential. By removing barriers, sparking innovative solutions and making connections, we can help every student achieve a bright, successful future.”

Media Coverage, NationalSue Marble CuthbertNovember 15, 2017AT&T, Education, Coding Academy

AmeriCorps Member Spotlight: Madeline Vargas

I decided to become an AmeriCorps Teaching Fellow because I wanted to have the opportunity to discover If teaching was a possibility for me. I am currently In school majoring in Early Childhood Education and plan to continue for my B.A. in English Literature with a concentration in Middle School and High School Education.

Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette area Business Honors for Oct. 22, 2017

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University has presented Alden Andre with its Franciscan Impact Award and named Sandra Launey as Distinguished Alumni, John Vincent as Shining Star Alumni and Dr. Lisa McDivitt as Rising Star Alumni.

Media Coverage, NationalMarie ConstantinNovember 3, 2017Our Lady University, Franciscan Missionaries

This no-brainer tool combats teacher turnover

Teacher turnover has an impact on all stakeholders in the school environment, and research shows that students struggle to perform well in schools with turnover year after year. Retaining effective staff can be a big challenge for schools and districts, as can figuring out how to solve the issues around this problem.

National, Media CoverageMeris StansburyNovember 3, 2017Upbeat, Data, Whiteboard Advisors

Dell Youth Learning Support Aims to Unlock Student Potential

Mariana is currently fifteen years old. As many other students around her age, she enjoys playing with her little sister and learning new subjects. Mariana’s family moved to the United States from El Salvador in 2016 on a quest for enhanced opportunities. “We left so I could have additional chances to work and study,” she says. It has been arduous to move here because I miss my aunts who are still in El Salvador”.

National, MassachusettsCitizen SchoolsOctober 27, 2017STEM, Youth, Dell, Dell Youth Learning, Citizen Schools, impact

Teacher Co-Design Pilot: Fall 2017

This summer, Citizen Schools began a 2-year pilot, with teacher design partners, to develop and test a new approach to classroom instruction - one that pairs teachers with community experts to deliver engaging, real-world projects in middle school classrooms.

AmeriCorps Member Spotlight: Andrew Luck

1.Why did you decide to become an AmeriCorps VISTA?

I became an AmeriCorps VISTA because I wanted to go a different direction with my professional life and gain an experience that I would not have anywhere else.

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