Every morning I wake up to my favorite song and get ready for the day ahead of me. I drive into Roxbury and know I am close as soon as I see the bright yellow and red of the Orchard Gardens building. Together, my teammates and I gather for first circle announcements and an enthusiastic readiness check. Afterward, my team greets all the students at the front doors with cheers, and some kids give us high fives and hugs. Every Morning Greeting is a complete surprise and it keeps me on my toes.
As soon as the bell rings I head up to the third floor to the Dubois Academy. I meet my eighth grade class, and I always get the same question: “Ms.Camryn, what do we have first?” Whether first period is ELA, Science, History, Math or an elective, every morning is dynamic and stimulating. I help students stay on task, complete worksheets with them and read books with those who need it; every day I get to help out in a different way.
After lunch and afternoon classes, it is time for We Are the Change after-school program. At Strong Circle, we share fun facts about ourselves or play a quick game. Then three other corps members and I help each student with any homework questions they have. Some of the students help each other, which is inspiring to see. On Mondays and Wednesday the students participate in the homework club and play fun, educational games. On Tuesdays, we run enrichments for the students - I created a “mad science club,” and the kids are really into the hands-on experiments. On Thursdays we have a social justice workshop where we have open discussions about issues the children face in their communities. At 5:15 the day comes to a close with a final Strong Circle and the signature City Year Boston break.
The team debriefs on the day and then plans ahead for the next day. I return to my car and drive away from the school looking forward to the excitement and surprises tomorrow will have in store for me and my OG team.
Join our online community to hear up-to-the-minute examples of a day in the life of a corps member
- Subscribe to our blog to read posts written by corps members.
- Follow us on twitter @cityyearboston.
- Join our Facebook Group "City Year Boston"
