City Year Chicago Works To Bridge The Educational Gap In 32 Schools Across Under-Resourced Communities

City Year Chicago, a chapter of the national nonprofit, is on a mission to ensure that every student, especially those in under-resourced communities, has the support they need to succeed.

The organization deploys young leaders in collaboration with The Corporation for National and Community Service, through the AmeriCorps program, to serve as full-time mentors and tutors in schools across Chicago, IL, according to ABC-7 Chicago. Founded in 1994 by Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter, City Year Chicago members wear signature red jackets that have become synonymous with the organization’s mission.

Valencia Koker, senior vice president and executive director of City Year Chicago, told ABC-7 that the organization works with 250 AmeriCorps members, aged 18 to 25, serving in 32 schools — 31 of which are part of Chicago Public Schools.

“City Year Chicago exists to create the conditions for young people to reach their full potential, especially those further from opportunity,” Koker told ABC-7. “We are focused on near-peer tutoring and mentorship, with the aim of improving attendance, positively impacting math and ELA proficiency, and of course, overall social [and] emotional learning.”

In addition to supporting students in schools, Koker noted that City Year Chicago also invests heavily in its corps members, providing them with resources and guidance to ensure they’re set up for a path to success after their year of service.

Len Robinson, a senior AmeriCorps service leader, has worked with the organization for three years.

“I grew up in Chicago westside neighborhoods, so just knowing that I come from a place that they’ve come from,” Robinson told ABC-7 about his approach to mentoring and supporting the students he works with.

He added, “Going through adversity growing up, just by the color of my skin. That really motivates me to make sure that when they grow up, it’s a different narrative for them and they’re able to share their story from their own point of view, not having anybody else speak for them.”

According to its website, a 2015 study found that schools partnering with City Year Chicago were up to two to three times more likely to show improvements in math and English assessments.