Photo Credit : Amber Marie Green
Staff, AmeriCorps members, corporate and community volunteers gather and beautify
Parkside Elementary in South Shore
CHICAGO, IL (January 16, 2023) – City Year Chicago is excited to announce on Monday, January
16th, the organization will host its 29th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.
The service day will kick-off with an Opening Ceremony, which will include Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Illinois, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Pedro Martinez as well as video messages from Governor J.B. Pritzker, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton.
City Year Chicago’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service shines a spotlight on service as a powerful force to bridge social divides and improve educational opportunities for students across the country.
City Year Chicago will bring together our AmeriCorps members, staff, and community and corporate partners in celebration of the legacy of Dr. King by engaging in service projects in one of our partner schools, beautifying the school building to bring empowerment for their students. City Year’s MLK Day of Service shines a spotlight on being united in service, building bridges between divides and how together, we can help build strong and vibrant communities for all of us. Projects include painting school hallways, murals of inspirational historical figures, college banners, and classrooms to create a more beautiful and inspirational learning environment for schools in our Chicago neighborhoods.
“For 29 years we have worked with change agents and leaders to honor the legacy of Dr. King. I am excited to share this space with and work alongside so many that know that being united in service is a bridge to sustainable impact,” said City Year Chicago’s Senior Vice President and Executive Director Myetie Hamilton.
City Year, an education non-profit organization fueled by national service that helps students and schools succeed, traditionally regards the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday as a day on, rather than a day off, engaging community volunteers, elected officials and corporate partners to focus efforts on beautifying schools for students and communities.
During the school year, approximately 170 City Year Chicago AmeriCorps members serve each day in 27 Chicago schools to provide research-based student, whole-classroom, and school-wide supports to help students stay in school and on-track to graduate from high school, ready for college and career success.
WHEN: Monday, January 16, 2023, at 10:00 AM
WHAT: City Year Chicago will mobilize volunteers for a Day of Service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
WHERE: Parkside Elementary School, 6938 S. East End, Chicago, IL 60649
WHO: LOCAL LEADERS, City Year staff, AmeriCorps members, and volunteers.
PHOTO OP: Volunteers will help create a more welcoming and positive school environment by performing service projects that include painting school hallways, murals of inspirational historical figures, college banners, and classrooms to create a more beautiful and inspirational learning environment fir schools in our Chicago neighborhoods.
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About City Year
City Year helps students and schools succeed. Diverse teams of City Year AmeriCorps members provide support to students, classrooms and the whole school, helping to ensure that students in systemically under-resourced schools receive a high-quality education that prepares them with the skills and mindsets to thrive and contribute to their community.
A new partnership announced at the White House this past summer, the National Partnership for Student Success, assists educators and schools offer additional support to students. City Year is proud to be part of NPSS alongside other leading youth-serving organizations. City Year serves as a “technical assistance partner” offering guidance and materials to schools and districts interested in starting student success coaching in their local community.
A proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, City Year is supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service, local school districts and private philanthropy. Learn more at www.cityyear.org, City Year’s Facebook page, on Twitter, and LinkedIn.