This fall, Danielle Wang, Vice President of Bain Capital and Kristy Cunningham, Chief Marketing Officer of Bright Horizons Family Solutions joined our National Board. Danielle and Kristy are joining a vibrant, diverse group of Citizen Schools advisers and champions. When selecting board members, our Governance Committee looks for a diversity of experience in professional background with a deep belief in our mission.
Read MoreAs we look back on a summer well spent, one of our highlights across our regions is always Summer Institute, during which our incoming Teaching Fellows (TFs) receive training, get to know Citizen Schools and meet other TFs. Our amazing regional staff in Massachusetts, California and New York welcomed each of their new TF cohorts and helped them get ready for the school year ahead.
Read MoreThis summer, five Citizen Schools students from the East Somerville Community School, Winter Hill Community Innovation School and Trotter Innovation School were given the opportunity to participate in an iD Tech Camp at Bentley University. Our students spent a week engaging in hands-on STEM courses like coding mobile apps and building a computer that they were able to take home. The funding for our students’ enrollment in the camp was provided by the Patriots social justice grants. On July 26th, camp participants and family members headed to Gillette Stadium, where they were able to watch the Patriots practice.
To see more, check out the Patriots’ coverage of the day here.
Read MoreThis summer, Citizen Schools Massachusetts was excited to welcome two new staff members to our team! Ani and Shanay jumped right in as leaders during summer Teaching Fellow training, and both have already proven to be incredible assets to our organization. Read on below to learn more about their diverse backgrounds and positions at Citizen Schools.
Read MoreEight months ago, first time Citizen Teacher Matt Collier moved from the United Kingdom, where he worked with an education-focused volunteer program. Here in the U.S., Matt feeds his passion to make a difference in two ways: first, as a Citizen Teacher at the Renaissance School Of The Arts, where he teaches Math Mysteries and second, as a part of a company that collects and refactors old computers, donating them to schools and families lacking technical resources.
Read MoreThis year, Citizen Schools Massachusetts welcomed eight returning and six new AmeriCorps Teaching Fellows (TFs). This year’s TFs come from a diverse range of personal and professional experiences, united by their deep commitment to public service and social justice for the 300+ students we are serving at our three partner middle schools in Somerville.
Read MoreThis past summer, Citizen Schools California kicked off the year with Summer Institute, where rising and returning campus staff came together to prepare for the school year ahead of them. New Teaching Fellows came from all over the country, eager to tackle the opportunity gap that our students face. They learned skills such as lesson planning, classroom management and culturally responsive teaching.
Read MoreKaren Abraham is a graduate of Mercy College and a Brooklyn native dedicated to the creative expression of students. With a deep interest in hip-hop education, Karen uses it as a way to promote literacy and creativity.
Read MoreAfter weeks of intensive preparation, including Summer Institute and campus-based training, Citizen Schools New York welcomed more than 300 students during our Expanded Learning Time (ELT) Launch Week. Across two campuses, Renaissance School Of The Arts M.S. 377 and P.S. 157 Benjamin Franklin, excited faces filled our classrooms with anticipation. Teaching Fellows eased into their roles with all the necessary tools and energy needed to support our students. With over 20 apprenticeships such as Hydroponics, Google Girls in Charge, Capital One Coding Academy and Math Mysteries, the New York region is ready to introduce students to fascinating companies, helping them gain real world skills and broaden their horizons.
Read MoreCINCINNATI, OH, August 8, 2019 – US2020, a division of Citizen Schools that partners with communities to dramatically scale the number of STEM professionals mentoring and teaching underrepresented youth, announced the winners of its fourth annual US2020 STEM Mentoring + Making Awards today. Presented by sponsors, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the awards are a national platform to celebrate and encourage exceptional work in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) mentoring and maker-centered learning. At the annual convening, US2020 also unveiled a brand refresh, starting with a new name, Makers + Mentors Network, to reflect the growth of the national STEM initiative.
Read MoreMehmet Kanik embodies all the enthusiasm you would expect from a first-time volunteer. Not only has he brought his work from Research at MIT into the classroom, he also draws energy and confidence from the students he teaches. Mehmet is conducting research and was recently published in Science Magazine, for the same fiber-based artificial muscle samples he brought into the classroom.
Read MoreOn June 30, a group of new players took to the field at Oracle Park before the San Francisco Giants game against the Arizona Diamondbacks! Thanks to Bank of America’s support, 9 middle school students from Citizen Schools were able to run onto the field and take positions for the Kids Take the Field presentation. Students were even able to meet the players while out on the field, an experience the students said that they would never forget!
Read MoreFrom April through June, coast to coast, Citizen Schools celebrated the school year’s apprenticeship programs with two WOW!NOW breakfasts in Massachusetts and New York and a mock-trial themed benefitEd in California. These events mark the culmination of both the 10-week apprenticeships and also the school year.
Read MoreOn June 14th, the Make For All initiative led by Citizen Schools announced more than 50 commitments- new partnerships, initiatives and programs in support of maker-centered learning. These commitments will reach more than 768,000 students over the next three years and span across 149 communities. Organizations and partners making commitments include K-12 schools, community colleges, universities, companies, makerspaces, museums, libraries, non-profit organizations and cities.
Read MoreRounding the corner on two years of piloting Catalyst programs, we’re shining a light on those generous professionals that give generously of themselves to inspire the next generation of engineers, programmers, scientists, and more. Catalyst volunteers come from a range of STEM professions and bring a wealth of real-world knowledge into the classroom. Here are two of our inspirational volunteers, who reflected on their time with the program:
Read MoreOn Tuesday, June 11th, Citizen Schools New York hosted our first annual WOW!NOW breakfast event. We invited all of the friends and families of Citizen Schools, including our corporate and foundation partners, our AmeriCorps Teaching Fellows and other staff members, our students and their family members, and our wonderful Citizen Teachers. The event included a showcase of our students’ great work from their semester-long apprenticeships, as well as a seated breakfast and program, during which we heard from some key members of the CS community.
Read MoreAs the school year comes to a close, our students at Citizen Schools New York are beginning to look towards the future. On June 19th, a group of Morgan Stanley volunteers visited our 6th and 7th grade students at Renaissance School of the Arts to provide advice and guidance through the Game of Life: Middle School Edition.
Read MoreAt a special event on Friday, June 14th, Citizen Schools New York celebrated the powerful service of our AmeriCorps service members. The evening was filled with reflections and recognition of those who set the bar high. We are filled with gratitude for all that our Teaching Fellows have achieved at their time at Citizen Schools. Thank you for your service!
Read MoreOn Friday, June 14th the National League of Cities, Make For All and Nation of Makers co-hosted a “Makers Mayor Collaboratory” in Chattanooga, Tennessee, coinciding with NOMCON, the national conference of maker community leaders. The Collaboratory brought together both mayors and maker organizations to identify areas where local elected officials and makers could work together. Mayors came from around the country, including cities and towns like Rexburg, Idaho; Salisbury, Maryland; Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania; and of course a Tennessee contingent of Knoxville, Tennessee and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Read More“Dear Mayor Curtatone,
I'm a student at the East Somerville Community School. I live in Somerville and I think affordable housing is important because people and families are losing their homes because rents are raising more than usual. [...] Kids’ best friends have to leave and move apart due to un-affordable housing. Please fix this issue. If you do, thanks.”
-Emily, 5th grade
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