CY 101: Founding Stories

City Year is a culture of idealism. Contributing to that idealism are a collection of stories and quotations from many people and cultures that we call our “Founding Stories.” These stories, and their messages, are woven into the fabric of City Year and serve as a foundation for our day to day service.

These stories illustrate the civic values that guide us, set our course, and remind of us of the fundamental motivations of the organization. The stories have been collected over the years as they came to City Year’s attention and were an obvious fit with our culture and mission.

The Founding Stories, are:

Be the Change
The Beloved Community
The Bridge Builder
Cathedral Building
Everybody Can Be Great
It Takes a Village
It’s in Your Hands
The Lighthouse
The Long Walk
Love and Joy
Moccasins
Never Doubt
Night into Day
The Rabbi’s Gift
Ripples
Sand into Diamonds
Seven Generations
The Starfish Story
Stone Soup
The Traveler
Ubuntu
Up the River
Water

A Day in the Life of a City Year Corps Member

My normal routine:
8:30 am 8:40- First Circle and class prep
8:45 am 10:40- Class time (varies depending on day) Home room/ Math/ Prep Period (I.E: Gym/Music)
10:45 am 11:24- Recess (running games for the kids to play)
11:24 am 11:39- Lunch
11:39 am 12:30 pm-Working Lunch (tutoring kids)
12:30 pm 12:54-Second Recess (running more games)
12:57 pm 1:30- Social Studies Class
1:30-3:00- Varies
3:00-5:00- After school programs (Monday:Art/ Cheerleading Programs Tuesday & Thursday: Starfish Wednesday: Starfish prep and meetings)

Fridays: Not In School

Today is a different day from my normal routine. I have to plan an event for Starfish Opening Day. My team wants it to be a big deal. So I have spent the day thus far folding invitations and writing the names of the starfish on each and everyone. My class has calmed down quite a bit since I got here. Today I walked into their math block and was surprised to see each and every one of them working and helping each other so much so that they barely needed me at all. They asked questions about some things but most of it had to do with external programs and not so much the work.

Ari, 19, corps member, Drinker-Biddle team at Pastorius Elementary

Where I live

Roxborough/Manayunk (Northwest part of Philly)

It’s a great part of the city because there is little crime. Plus, there is a fun mixture between people who move in straight out of college and people who’ve been there for years who sit on their porches and say, “Hey, you whipper snapper” (just kidding, they’re totally super friendly). It has a vibrant night life on Main St. Plus some great hidden gem restaurants like Adobe Mexican restaurant & Rose’s Water Ice (great breakfast sandwiches). It is also close to the Wissahickon Trail, so if you like walking in nature or mountain biking on gravel trails…

Interstate 76 (The Schuykill Expressway) is notoriously jammed with traffic, but if you plan to spend 40 minutes on there with the #9 or #27 bus, you can get where you need to be like clockwork. Finally the steepest street in Philly is here and is home to a major bike race in June & this past year held the Red Bull Soap Box Derby. The only downfall is that it’s not the cheapest to live in, so you would have to shop around a bit to find a good deal!

I moved to Roxborough because I knew nothing about the city and it came highly recommended. It has proved to be worth the experience for everything that is above. It is one of the places that has no real high rise buildings and is mostly residential…with people that will say good morning to you as they sip their coffee or good evening as they sip a beer. The also have sports & social league games in a rec center playground in the heart of Roxborough, which allows people to network and meet other people (aka non CY people).

McKendry, 25, Visitor's Program senior corps member

Young Idealist to become Visionary Optometrist

My “Leadership After City Year” (LACY) plans are to study abroad and then to enter into optometry school. I recently received a scholarship from Rotary International to study in Spain for a year. There, I will represent not only myself, but also Rotary International and the United States. I will serve as an ambassador between our two countries, working to foster understanding between the different cultures. In order to do this, I will give talks in Spain about our customs here in the United States; when I return, I will also tell of my experiences abroad and what I learned of the traditions in Spain.
I am also currently in the midst of applying to optometry school. It is a little difficult, because I need to apply almost a year earlier than the normal application period. However, I am very excited to start on a path towards doing something I love. I have been very passionate about vision for many years now, and I look forward to helping others to better see the world around them.
City Year is helping me prepare for and achieve my goals in a few ways. Firstly, I am working in a K-8 school that has a large Latino population. Because of this, I am able to interact with Spanish-speaking students and parents. I was originally nervous about keeping up with my Spanish-speaking skills, since I do not have time to continue taking Spanish classes. However, I seem to get even more practice than I would have if I had still been in school.
City Year also teaches its corps members about diversity and inclusivity. I believe that in the past three months I have been exposed to many more social, economic, racial, and sexual orientation backgrounds than I was in the whole twenty-two years of my life prior to serving with CYGP. When I travel to Spain, I will need to keep an open mind about my experiences. Although this past summer I felt I was prepared to handle being immersed in a whole new culture, I know now that by the end of my service year, I will be equipped with the skills to handle almost any situation that may come my way.
Another important factor in serving with City Year is their intensive leadership development training. These trainings will help me to take initiative in completing my speaking and volunteer tasks while in Spain. They are also preparing me for my optometry career. I will need these skills in completing my classes and, hopefully, in one day opening my own practice. It is apparent that City Year is not only giving me the opportunity to serve my country, but is also giving me the skills needed to achieve my future goals.

Caitlin M., 22, corps member, Hopkinson Elementary

CY 101: Debrief

Every event and day at City Year should end with a Debrief. The Debrief is meant to give the team and participants the opportunity to reflect on what went well, what could be improved, and how to improve things for the next go-round. This is an excellent opportunity for teammates to routinely give each other constructive feedback. This feedback is what helps to strengthen a team and improve our service over the course of the year.

Example: “Pluses and Deltas”: In Pluses and Deltas, each person offers “pluses,” or the day’s positives. They are also asked to give deltas, or items that could be changed.

Example: “Roses and Thorns”: Roses are the enjoyable portions of the day. Thorns are the things that could be improved.

Example: “Fist of Five”: Everyone in the circle shakes their fist until the person facilitating the debrief says ‘throw.’ Then, everyone throws out 1 to 5 fingers, with 1 being a terrible day and 5 being a great one. Everyone goes around the circle and explains why they threw the rank that they threw.

CY 101: Daily Briefing

In the acronym-loving world of City Year Greater Philadelphia (CYGP), the Daily Briefing is often referred to as the DB. The DB is a tool that communicates announcements, requests and other pertinent CY info out to the whole corps. It is most often seen at Unity Rally.

In addition to keeping the entire site on the same page, literally and figuratively, the DB acts as a Civic Engagement tool. After Unity Rally, as you head out to service, if someone asks you what City Year is all about, you can hand them the DB as an introduction.

The DB is read out during Unity Rally, uniting the corps in reciting PITWs, learning Words of the Day, getting announcements, and more.

Ready to make my city a better city

I am 25 years old and I am from West Philadelphia. Growing up, I was involved in various activities including Girl Scouts, choir at both church and school, yearbook, student council (in both elementary and high school) and theater. I really feel that my hometown is brimming with potential in many ways, through its youth, as one example.

I joined City Year because I wanted to give back to my community and do my part to make it better. I also wanted to show that someone from an inner-city neighborhood can make something of themselves and be successful through perseverance and hard work in school and beyond.

I serve on the Eagles Youth Partnership team at John Paul Jones Middle School in Port Richmond. I served at Jones last year as a corps member. I decided to come back and serve a second year at Jones because I fell in love with the Jones community and I felt I was not done with the work that I started last year. This year, I am back at Jones leading a whole new team of passionate, idealistic 17- to 24-year-olds in service and the surrounding community. Every day the team tutors and mentors students during the day and run an after school program. We also run events and beautification projects.

Not only has City Year allowed me to make a difference; City Year has made a difference in my own life. I have become more positive, open, patient and politically aware since joining City Year. The organization has helped me gain some much needed clarity in my life and given me direction on what I should do next.

Next year, I plan on either working for another non-profit or going to graduate school for education.

Tracey A., 25, service leader, Eagles Youth Partnership Team at Jones Middle School

My Favorite Uniform Part: The Quarter Zip

The City Year uniform is a very important part of every City Year member’s year of service. The uniform unites us as a group, as most uniforms do. The uniform makes us visible to members of the community as we travel together throughout the city and do service. In uniting us together the uniform also allows every individual corps member to immediately relate with community members and youth of the city. The red jacket and City Year logo can seem odd but when a corps member enters the community, with their uniform, those around them, especially youth that City Year has served, immediately understand that the corps member is there to serve the community and be a positive force for youth.

Though the red jacket is City Year's signature uniform part, my favorite part of the uniform is a different red: the quarter zip fleece. The quarter zip is a plush and comfortable red fleece with City Year in black across the front and the four qualities of powerful citizenship—spirit, discipline, purpose and pride—across the back. It is light weight enough to wear all day but also nice to have on cold days as an extra layer when the wind would otherwise whip right through your jacket. In reality, it is quite simply the most comfortable uniform piece City Year corps members can wear. On top of all of this, the quarter zips provided to corps members this year were made from recycled plastic bottle caps (which slightly boggles the mind). This makes them not only comfortable but more environmentally friendly as well.

Those who wear the City Year uniform strive to make their communities and neighborhoods stronger by lifting up the youth and civic identity of its members. Without the trademark red jacket, City Year members would more than likely get lost in the crowd and we would be much less recognizable to the community. But nothing can beat the comfort and versatility that the quarter zip fleece provides to City Year corps members.

Eric, 22, Young Heroes Northeast Expansion Team

The Cafe

One restaurant everyone should try while they are living in Philadelphia is The Café, 2011 Walnut Street. It is located in center city only a few blocks away from Rittenhouse Square. It is very close to public transportation and it is in an overall great area.

The best part of The Café is their Sunday brunch. It is from 10:00-2:00 every Sunday. Everything on their menu is super cheap. I take my girlfriend there almost every Sunday and it usually costs us around $15 for an actual meal. I always get the Three Cheese Omelet and it is great.

There is a ton of stuff to do around that area so I never have a boring Sunday. It is in walking distance to U Penn’s Ice Skating rink. If skating is not your thing it’s also really nice to just hang out in Rittenhouse square for a while. If you do have some money to spend (which I doubt you will if you’re living on the stipend) there are also lots of cool shops in that area.

Joe W., 18, corps member, Hopkinson Team

CY 101: Community Meeting

Community Meetings bring together the corps, staff and non-City Year folks alike to build community, to share information, to reflect, to celebrate and to learn new skills. Each site hosts Community Meetings once or twice a month, usually following Leadership Development Day. Annual Community Meetings include summer training academy ad CYZYGY, the network's annual convention of idealism.

Site-wide Community Meetings center on a theme, such as the board game Operation, a trip to the grocery store, or a field trip on the Magic School Bus. At City Year Greater Philadelphia, each Community Meting consists of an opening skit, Joys, Ripples, Starfish Stories, Stone Soup, Moccasins, and Life Works.

Each of the elements of a Community Meeting is included to allow all members of the site to reflect on what they've done so far in their service, to hear what other teams are accomplishing, to inspire each other to overcome difficulties in the day-to-day of City Year, and to strengthen our community. This also acts as an excellent opportunity to pause, appreciate what's been done and re-energize for what is yet to come.

CY 101: Brainstorming

Many groups utilize the brainstorm. It is an easy, fun, and inclusive way to stimulate a group’s creative ideas on a particular topic. It does not take much effort to run a brainstorm and it speedily produces a wide range of ideas to be discussed, refined, developed, and eventually used.

How to:

• Briefly introduce the topic you will be brainstorming and let the group know that they will be brainstorming. Use a sheet of butcher paper, a white board or something equally visible so that everyone can read all of the ideas that are thought up. Post up filled sheets of ideas around the room.
• Before you start, review the “Rules of Brainstorming.”
• Write down everything as it is said. Do not try to interpret, edit or reword the ideas.
• When the list is completed, work with the group to find themes and to determine which of the brainstorm’s ideas can be further developed.
  
  The Rules of Brainstorming:

1. Every idea gets written down, not put down. Everything is written down with no discussion, with no commentary, and with no censorship.
2. Repeats are okay. Repeats are okay.
3. The goal is quantity, not quality. The refining comes later. Initially, we just need as many ideas as possible.

The Uniform: Part 2

Not only is the uniform a powerful tool of recognition of service and potential. It is also a symbol of the corporate-non-profit partnerships that are signature to City Year. Since 1988 and the founding of City Year, our uniform has been an in-kind donation from The Timberland Company. Timberland’s decades-long support demonstrates a remarkable commitment on the Company’s part to citizen service.

The Timberland Company is committed to corporate social responsibility, service, and global human rights. You can learn more in “About Timberland” at www.timberlandserve.com.

As Official Outfitter of the Corps, The Timberland Company also provides each corps member with:
· An all-weather jacket (with liner)
· A bomber
· A quarter zip
· A fleece vest
· Team t-shirts
· A pique short-sleeved, polo-style shirt
· Khaki pants
· A nametag
· A belt
· A backpack
· A baseball cap
· Winter gloves
· A winter hat
· Work boots
· Dress shoes

The Uniform: Part 1

City Year corps members have worn uniforms since day one back in 1988. The look of the uniform has changed, but the mission of the uniform remains the same. The boots and red jackets, and all the uniform parts in between, are a symbol of young adults devoting 10 months to full-time community service. When we wear the uniform, we shine as young idealists, prepared to help and to lead.

While the faces of the corps members wearing the red jacket change from year to year, the students of the School District of Philadelphia recognize that the people who come into their schools wearing the City Year uniform are people that can be trusted, people that will help.

Wearing the uniform is meant to

• Promote City Year to the public.
• Instill pride in corps members
• Connect current and alumni corps and staff
• Focus on individual strengths and abilities, rather than fashion
• Identify corps and staff members as part of City Year and, as such, part of the larger national service movement
  
  

CY 101: Advance + Logistics (Ad-Lo)

The purpose of Advance + Logistics, or Ad-Lo, is to make sure all possible logistics concerns are addressed before the start of the event.

You use Ad-Lo to answer planning questions such as ‘Where will volunteers park?’ ‘What will happen if the weather doesn’t cooperate?’ ‘Who will meet our VIP guests and bring them into the event?’

One of the best tools for Ad-Lo is the “Q2Q,” similar to a theatrical production’s cue-to-cue, a CY Q2Q is a minute-by-minute breakdown of a City Year event from preparation to clean-up. Every task on the Q2Q has a point person in charge of that task. The Q2Q streamlines the information into one document, and allows people who have not been 100% immersed in the planning of the event to know what’s going on, when, and how it is to be done, for all the event’s moving parts.

Martin Luther King Day of Service

Registration is now open for City Year Greater Philadelphia's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of service.

Monday, January 19, 2009 8:15 AM - 2:00 PM
Kensington Business and CAPA High Schools
2051 E. Cumberland Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19125

“A Day ON, Not a Day OFF”: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is City Year's largest day of service. On this day, we will bring a diverse group of volunteers together to perform powerful and transformative service. We seek not only to enhance the facilities of Philadelphia schools, but also to spark a lasting interest in community service and civic duty for our volunteers. The day will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his commitment to service.

“Where Will We Serve?”: This year, our MLK day of service will take place in the diverse Kensington section of the city at Kensington International Business and Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) High Schools as well as H.A. Brown Elementary School. Approximately 1,400 students attend these schools and will be affected by the lasting impact volunteers make there. The Kensington High Schools are part of Philadelphia’s “Small Schools Initiative” that divides high schools into separate entities to give more personalized instruction to students. Nearby H.A. Brown Elementary has recently expanded to accommodate more students. In all three schools, some facilities are nearly 100 years old.

This is an excellent opportunity for in-coming corps members to experience a powerful day of service with City Year. Register sooner, rather than later, because space will be limited, and this is a very popular day of service.

To register, visit www.whyiserve.com

Why a Gap Year? Why not?

So my parents were nervous when I said I was joining City Year, to say the least. Certainly I sprung it on them out of the blue, and certainly, upon first hearing the term ‘gap year,’ decided that this was not to be in my metaphorical cards. Not only did I prove them wrong, but in the process of diligently defending my stance, I earned their respect and most of all, I earned their support. I talk to my parents every day, and they love to be regaled by my Philadelphia H.S. experiences. They want me to talk about the service we provide, they want to hear who I interact with. “Who did you help today and how did you reach them,” they inquisitively ask. They know I’m doing what’s best for myself by doing what’s best for the community, and my parents know that only I can make that decision for the future I crave.

But what my folks don’t exactly realize is how effectively this is going to prepare me for my future. I’m sure they see CY simply as a 10-month commitment, and just that. My father served in the Army during a war, and I can’t say that he enjoyed his time spent. The opposite applies to me. I enjoy being challenged, and I enjoy challenging others. Often, I would find myself disagreeing with one of my teachers or students in the H.S. I graduated from, just to see if they can accurately and effectively defend their perspectives, not unlike the Socratic tradition. Did I realize that this very nearly negative trait would be effective in engaging high school students? Hardly. In fact, I found that docility is something that students despise, and rightly so. For instance, prior to the presidential election, I ‘interviewed’ some students at Olney H.S., the school where I serve, about why they support a particular candidate over the other. As I pushed onward and upward, they seemed to fidget and squirm as I dissected theory upon theory. Did they roll over and concede? In the true Philadelphian spirit, they excelled.

But what does all that have to do with my future? Well, I personally am going to attend college next year in/around the Philly area. I’ve grown to appreciate and grasp the history and the culture of this place, and though Pittsburgh will always be my home, this city is a fine substitute. I realized how much I miss studying for a test or receiving the all-too little known feeling of pride in earning that A. Beyond that, I also can finally appreciate how fortunate I was to be a product of my high school. I know I didn’t take full advantage of my opportunities, usually in my study habits, etc. and I’m ready to start the next leg of my education. I’m ready to take my job as a student seriously, because, in this modern world, there are few things worth their value like a good education. Knowledge, forsooth, truly is power and I can’t wait to wield such a thing.
Since the time I was drooling in my crib to the day I crashed one of two cars to this present day, I’ve had one singular dream: to become a doctor. I know my future is intertwined with aiding and supporting others, I wish no greater thing. I want to be a doctor because I have an undying urge to help people. Alas, in the meantime, while I wait to get the chance to exercise my soon-to-be formidable intellect, I have chosen to take the path of CY. Not many people can readily see the similarities of practicing medicine and serving students, but I, for one, think it is quite apparent. In the case of my parents, they had trouble indubitably. I navigated them through my thought process (and through the minds of a great many in this year’s corps who have openly expressed their desire to aid through medicine as well).

Imagine a student is like rose bush. The need is great, the product is phenomenal and unparalleled in every way possible. No other flower is like a rose; its bud is envied and its petals are revered by all. But a rose needs water; it needs nitrogen-fixed soil; it needs one atom of carbon and two atoms of oxygen to breathe. A student is similar. Without instruction or some semblance of direction, the plant withers and recedes back to the dirt. Or if it does blossom, and it grows without guidance, usually sprouting stems in each and every direction. A patient, once more, is even similar still.

A patient needs a doctor’s advice and regulation; for without such a thing, the health is jeopardized and the future could be considered tumultuous and sporadic. A patient needs individual attention to grow healthy and strong, to grow to maturity without issue. I can say my dedication and commitment is what makes this process an easier one, and I know my students can’t disagree with this statement. Dedication is required to effectively leverage any type of aid and a commitment is necessary to maintain equal support and advocacy. I’m in City Year to make a positive difference in the community, and I plan on carrying this hard-fought belief with me on my path to practicing medicine. I will always keep in my mind the idea that nothing should be taken for granted; if I am given a month to read something on “Endocrinology and YOU!” and it happens to be several hundred pages long. I can guarantee you that the old Ryan would have just read it once a week before the examination and left my grade at that. I now can see that each exam has to be fought for, through repetition in analysis or through consistent note-taking, either way has to be actively gained in order to achieve the success that I now demand. I learned that taking ‘no’ for an answer doesn’t cut it; I expect better from my students and they expect better from me, and I only feel more energized, excited because of that. There will be many trials on my journey, as is the case for most Americans, but because of what I’m doing in City Year, I know I will be better prepared to enthusiastically and anxiously conquer each hurdle with the greatest force.

Ryan P., 19, corps member, David's Bridal Team at Olney High School

City Year Culture 101

Introduction

Over the years, City Year has grown exponentially. As our numbers have gotten bigger, we have developed a culture to help us to communicate and serve more effectively. This culture includes the use of Power Tools. Our Power Tools are techniques used to mobilize, communicate, inspire and break the ice in small, medium and large groups.

Some of our Power Tools and other cultural elements have been adopted from other cultures and organizations. Some are signature to City Year. The CY 101 series of posts is meant to introduce you to CY Culture, drawing from the corps members’ own Idealist Handbook. The Idealist Handbook is the guide to the ideas, values, techniques and programs of City Year. It explains the ‘why’ of what CY does.

Each of our Power Tools and cultural practices must be three things:

Inclusive: A Power Tool of City Year must be easily accessible for people coming from all different ages and backgrounds. To quote the Idealist Handbook, “There should be nothing elitist or technical about a power tool.”
Accountable: The Power Tool must hold all of a group accountable to some desired outcome, meaning that the whole group is involved in the process and outcome, rather than just one leader.
Structured: A Power Tool has clear steps, so that success can be arrived at through those steps. CY Power Tools are not just hopes, commands or shouts, they are tools that achieve a purpose.

As you read up on CY culture, you may have questions. Please leave your questions in the comments section under any post that you need clarification on. We will use this feedback to make sure that we are answering your questions and tailoring this blog to your needs.

On behalf of City Year Greater Philadelphia, we’re looking forward to having you in the corps. Welcome to City Year!

Megan, 24,

Senior Corps Member