Engaging youth in giving back to their schools
Global Youth Service Day
Friday, April 20, 2012
Bakersville, Beech St, Gossler Park, Henry Wilson, McDonough, and Parker-Varney Elementary Schools
Manchester, NH
For more information, revisit this page in March 2012.
Every April, more than three million youth across the United States participate in Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), the single largest day of service in the world, focusing national attention on the amazing leadership of young people. City Year New Hampshire was once again designated as a lead service agency for Global Youth Service Day in New Hampshire by Youth Service America.
City Year New Hampshire mobilized more than 900 children and youth to participate in the 23rd annual Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) on April 15, 2011.
Six hundred elementary school children were engaged through five Manchester elementary schools where City Year corps members serve as tutors, mentors and role models for at-risk youth. In addition, 300 students were mobilized at Seabrook Middle School, and more were mobilized in Nashua.
In Manchester, City Year corps members, ages 17-24, planned and implemented every aspect of the day’s events, mobilizing 600 elementary school youth through a variety of projects designed to improve the schools and their surrounding neighborhoods and to get the children familiar with being active, engaged citizens.
Projects took place at Beech Street, Bakersville, Gossler Park, Parker-Varney, and Wilson elementary schools. Projects at each school varied and were determined through input from each school’s administration. At each school, student body surveys asked the students for their ideas on what improvements they’d like to see in their school or community.
Projects included murals and other painting projects, landscape beautification, indoor and outdoor construction projects, neighborhood cleanups, and school legacy projects designed to be passed down and sustained from year to year.
"City Year has done a lot for my self esteem and taught me that I can make a difference in other people’s lives. When I do service for others it makes me feel so good that I helped another person."
– Kate, 13 Year Old City Year New Hampshire Young Hero