Where Service Happens: Charter Middle School for Applied Technologies

The School Where We Serve

One of our two new Partner Schools in the 2021-2022 School Year is The Charter Middle School for Applied Technologies (CMSAT). CMSAT is the Middle School portion of the larger Charter School for Applied Technologies which encompasses an Elementary School and our other new Partner School the Charter High School for Applied Technologies. The Charter School for Applied Technologies is a Buffalo charter school originally founded as a K-6 School in 2001 with the motto, “Every day is career day” and has since expanded into a K-12 School. CMSAT is focused on preparing students to hold “family-sustaining careers.”

At the Charter School for Applied Technologies Middle School, they state that “we don’t just have a mission, we are on a mission. We envision success, plan for excellence, and understand that the true goal of education is to develop critical thinkers with strong character and leadership skills. Our school is dedicated to meeting the needs of all children through differentiated instruction and many extra-curricular opportunities.” The Middle School campus is separate from the Elementary and High School Campus and is located in North Buffalo, right off of Hertel Ave. The Middle School campus was opened in 2014 and is currently led by Principle Anthony Favata.

About Our Students

Just over 550 Middle Schools students, 6th through 8th graders, attend the Charter Middle School for Applied Technologies. 82% of the students are Economically Disadvantaged, just shy of 10% are Students with Disabilities, and 2% are English Language Learners. 47% of students are black, 29% are Hispanic or Latino, 14% are White, 5% are multiracial, 4% Asian or Pacific Islander and >1% are Native American. 51% of the students are male and 49% of the students are female.

The City Year Team serving at CMSAT supports 10 classrooms through whole class support, attendance support, and social-emotional support. In addition, the City Year team has worked with the educators of CMSAT to identify 70 students who will get individualized attention and lesson plans throughout the remainder of the school year to support their academic growth. Class structures and supports like these are why 94% of partner teachers agreed or strongly agreed that their City Year AmeriCorps members provide valuable support to their classrooms and students.

Meet the CMSAT Team

The team serving at The Charter Middle School for Applied Technologies is led by Impact Manager Win Min Thant, an AmeriCorps Alumni, and Service Leader Sewit Belete. 100% of City Year Buffalo Partner Teachers agree or strongly agree that City Year’s Priorities are aligned with the priorities of their school/classroom and we believe this is a direct result of the leadership that our Impact Managers and Service Leaders provide for our AmeriCorps Members on a daily basis.

Sewit Belete
Service Leader & AmeriCorps Member, She/Her/Hers

Sewit serves 7th and 8th grade students alongside her Partner Teacher Robina Nagel. She has two years of experience with the Jumpstart program prior to joining City Year and is interested in Clinical Psychology. She is from Kansas City, Missouri, and is a recent graduate from the University of Missouri.  She serves because students deserve to have an education that allows them to grow personally and socially because education is the way to close the wealth gap.

Tanner File
AmeriCorps Member, He/Him/His

Tanner works with 7th and 8th graders with his Partner Teacher Timothy Kibler. Tanner is from Marine, Illinois, and is interested in starting an after-school program for at-risk youth after he completes his City Year. He serves because he believes that children are the future and for any real change to happen in the world it needs to start with them.

Branden Wilcox
AmeriCorps Member, He/Him/His

Branden serves in Ms. Kristen Lane’s 7th Grade classroom and after his City Year, he is interested in teaching English as a foreign language. He is from Candia, New Hampshire, and attended Southern New Hampshire University. He serves because he has a strong desire to help people and believes that education should be equal. Serving allows him to make a difference in the world no matter how small.

Jamelia Burton
AmeriCorps Member, She/Her/Hers

Jamelia works with 7th graders and is originally from Niagara Falls, New York. She recently graduated from SUNY Fredonia and is passionate about Music and Art in her downtime. She serves because she believes that everyone deserves to be heard, that everyone deserves the opportunity to become successful, and because there is no greater feeling in the world to be an inspiration to someone.

Norah Caher
AmeriCorps Member, She/Her/Hers

Norah serves 7th & 8th graders with her Partner Teacher Rojita Saeidzadeh. She is originally from Clifton Park, New York, and recently graduated from Saint Louis University. She decided to join City Year because she has always wanted to teach but wasn’t sure what grades or subjects. She also felt like she really wanted to teach in a way that made a difference and an impact on students, and the City Year mission seemed perfect ​

Abby Cunningham
AmeriCorps Member, She/Her/Hers

Abby serves in Ms. Jennifer Siffringer’s 6th Grade Classroom. She is originally from Rochester, New York, and recently graduated from the College of Wooster. She decided to join City Year because she wanted to work in a school as either a school counselor or school psychologist, so she thought that City Year would provide her with great experience working with students in a school setting. ​

Halley Tajeda Brito
AmeriCorps Member. She/Her/Hers
Halley is originally from New York, New York, and decided to join City Year because she wanted to gain experience and leadership skills, in addition to improving her communication skills. She serves because education is key for children to make a difference in society.​

Thank you so much for taking the time to find out more about the team serving at the Charter Middle School for Applied Technologies. If you would like to learn more or meet the team, virtually or in person, please reach out to Brock Monroe, Development and Communications Manager, at bmonroe@cityyear.org.