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Students first, collaboration always

A City Year volunteer welcomes a Central Middle School student on the first day of school, August 2015.

One of City Year’s core values, the commitment to partner and collaborate with every student stakeholder to maximize impact, is recognized in Kansas City.

Written by Julie Scheidegger

This fresh school year finds 58 new AmeriCorps members in Kansas City. Wearing their iconic red jackets, the members dedicate a year of service in urban schools, to provide “near-peer” support for students with academic and socio-emotional development needs.

This summer, City Year Kansas City was honored for its community partnership as the recipient of the annual Stephen G. Woodsum “Best of City Year” Award. Kansas City is one of 28 City Year locations nationwide.

“Every year since opening in 2016, City Year Kansas City has exemplified collaborative community engagement and strong partnership with the district and their school partners to drive impressive impact results for the deserving KC students,” said Jim Balfanz, president of City Year. “I attended the opening of the site and could sense then, based on the enthusiasm and investment of critical partners and the whole community that we’d have the chance to do great things there.”

City Year KC launched in July 2015 with 16 AmeriCorps members serving two schools. This year’s 58 members now serve six partner schools and 3,300 students in the Kansas City Public School District. A data-driven organization, City Year Kansas City’s impact during the 2016-17 school year covers academics, classroom support, and improved student culture:

  • Academic outcomes: 53 percent of City Year students who started the year off-track with their math grade, improved to an on-track math grade by the end of the year.
  • Increase capacity: 90 percent of partner teachers said they believed AmeriCorps members improved overall focus and order in their classrooms.
  • Attendance: 44 percent of City Year students who started the year with below 90 percent average daily attendance improved their attendance by the end of the year.

Watch how City Year KC works together with partners to support Kansas City students.

Working together to support Kansas City students

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjyi-aZQ0XY

City Year

After City Year’s first year in Kansas City, the model had already generated positive results.

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