E-Newsletter: July 2011

July 2011

Summer Academy Highlights:
Inspiration, Best of City Year and Comcast Leadership Awards

“I now feel more practically equipped for my position thanks to Summer Academy, but I realized Summer Academy’s deeper purpose during a short elevator ride with rock star Dr. Max Klau, who had performed an original song in the talent show. He broke my brief and awkward silence after I entered and asked, 'So how did you enjoy Academy?'

I explained how after such a long corps year and the nervousness of beginning my new position, it left me feeling refreshed and re-inspired. As we parted ways, he laughed and said, 'That’s what it’s for.'

-from “Summer Academy Reflections” blog post by Communications Project Leader Tom Story

Investing In Our Leadership

For 19 years, City Year has come together for Summer Academy – a time to share best practices, to become re-inspired by the organization’s values and to think strategically about major goals for the upcoming service year. In mid-July, more than 850 City Year staff and senior corps members from 21 U.S. sites and London, England gathered in Boston for 5-11 days (depending on position) of trainings, workshops and building connections with other idealistic leaders.

Comcast generously sponsors Summer Academy, while Walmart Foundation sponsors a follow-up Literacy Academy for our Program Team.

Best of City Year Awards

BestofCY

At Summer Academy, “Best of City Year” sites are recognized based on 66 measures of excellence. This year City Year Boston claimed its second consecutive “Best Of” award, along with six other sites. The following are examples of some of the points sites are judged on:

SERVICE: Student Level Data Review, Teacher Survey Results, Principal/Liaison Survey Results and Volunteer Generation

PROGRAM: Corps Member Survey Results on Service Training, Corps Member Survey Results on Leadership Development and Full Year corps member retention

DEVELOPMENT & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: Corporate Giving, Donor Retention, Relationship Management and meeting Revenue Goals

RECRUITMENT & ALUMNI AFFAIRS: Applicant Inclusivity Goals, 5:1 Application to Acceptance Ratio, Senior Corps Recruitment

Congratulations to the following sites who were also named as 2010-2011 Best of City Year Sites: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New Hampshire, New York and Washington DC!

Comcast Leadership Awards

ComcastAwards2011 As a National Leadership Sponsor, Comcast recognizes the power that our corps, staff and alumni have to positively effect change in communities across the country. At Academy, City Year’s most prestigious alumni honor is awarded: The Comcast Leadership Awards. These awards recognize alumni who continue to create and implement innovative approaches to addressing critical social problems. This year’s awardees are:

• Tina Fernandes, City Year Washington, DC ’02 & ’03 Read more about Tina.

• Melissa Kim, City Year Chicago ’00 Read more about Melissa.

• Seth Marbin, City Year Seattle/King County ’99 Read more about Seth.

• Sherry Mattson Noud, City Year Boston ’95 Read more about Sherry.

• Meghan Trombly, City Year Seattle/King County ’03 Read more about Meghan.

Upcoming Events

August 1: Deloitte and VM Ware service day at Oliver Hazard Perry School in South Boston
August 15: First day of service for 2011-2012 first-year corps members; all-corps service day at Donald McKay School in East Boston
August 11: Gillette service day at John Marshall Elementary School in Dorchester

City Year By the Numbers

-200 schools City Year will be in this year in the 21 sites across the United States and 2 international affiliates in London and South Africa.
-33 senior corps members have already started a powerful year of service at City Year Boston
-177 City Year Boston corps members will be in service starting August 15
-7,300 students in Boston will be served by City Year Boston at 14 schools