Meet the Columbia staff
City Year’s staff is deeply committed to the students we serve and to helping our AmeriCorps members grow as leaders.
Jacqui has dedicated her efforts to helping create responsible citizens and connecting children to their school, families and larger communities. This is Jacqui’s second year as special projects manager. She is a graduate of Drake University and hopes to provide service to her hometown of Chicago, Illinois in the future.
Dyrell Clark was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Dyrell attended Benedict College where he received his Bachelors in Business Management. While in college he became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. which led to his unwavering dedication to service. Dyrell has always had a passion for leadership and serving the community. After graduating from college, Dyrell decided to further his education at Webster University and received his Masters in Counseling. Dyrell is currently the Interim Vice President, Executive Director with City Year Columbia. As Interim Vice President, Executive Director, he leads the City Year Columbia site and helps with the develop of a team of 24 City Year AmeriCorps members to implement Whole School, Whole Child programming, which includes working with all students through Tier 1 initiatives, such as tutoring after school, awareness events etc. He is serving high-need schools in the Columbia, Gaston and Swansea areas. His role as the Interim Executive Director is to coach staff and AmeriCorps members on how to support off-track students and strengthen partnerships while also developing AmeriCorps members’ leadership skills, community building, building relationships and personnel to ensure the necessary conditions are in place for AmeriCorps members to deliver high - quality attendance, behavior, and course performance interventions for students.
Dyrell’s leadership mission statement is to serve as a leader, motivator, to live a balanced life and to apply ethical principles to make a significant difference in the lives of the children and communities we serve. He wants to serve as a guide and constantly empowering young adults to stay true to themselves through challenging times as they work to achieve City Year’s mission of keeping students in school and on track to graduation.
Shawn Caraballo is a development manager at City Year Columbia. She received her bachelor's and master's degree in education at Columbia College. Shawn served in the Columbia corps for two years before joining the staff team. When Shawn is not at City Year she is working with unaccompanied youth. When not in the community, Shawn enjoys spending time with her family and listening to music.
Mr. Jeorgie Hicks , a native of Atlantic City,NJ and a graduate of Benedict College is joining City Year after working with Richland County School District One the last 4 years at Alcorn Middle School. At the middle school level Mr.Hicks served as the E2020 lab manager and instructional assistant working closing with the science department. Coaching and developing emerging leaders has been a passion of Mr.Hicks since summer of 2011 , when he served as a servant leader intern with Children Defense Fund Freedom Schools program.Upon graduating college in 2013 with a degree in Child and Family development Mr.Hicks became the site coordinator at Francis Burns United Methodist Church Freedom Schools program in 2015. As the site coordinator , Mr.Hicks trained and developed teacher candidates and education majors from Claflin University, Columbia College, and Benedict College on how to deliver the integrated reading curriculum used for Freedom Schools.
In 2017, Mr. Hicks was named Richland County School District One Middle school coach of the year. Recognizing his ability to serve and lead, Mr.Hicks continued to demonstrate resilience and dedication to the education crisis. Mr.Hicks enjoys coaching his AAU track and field athletes along with coaching football. Mr.Hicks was recognized by his colleagues last year and was named Alcorn Middle School classified employee of the year. As a father, leader and coach Mr.Hicks believes in City Year's core value “ Student First, Collaboration Always”.
