Meet Kerri!

Kerriann Peart

H.O.P.E. Program Manager

Hometown: Montego-Bay, Jamaica

Education: BS in Biology from Emory University with graduate work in Public Health, Rollins School of Public Health

What is your position and what do you do here at CYDC? I am the Program Manager for the HIV/AIDS Outreach Prevention Education; HOPE project. I manage a team of eleven corps members involved in delivering interactive and age appropriate HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy prevention education to youth in the DC Public School system. The team will be engaged in several other programs and events outside of the classroom that include, HIV testing drives, health fairs and serving with local organizations that work with HIV infected and affected members of the DC community.

How long have you been with CYDC and why do you serve? This is my second month with CYDC and it has been a pleasure to work with a staff and group of service oriented youth who share similar goals, of community development and growth through service. I serve because it has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was raised in a family of service oriented individuals and as such, working with and for my community has been a large part of my life. I am particularly called to service in the HIV/AIDS arena due to my personal interest in research and education on the issues of youth and HIV/AIDS globally.

What are you most excited about this year and or the future of CYDC? I am excited about the HOPE team and the impact that it will have in the upcoming months within the communities we serve and the youth we engage both in and outside of the classroom. From these experiences I am looking forward to the continuing growth of the HOPE program at CYDC as it becomes a key resource for the DC community, but also for the City Year network at large. Being the only HIV/AIDS program within the City Year network it is a challenge but also an exciting prospect to serve other communities via the larger City Year network.

Tell me a short story about your favorite moment in service? So far I have not done much service with CYDC but I am excited to do the all team HOPE event of AIDS Walk DC 2009. This should be a great service event as other members of the CYDC family will be taking part in the day’s program

What is something most people don’t know about you and wouldn’t guess? Despite my clumsy ways and sometimes quite blunt attitude, I am very passionate about my work and enjoy simple pleasures like family, friends and food!