Empowering More Students to Be Makers is an Investment in Our Future

Last year, US2020 launched the STEM Coalition Challenge, with support from Schmidt Futures and the Arconic Foundation. The Challenge was a competition for communities across the country to develop cross-sector partnerships to bring quality hands-on maker-centered learning to underrepresented students at scale through STEM mentorship. More than 90 communities participated, signalling a significant need and demand for the tools, resources, programs and support that will help schools, libraries, museums and other youth-serving organizations engage students in maker centered learning with mentors.

Business Leaders Value Broader Range of Skills for Career Success

The importance of social and emotional skills in the workplace has been well-documented, but a virtual focus group of business leaders hosted by the Commission and Citizen Schools on July 25 revealed the broader array of skills that today’s employers value such as intellectual curiosity, willingness to give and receive feedback, personal ownership of problems and challenges, and recognition of unconscious bias.

Mohamad Ali, CEO & President, Carbonite Delivers Keynote Address at WOW!NOW Breakfast

At our annual WOW!NOW celebration in Boston, Mohamad Ali spoke about the importance of hiring employees with diverse perspectives and skillsets, how Citizen Schools is helping to close the 'IT skills gap,' and called on our cities, states and country to come together to provide opportunities for all students to have an equal opportunity for high-quality education.

Massachusetts, NationalWhitney BuckleyJuly 27, 2018mohamad ali, carbonite, IT Skills Gap, Equal Opportunity

Somerville Citizen teachers honored with President’s Volunteer Service Award

Each year, the President of the United States recognizes volunteers throughout the country with the President’s Volunteer Service Awards (PVSA). Somerville residents Alexandra Armstrong, Gabriel Begun and Xinyue Lu are among this year’s recipients. They shared their professional “know-how” with middle school students in low-income communities during after school hours. The mentorship and support they provide is helping close the opportunity gap which exists between students in underserved communities and their peers from more affluent communities.

Biogen Foundation Awards Citizen Schools $2M Grant in Support of STEM Education

Citizen Schools has been awarded a $2M grant from the Biogen Foundation as part of the foundation's recently announced STAR Initiative. As 1 of 6 recipients of the STAR (Science, Teacher Support, Access and Readiness) Initiative, Citizen Schools will expand its signature apprenticeship program to provide hands-on STEM courses, taught by experts, to thousands of middle school students in the Somerville district, and to support classroom teacher instruction during the school day.

Project Exploration Wins 2018 STEM Coalition Challenge

Project Exploration was selected from 92 applications from 82 communities across 35 states, representing more than 1,800 nonprofits, companies, school districts, and local government partners. Project Exploration (PE) is honored to have been selected as a finalist in the US2020 Challenge. As a finalist, Project Exploration sent representatives, Natasha Smith-Walker and Kelsey Galante, to attend the US2020 Collaboratory in Pittsburgh in February 2018.

Idaho STEM Action Center Wins $50,000 Grant for Mentorship Program

The Idaho STEM Action Center, an agency added to the Governor's Office in 2015 to give Idaho students more access to and guidance in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, announced today that it is one of eight winners of the US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge. The challenge, which is a nationwide competition that rewards programs bringing STEM "mentoring and maker-centered learning" to underserved students, splits $1 million in cash and support among chosen STEM-related agencies, companies and nonprofits. The Idaho STEM Action Center is slated to receive a $50,000 cash award.

US2020 Announces Winners of STEM Coalition Challenge

Eight winners were selected from a pool of nearly 100 communities representing close to 2,000 partners across 35 states looking to bring more STEM mentorship and maker-centered learning opportunities to students across the country in creative and compelling ways.

With a Challenge, US2020 Spurs Effort to Bring New Learning Models to Low-Income Schools

Eight community organizations from across the nation were recognized today at the Maker Faire in San Mateo, California for developing innovative models to scale STEM mentorship and maker-centered learning experiences for students in low-income communities.

Buffalo science education initiative a winner in national STEM Coalition Challenge

Buffalo’s Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership (ISEP) is one of eight groups from across the country named by US2020 as a winner of the 2018 STEM Coalition Challenge, a competition for communities nationwide to bring hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) mentoring and maker-centered learning to underrepresented students.

Celebrating Our Team: Citizen Schools Annual Awards

Each spring at Citizen Schools brings a flurry of energy and activity. Spring WOW! season: the culmination of another year of programming and celebration of the hard work of our students and campus teams; graduating yet another class of our hard working AmeriCorps Teaching Fellows; and the palpable buzz and youthful excitement you find in any school environment that grows with each passing day that brings us closer to summer.

NationalWhitney BuckleyMay 14, 2018AmeriCorps, eric schwarz, Tulaine Montgomery

Utilizing Blended Learning to Close Opportunity and Achievement Gaps: Lessons from Citizen Schools Digital Courseware Pilot

In the 2016-17 school year, Citizen Schools completed the second year of our initiative to pilot and evaluate digital courseware across our national network to learn more about how best to integrate technology into Expanded Learning Time (ELT) for middle school students.

Celebrating Volunteering With Joy

Volunteers come from all walks of life. Usually, they choose a cause that they feel passionate about or that they can relate to. Most volunteers are interested in making the difference and leaving a legacy in the organization they serve. Whether that impact is sustainable or not, depends on the community and the organization itself. However, their heart, dedication, and joy to serve others is what matters the most. In observance of National Volunteer Month, we decided to celebrate the individuals that bring our mission to life: our volunteers. Their passion, courage, and determination to join us in closing the opportunity gap inspires us everyday.

A New Approach to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Citizen Schools

The development of a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization has long been a priority at Citizen Schools, given our mission and the communities we serve. We strongly believe that as an organization it is our moral imperative to breakdown the systems of oppression that have long prevented us from copiously serving our young people and supporting their visions of success.

National, Policy & AdvocacyStephanie LajoieJanuary 23, 2018Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, DEI

Michigan Science Center Makes It To Top 15 In The US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge

The Michigan Science Center has been named on of the finalists in the US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge. Judges for the competition looked at how each organization incorporated science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to underrepresented students. They were also evaluated on their potential impact, approach to partnership building, creative engagement strategies, and sustainability planning.

Media Coverage, NationalShianne NoceriniJanuary 23, 2018US2020, US2020 STEM Mentoring Award

Reflections of a "Day On" at Citizen Schools (Photo Gallery)

Last week marked the 35th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Day - a day that honors Dr. King’s mighty legacy and encourages acts of service and love.

NationalEmily McCannJanuary 23, 2018MLK Day, National Service, Americorps VISTA, AmeriCorps

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.

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

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

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

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