If you ask Bob France what he does as a Citizen Teacher, he may give you a couple of answers. Sure, he’s an engineer, a manager, a teacher. But he’s also a time traveler, he says. “I get to take a group of students into one of their possible futures, and go along for the ride.”
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Citizen Schools California is pleased to announce Raj Mamodia, Brillio CEO, as a new member to the California Advisory Board.
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On March 28th, Citizen Schools students, families and supporters gathered at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA to celebrate the work of our brilliant students, connect our community with schools in need, and transform the future of public school education.
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Citizen Schools California welcomed a new staff member, Wesley Thompson, Development Coordinator. Wesley will work to create new partnerships and strengthen existing relationships with foundations and individuals who share Citizen Schools California’s goal of expanding opportunity to all Bay Area middle school students.
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BOSTON – CDM Smith is proud to congratulate Colleen Heath, PE, this year’s recipient of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) Young Professional of the Year Award. The award promotes the accomplishments of young, diverse and talented engineers by highlighting their professional contributions and the resulting impact on society. Heath accepted her award on Wednesday, March 15 at the ACEC/MA 2017 Engineering Excellence and Awards Gala.
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A memory popped up on my Facebook feed this morning of an event five years ago today at Neal Middle School in Durham.
Students gathered in the gym to make contact with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Astronaut Nancy Currie was there to share her experiences living in space, and students asked questions of Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank and Flight Engineer Don Pettit aboard the station.
Read MoreIn the 2014-15 school year, Citizen Schools, in partnership with UMASS Boston and the Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation, launched the Citizen Schools Teacher Residency (CSTR), a program designed to increase equitable access to effective teachers for low-income and high-need students in Citizen Schools Massachusetts’ partner districts. The program combines teaching in an expanded day setting, as part of the Citizen Schools AmeriCorps Teaching Fellowship, with mentorship and coursework that allows participants a pathway to teacher certification and a Master's Degree in education from UMASS Boston upon graduation.
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At Codman Academy Charter School in Dorchester, Sydney Chaffee likes to put the spotlight on her students during a weekly schoolwide assembly — having them write the scripts, act out the skits, and fully take charge of an event that is integral to the Codman’s identity.
But on Thursday morning, in the midst of school vacation week, it was Chaffee who stepped into the spotlight, with the announcement that she had been named National Teacher of the Year, making her the first Massachusetts educator to receive the top award in teaching.
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SYDNEY CHAFFEE, a 9th grade humanities teacher at a Dorchester charter school, is not just a good teacher, she is, by at least one measure, the best one in the country.
Chaffee was named National Teacher of the Year on Thursday, the first time a Massachusetts educator has won the award in the 65 years that it has been given. The award is made by the Council of Chief State School Officers.
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I’m a champion for environmental sustainability. As a member of Cisco’s Corporate Affairs team, I’m constantly looking for ways to be a global problem solver and positively impact people, society, and especially the planet. From employee initiatives like reducing paper cup usage to cross-functional teams like Make IT Green to this month’s Earth Aware activities, there are plenty of opportunities for employees to become champions for the planet.
Read MoreIn 2013, TripAdvisor software engineer Bill Stitson was a Citizen Teacher volunteer teaching computer programming and coding to students at the Orchard Gardens School in Roxbury, a low-income neighborhood in Boston. The Orchard Gardens school didn’t have enough laptops to go around, and the ones that they did have were in rough shape.
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Nativity Preparatory School in New Bedford, Mass., could lose vital funding for most of its teachers if the AmeriCorps program is slashed from the federal budget. But such a threat also exposes the challenge of providing a tuition-free, private school education for students from low-income families.
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BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito recently appointed 29 members to the Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council. The STEM Advisory Council strives to expand access to quality STEM education for students across the Commonwealth.
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Citizen Schools staff and Massachusetts Teaching Fellows came together for a discussion on the effects of the current political climate on issues of education and immigration. The event, “Engaging Multiple Perspectives on Race, Community Engagement and a Way Forward,” brought together an expert panel, including social activists, educators and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey to discuss what is one of the most tumultuous times in our country’s history.
Read More“I never imagined that I would be serving as an AmeriCorps member with Citizen Schools at a school I once attended as a student. At first, it was jarring to be back at the Trotter after so many years, but the familiarity eventually made me feel comfortable.”
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Yaritza Sanchez is an Alumni of Citizen Schools Massachusetts. This is an excerpt from her blog, "Chile Through My Eyes."
I first got introduced to Citizen Schools as a 6th grader at the McCormack Middle School. Just like many students I was forced to enter by my parent who didn't want me to be home doing nothing after school. At first, I did not like it, but that was because I did not give it a chance. Once I started to make friends at the program, I did not mind being there. I continued the afterschool program until my 8th-grade year. By then I no longer had to be forced to attend. I loved everything about the program my friends and the team leaders. My classmates and the team leader had become like a family to me. Citizen Schools had opened my eyes to many opportunities there are for students.
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At this middle school in Chicago, it's not seeing, but hearing that's believing.
Citizen Schools students are learning about the science of sound in Motorola Mobility's "Hearing is Believing" Apprenticeship this semester.
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In the past year, our programming has continued to demonstrate measurable impact in academic growth and achievement, helping to narrow the opportunity gap in our schools. This report includes key national and regional results, as well as introductions to just a few of the many supporters, volunteers and Americorps members who help make it possible for middle schoolers across the country to discover and achieve their dreams.
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