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AmeriCorps Spotlight��

Thomas A. Edison High School��

Works with 9th��and 10th��graders��

Subjects:��Algebra��2, Earth Science, and English����

With the first half of the service year��having come to an end,��City Year AmeriCorps members are��acclimated to the work they’re doing��alongside 91���� and teachers across Philadelphia.��It’s usually around this time that��corps��members��say that the ‘honeymoon��phase’ is over as they reflect on the service year thus far��and even think back to registration day when they arrived at the City Year office. Some were eager, others were nervous, while others were simultaneously��eager��and��nervous��about what the next 10 months of their lives would hold.��

Meet Fred Lee,��a first–year AmeriCorps member serving 9th��and 10th��graders at Thomas A. Edison High School.��Just a few months ago he was new to the organization,��but now he is entering the second half of the service year looking to continue��making an��impact within his school community.��

How did you first find out about City Year?����

I have a family member who works within the Philadelphia School District and there is a City Year AmeriCorps team at her school. She knew that I had an interest in education and would tell me about the program. I had the opportunity to come in and talk to the City Year team and get an idea��of��what the corps experience was like.������

What initially brought you to City Year?����

Before coming to City Year, I worked as a substitute teacher in Florida, so I had some experience working with 91���� already. City Year allows me to work within a school, not in the same capacity as a teacher, but I am still able to develop relationships with 91���� over an extended period. When you are a substitute teacher,��it is usually hard to develop relationships seeing as though you usually aren’t in a singular classroom for a consistent period.����

The biggest difference between��being a��substitute teacher and my current City Year experience��is��the relationships that I can develop with the 91����. As a City Year AmeriCorps member, I can work with individual 91���� to help them achieve their goals. As a substitute teacher, I am focused on the goals of the entire class, for a short window of time��so the focus on a student is not there as much.����

How valuable are the relationships that you build with 91���� as an AmeriCorps member?����

The relationships that you build with 91���� are probably one of the most important aspects of what we do as City Year AmeriCorps members. Without a relationship, it is almost impossible to get the 91���� to do what’s needed��and ultimately help them succeed.����

How has the team experience been for you so far?����

The team experience has been good so far. At times things��do��become challenging. But overall, having different leaders that are a part of the team,��like��our��Team��Leader and��Impact��Manager, helps unify us and keep us on track. I have also been��able��to get a lot of cool things done collaboratively with my teammates.����

What are some things that stick out to you about the organization?������

The culture is heavily focused on data metrics and we must always have very high energy. I also see the impact that we have a chance to make.����

What has been your most memorable interaction with a student so far?����

At one point, I was working with a student who sat in the back of the classroom and got in trouble a lot for being on their phone. I found out that she would take photos of everything on the board and zoom in so that she could see the notes. She eventually got moved to the front of the classroom and her academic performance did a 180.����

How much of a role do AmeriCorps members��play in the schoolhouse? Do��you feel valued��in the work you’re doing?����

Specifically,��with my partner teachers and the 91������I work with,��I feel valued. Typically, there is a level of respect that the 91���� have for City Year AmeriCorps members and it feels good to have that type of��rapport��with the 91����.����

What are you looking forward to most during the second half of the service year? ��

I am looking forward to seeing what my impact has been compared to the start of the year. I am also looking forward to doing more actively engaged activities with 91���� outdoors;��it’s just way too cold right now.����

What��are��your��Life After City Year (LACY)��plans?������

I applied to Brazil for the Fulbright��Program��and��earlier this month I found out that I got to the semifinal stage. Should that not work out,��I am thinking about coming back to City Year as a Team Leader. I would also like to go to graduate school for international education management, or something along the line with education in an international setting. City Year has been a good starting point for me to get to my end goal. It has allowed me to take initiative in a lot of the things that I want to do personally, while also gaining experience working with kids. The job is high–stress,��but also high–reward.������

For any prospective corps member, what is one piece of advice that you could give?������

You get out what you put in. You��need��to��have��reasonable expectations of what your impact will be. You will also get a lot out of this experience if you are actively seeking out ways to do something bigger.����

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If you are looking for an opportunity to develop yourself while also making an impact on young people, click here to��apply to serve��with City Year Philadelphia.��