MAKE IT A "DAY ON, NOT A DAY OFF"
Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Day and Heroes Opening Day
On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, nearly 320 Philadelphia middle school and high school students gather to honor the memory of Dr. King as they begin their five-month participation in the City Year Young Heroes and City Heroes Programs.
The inspiring Heroes Opening Ceremony is followed by a day of service, where City Year Young Heroes, City Heroes, Philadelphia corps members, families, friends, alumni and corporate partners celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a day of transformative physical service in Philadelphia neighborhoods.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is one of City Year's largest days of service. Our goal for the day is to bring together a diverse group of volunteers and perform powerful and transformative service. We seek not only to enhance the facilities of our service partners, but also to spark in our volunteers a lasting interest in community service and civic duty.
Service Locations
- Bartram High School - In 2003, the state of Pennsylvania placed Bartram High School on a list of “persistently dangerous” schools. This school year alone has seen violence end the lives of four Bartram students. But rather than submit to this shadow of fear, the school is making powerful strides toward offering a safe educational environment for its students. The Philadelphia School District is making changes to the curricula of all city schools this year, and Bartram is no exception. Bartram has new textbooks and the teacher vacancy rate is the lowest it has ever been. The school that once produced such leaders as Joe Bryant, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, and Wilson Goode (Mayor of Philadelphia from ‘84-’92) is taking those difficult first steps on the road back to glory.
- Morton Elementary School - This school is located very close to Bartram and serves grades K-5. According to the School District of Philadelphia, 85% of the children there qualify for free or reduced lunches. The student body is too large for Morton itself, so many students attend classes at a building called Morton Annex, which can be found two blocks away from Morton. Like many other Philadelphia schools, the school struggles to meet AYP test score standards. This year Morton has a new principal, however, and the school is now poised to make dramatic changes.
In order to beautify these two locations, we will be painting murals on many of the walls. We will also be repainting many of the rooms throughout both of these schools. The service on MLK Day will be extremely important because Philadelphia’s schools can only be effective if the environment within them is welcoming to students.
To join us on Martin Luther King Day, register online or contact the Volunteer Management Team at 267-386-7014.
To learn more about the Heroes Youth Leaderships programs, click here.