Meet City Year Corps Member Tyrone Lofton

Name: Tyrone Lofton

Age: 22

Hometown: Washington, DC

Education: McKinley Technology High School

What team are you on, and what do you do?

I'm on the Winston Education Campus team. I serve as a tutor, menor and role model to students in 3rd and 6th grade. I give students confidence in being an invested student, working to be their best.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve?

I joined City Year to be a vivid leader to my little brother. It helps to have support in my words when I tell my brother how to be a leader and how to recognize the qualitites of a leader. I serve for the same reason. Serving to me means giving back to the community. Serving to me is the influence you have on your surroundings. I serve because I know life is not just about its larger than me, I want to leave something behind to define the person I am.


What have you been most excited about this year?
I have been most excited about the team aspect of City Year. You can have an overwhelming project during a service day, but once everyone comes together the pressure leaves and the work gets done better than expected.

Get To Know Teresa Palasits

Name: Teresa Palasits

Age: 22
Hometown: Columbia, Maryland
Education: A.B. in Mathematics from Bryn Mawr College







What team are you on and what do you do?

I proudly serve on the Spingarn High School Team in Northeast. I am the math coordinator for the team and serve primarily in a 10th grade geometry classroom. I am also on the Physical Training (PT) Crew and serve on the Fine Arts Committee for Camp City Year.



Why did you join City Year and why do you serve?

I joined City Year because when I was in college I had the opportunity to take a class called Schools in American Cities where we learned about the challenges urban schools face. Part of the class included classroom tutoring and mentoring in a school. This made me want to continue to work with urban youth in a mentoring relationship. I had considered teaching as a profession before and City Year seemed like the perfect opportunity to get to work in a school environment more consistently than I had before and really see if it was a fit for me. I also like the idea of national service and think America would be better off if more people chose to serve.



What are you most excited about this year?

I am excited for the opportunity to get to know my students better and make the most of City Year's new partnership with Spingarn High School. I am also really excited for Camp City Year in April and am looking forward to more Signature Service Days in the coming months.



What were you most nervous about this year?

 Working with high schoolers made me a little nervous because they typically seem more guarded and not as open to getting to know new adults in school. It has taken some time, but now my kids respect me for the math help I can give them in class and the near-peer relationship we can have.



What is something most people don't know about you and wouldn't guess?

I was a dance minor at Bryn Mawr and I got really good at African dance. I grew up doing ballet

Inspiration is Closer Than You Think

By Isabel Huston, corps member serving on the CSX Team at Turner Elementary


Alice Carter Huston is a fiercely strong, passionate, driven and dedicated woman. Among the many hats she has worn are teacher, single mother, entrepreneur, personal trainer, and town council woman. She is a person who deserves the utmost love and respect. But in my teenage years she was just my mother: a person who I took for granted only until she told me I couldn’t do something; in which case I just didn’t like her very much.

Isabel Huston and Her Mom

My mother is very strongly opinionated, and also very invested in all that she loves.
 So around the time that I was headed to High School she became frustrated with the way that our small New Jersey town was being managed. Not content to sit around and complain,she decided to run for the Hopewell Borough Council.
My mother sat on the Borough Council for two terms. In that time she helped secure 300 acres of undeveloped land as dedicated open space (land that cannot be developed) and revamped Hopewell’s Recreation Department; creating programs that offered our community opportunities to come together and become closer. To paraphrase the Americorps pledge, she gets things done.

   Without even realizing it, I grew up with an incredibly strong role model who is dedicated to civil service and taking action.

Now in my twenties, I am old enough to appreciate the subtle and unconscious inspiration that comes from consistent and unconditional love. I have always aspired to have the strength to do the right thing and leave a legacy of positive change. It is this aspiration that ultimately led me to apply for City Year.

That and a million panicked phone calls with my mother who, steadfastly encouraged me to keep it simple and follow my heart. Now I know that that all the inspiration I needed to join City Year DC came from the person who has sat across from me at the dinner table all of my life.

Inspiration is always closer than you think. Who inspires you?



Get to Know Paiyal Patel

By Bredan Ori, Corps Member Serving at Kimball Elementary

Paiyel (top row, second from left) with her City Year Team

Paiyal Patel is a 24-year old graduate of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana but hails from Gabarone, Botswana. She double majored in Dietetics and Speech and Hearing Sciences. She wears her PU pride on her sleeve and has been known to holler “Boiler Up!” at very inappropriate times. She now serves on the City Year Washington, DC Kimball Elementary Team. In her non-City Year time, she likes to read up on her passion- Speech Impediments, play tennis, and take boxing lessons. Yes, I said box. She once knocked out her trainer with a mean uppercut during a training session!

As I mentioned earlier, Paiyal hails from Botswana, a small country just north of South Africa. Hearing her talk about Africa makes you want to visit there so bad! She talks about the beautiful skies, the delicious fresh prickly pears, and her common interaction with giraffes. She never appreciated the natural beauty of her country until she moved to the United States, and while she does not always express it, you can definitely feel that she misses home.

I recently asked her about why she chooses to serve, a common theme among deep City Year conversations. Once again, you can see her mind travel back to Africa.

“ I moved from the United States to Botswana, two very different worlds. I think that this gave me a sort of grounding that I would never exchange for anything. Growing up in Botswana, the issues of HIV and Aids surrounded me, and I saw the importance of education in helping to reduce the epidemic. I saw the poor public education system, and how many children were being left behind. I always felt privileged to have the opportunity of world-class education, and I never understood the large gap between those who received it and those that didn't. When I moved to America, it surprised me to see that the same issues were prevalent. Through college, while volunteering in my community, I saw how these problems were affecting our country. This is when I decided to turn on my “justice nerves.” I hadn’t been proactive enough to help within my community back home, so for me, it was a rude awakening that if I didn’t do anything now, time would slip away, and I wouldn’t have done anything to be part of the solution.”

Its a bird...its a plane...its Civic Heroes

For the first time in CYDC's illustrious history, the Civic Engagement and Young Heroes teams have joined forces to become an unstoppable force in the service world. Called the CSX Civic Heroes Team, our team engages both students (on the Young Heroes side) and community members (on the Civic Engagement side) in meaningful service learning projects.

The Civic Engagement teamlet is comprised of corps members Ashley, Clint, Jenna, Rashad and Whitney. We are advised by our fearless team leader Daniel and project leader Evan. Our team works to plan and execute large scale physical transformation projects all over the DC area. This year, we are very focused on engaging the communities we are serving in. At Make A Difference Day (our most recent project), we hosted a service expo where 8 local non-profits presented information to corps members and volunteers; it was an awesome success!



The Civic Engagement teamlet has already engaged more than 300 external volunteers and we have even more upcoming volunteer opportunities for our December 4th service day and, of course, MLK Jr. Day! We're hoping to grow on the success we've already had and plan some of the best service our nation's capital has ever seen.

Corps members Adina, Danielle, Michael and Trina make up the Young Heroes teamlet and are guided wisely by team leaders Craig and Janae. They are currently recruiting middle school students for the Young Hero program. The students will meet a total of 16 Saturdays from December through May. They will learn about an important issue in the morning (such as hunger or homelessness) and will do a related service in the afternoon. The students get the opportunity to meet children from other schools in the DC/Maryland/Virgina(DMV) area, rack up over 100 hours of community service and perform meaningful service for their communities!



The Young Heroes teamlet has been in contact with over 100 schools (public, private and charter) all over the DMV area to make recruitment presentations. They've made presentations at over 25 schools and are still accepting applications! More than 20 previous Young Heroes volunteered at Make A Difference Day. They had a great time serving and it was a joy to see them bond with corps members.



Our awesome team and project leaders (Daniel, Evan, Janae and Craig) are senior corps members, which means it is actually their second year in City Year. That's right, they loved service so much they decided to come back for another go! They are an extremely dedicated bunch; it is with their organization and leadership that we are able to accomplish everything we do.

I bet you're thinking to yourself, "Hey Self, this team sounds awesome! I wonder if I can get involved!" Well, not to worry! We'd love to hear from you. If you or someone you know is a middle school aged student interested in the Young Heroes program (or if you or someone you know is aged 18 or older and interested in being a Young Heroes team leader), please contact Janae (jeason10@cityyear.org) or Craig (ctinker10@cityyear.org). If you want more information about volunteering or getting more involved with one of our service days, please contact Daniel (dlawson10@cityyear.org).

Get to Know Meheret!

Meheret E.

Corps member serving on H.O.P.E.

Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Education: Whitman College

What team are you on and what do you do? I serve on the HIV/AIDS Outreach Prevention and Education (H.O.P.E.) team. As a member of this team it is my honor to deliver a CDC approved HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum to middle and high school students, reaching more than 3,000 youth. Additionally, I facilitate “Visionary Youth Becoming Empowered” (VYBE), an after school program designed to empower youth to become informed and make confident decisions about sex. Everyone on the H.O.P.E. team has the opportunity to intern at a community organization working on various HIV/AIDS issues. I’m an HIV testing coordinator intern at Metro TeenAIDS, a community health organization dedicated to supporting young people in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I’m from one of the poorest countries in the world and when I immigrated to Seattle, Washington, I lived in bad neighborhoods and went to the worst schools in the district. But where I'm from didn't determine what I could achieve. I have a very supportive family, but when it came to academics and succeeding in the U.S., they were still struggling. Various programs (i.e. Upward Bound) and mentors who believed in me, I was able to attend a great college and secure stable life. I joined City Year because I want to be part of an organization that is dedicated to bridging the achievement gap. I serve because I want to be able to make a difference in a child’s life the way others made a difference in mine.

What are you most excited about this year? I'm excited about everything. I'm in a different city with corps members from all over the nation. I'm looking forward to learning the DC culture. Most Importantly, I look forward to the meaningful relationships I will build with DC youth and community.

What are you most nervous about this year? I'm nervous about adjusting to the culture of City Year and DC. I’m also apprehensive about my ability to make a significant impact on the students we serve.

What is something most people don’t know about you and wouldn’t guess? I have 20 nieces and nephews.

Introducing Jonathan G.!

Jonathan G.

Corps member serving at Browne

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, English and Philosophy Minors

What team are you on and what do you do? I serve as a Whole School Whole Child member at Browne Educational Campus. I tutor, mentor and I am a role model to six grade students during the school day, and fifth graders in the after school program. I am also a coordinator for the Starfish Corps program for third through fifth grade at our school, an initiative that introduces the kids to the importance of service in the community. Additionally, I assist as a Team Leader for high school students on Saturdays through the City Heroes program, a program for high school students that shows them the importance of community service and teaches them about important social issues in our society.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I joined City Year because I knew this was a great organization to do my year of service with. I serve because I am very passionate about assisting communities in most need and I truly believe in public service. I also serve because I strongly believe in the positive impact that young people can make to close the achievement gap across our nation by working with inner city public school districts, as City Year exemplifies.

What are you most excited about this year? I am very excited about being able to make a positive difference in the lives of my students. I am excited to see that by the end of the school year, I can be able to witness that they were much better off by having a corps member tutoring and mentoring them in the classroom every day throughout the school year. Overall, I am excited to be able to contribute to make any positive impact with my students and thereby at the school and the community I serve.

What are you most nervous about this year? At the beginning of the school year, I was nervous about how my students and staff would react about having City Year corps members in the classroom. However, we have received great feedback from everyone at the school, thus this is not as worrying any longer.

What is something most people don’t know about you and wouldn’t guess? I met President Obama in the past through an internship on the Hill!

Meet Cassie!

Cassie S.

Corps member serving at Turner at Green

Hometown: New Berlin, WI

Education: B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of Wisconsin

What team are you on and what do you do? I serve on the Serve DC team serving at Turner at Green Elementary School. I work in a second grade classroom providing small group literacy and math tutoring as well as in-classroom support for my teacher. In aftercare, I work with pre-kindergartners and kindergartners. I also serve as my team's evaluation coordinator, in which I track the tutoring hours of my team in order to show our impact at Turner at Green.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I joined City Year to take a year off from 'normal' life and give back to the country. Also, I was attracted to spending a year in the classroom to gain perspective and experience before committing to working in the education field. I serve because I am adamant about education and helping children. I am a product of great public schools, and I believe every child deserves to have the same (or even better) education than I did.

What are you most excited about this year? I'm most excited about being in the classroom everyday with my students. I can already tell they are improving and that make me excited. Plus, they make me smile and laugh on a daily basis.

What are you most nervous about this year? I'm most nervous about never having enough time to help all of my students every day.

What is something most people don't know about you and wouldn't guess? While I am pretty quiet and laid back around people I'm not really close with, with my friends and family I am a total goofball and usually can't stop talking. And I love watching sports, especially football and college basketball.

Get to Know Jason J.!

Jason J.

Corps member serving at Francis Stevens

Hometown: Hayward, Wisconsin

Education: B.A. in Political Science and History

What team are you on and what do you do? I am a Whole School Whole Child team member serving on the Acacia Group team at Francis Stevens educational campus. I am one of the two Learning Coordinators, and I work with the 4th grade on a daily basis.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I joined so that I could know more about the teaching profession, as well as to give back by dedicating a year to serving others.

What are you most excited about this year? I think the fact that I am spending a year doing amazing things, but also cultivating relationships and connections with working professionals.

What are you most nervous about this year? Not achieving the goals I set, but more importantly that I will give my best and that the fruits of my labors are bountiful.

What is something most people don't know about you and wouldn't guess? I've never taken Calculus! Seriously though, I would venture that people don't know that I have taken part in social activism.

Meet Irvin!

Irvin H.

Corps member serving on H.O.P.E.

Hometown: Bronx, NY

Education: Bachelor's in Chemistry and Italian from New York University, Minor in Linguistics, Concentration in Pre-Med

What team are you on and what do you do? I'm on the HOPE team. Along with my partner Kayte, I teach youngsters all about the consequences of sex: HIV/AIDS, STIs, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse. I feel like a traveling performer!We commute to different schools across the District to deliver our 10-module curriculum, chock-full of educational activities, cheesy films, and wooden penis models. I also assist an Infectious Diseases specialist at the Veterans Hospital with her HIV/AIDS project. I'm a whiz at OraQuick.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I joined City Year because I felt that it was a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a new city while affecting the lives of youth. I also wanted to learn more about politics, and there's no better place to accomplish that than in DC! I serve because I think it will be cool to tell people that I took a year after college to help fight the spread of HIV. I also like working with kids.

What are you most excited about this year? I'm most excited about finishing the second-half of CY with my wonderful teammates. They're pretty cool!

What are you most nervous about this year? I'm nervous about the cold weather... brrr! I like snow, but it makes me want to stay in and hang with my old pals Regis and Kelly.

What is something most people don't know about you and wouldn't guess? I have a really powerful imagination! I'd estimate that I spend 60% of the day contemplating my own TV and/or book series. My most recent blueprint is "Kayte Steele, MD," a dramedy starring my teaching partner.

Get to know Claire!

Claire S.

Corps member serving at Browne

Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida

Education: B.A. in Psychology from Mercer University, with a concentration in Leadership and Community Service

What team are you on and what do you do? I’m on a Whole School, Whole Child team serving proudly at Browne Education Campus in Northeast D.C. and I get to spend time with 22 amazing third graders! I provide in-class academic support, help my teacher run classroom learning centers, and tutor small groups throughout the day. My team and I also work to create a positive school climate by planning engaging events, hanging out with kids during meals or recess, and generally promoting hard work and good attitudes. After school, we run an enrichment program called Starfish Corps, and I serve as the Learning Coordinator for the 1st and 2nd grade Starfish Corps curriculum. When I’m not at Browne, I serve on the Daily Briefing Team, the Corps Council, and as a Heroes Team Leader!

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I joined City Year because I think that as a young adult, it’s way too easy to become too self-involved. I wanted to spend some time after graduating college being part of something bigger than myself. At the same time, I’m still discovering new things about myself, about others, and about my future career goals. Gandhi said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”, and it’s so true!

What are you most excited about this year? I’m most excited about watching my team grow together throughout our service year. It’s great to be part of such a diverse group, because I’m constantly learning from the experiences and perspectives of the people around me. I’m so proud of all we’ve accomplished so far this year, and I have high hopes for our continued success at Browne.

What are you most nervous about this year? Being away from the great support network of family friends that I have elsewhere across the country. I can be notoriously bad with change and transitions, but D.C. is feeling more comfy every day!

What is something most people don’t know about you and wouldn’t guess? I can’t snap my fingers. Lots of people have tried to teach me – it just never works.

Introducing Josh!

Josh F.

Corps member serving on H.O.P.E.

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

Education: High School; Olympia High

What team are you on and what do you do? I'm on the H.O.P.E. team and I teach HIV Outreach Prevention Education in middle schools across D.C.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I join City Year because I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to do right out of high school, so I dedicated a year before college to do something positive. I serve because I enjoy giving back to the community.

What are you most excited about this year? Working with Anna C.!

What are you most nervous about this year? The possibility of giving positive HIV results after testing some one.

What is something most people don't know about you and wouldn't guess? I went to the regional wrestling championship my senior year in high school.

Get to Know Anna!

Anna O.

Corps member serving at Francis-Stevens

Hometown: Newton, New Jersey

Education: Attended St. Louis University and planning to finish my BA in journalism next year.

What team are you on and what do you do? I serve at Francis Stevens Elementary working with the 7th and 8th grade English classes.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? After doing a year of service with AmeriCorps NCCC, I knew that I wanted to do another. I chose to do my second year with CYDC because of its reputation and the thought of bringing about social change. My mom has always said that you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. 

What are you most excited about this year? I am most excited to learn from the other corps members that I serve with. I am constantly reminded that it is when this are at there hardest, that is when change occurs.

What are you most nervous about this year? I am most nervous about being so far out of my comfort zone. While meeting new people and learning new things exciting, there is also going to be hardship that accompanies that excitment. I just hope that I will always keep my goals in mind during difficult times.

What is something most people don’t know about you and wouldn’t guess? When I was 4 years old I recorded a vocal track that is now featured on the Alice Cooper Classiks album in the song Stolen Prayer.

Anything else you want to share- In City Year it is evident that there is no end to learning. The corps members and students I have grown to love have taught me so much I didn't know.

Meet David S.!

David S.

Corps member serving on Heroes

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Education: Some college at Temple University

What team are you on and what do you do? I am on the Young Heroes Team. As part of the Young Heroes Team I will coordinate and lead a service-learning and leadership development program for middle school children throughout the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area. I serve as the Team Leader recruitment officer and am also in charge of the Roots of Violence, and Roots of Poverty themed service learning days.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I joined City Year because the opportunity to serve fell in my lap at the right time. I was a very unhappy college student, in need of a good way to spend a year off from school. I wanted to motivate myself to continue my education, and in a future career path. City Year provided me a great way to spend a year from school, by giving me the chance to work in a new city, make new friends, and engage youth of all ages in a fun year of service.
I serve for the simple reason that I can. I have been blessed with many gifts throughout my life and I feel that it is an obligation to give back. I also serve because I love helping people and making people smile. I serve for urban youth because I wish someone would have been there for me. I want more and more urban youth to "change their stars" and go to college and be successful.
What are you most excited about this year? I am excited for everyday this year. Everyday I walk in with a smile, and try to make everyone I come into contact with feel the same. I am also excited to return to school one day and the career field to use the experience from this year in my life.

What are you most nervous about this year? I am not really nervous for this year. But I am nervous for other people. I want everyone to have the best year possible.

What is something most people don’t know about you and wouldn’t guess? I really love celery and peanut butter!

Introducing Jazmin!

Jazmin W.

Corps member serving at Simon

Hometown: Alexandria, VA (from Raleigh, NC)

Education: High School Diploma from Garner Magnet High School and plan on attending Howard

What team are you on and what do you do? I proudly serve on the Whole School Whole Child team serving at Simon Elementary in Southeast Dc. I work with third graders before and during school, small groups/one on one, I have two mentee's in the third grade. I founded a club called YLOV (Young Ladies Of Virtue) we promote self-love, self- respect, and self-esteem.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I joined City Year because I wanted to give back to the community and make a remarkable change in children's lives. I believe that everyone should give a year of service, service is so important. I serve for many reasons, my number one reason is that I don't want another child to fall behind in school like I did. I also don't want a child to feel like no one cares about their education or them as a person. I serve because I want to make a difference in the lives of others. I serve because I want CHANGE!

What are you most excited about this year? Service! Changing test scores and attitudes!

What are you most nervous about this year? Nervous isn't in a woman's vocabulary! I am not nervous about anything; service has been great for me! What you put in is what you get out!

What is something most people don’t know about you and wouldn’t guess? I am obsessed with strawberry lemonade and I love to dance/step!

Meet Diane!

Diane F.

Corps member serving on the Civic Engagement team

Hometown: Idaho Falls, ID

Education: University of Pennsylvania, BA, Major: Political Science

What team are you on and what do you do? I am on the Civic Engagement team. In preparation for our service events, I primarily work on mural designs.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? When I was in high school, I decided that I wanted to dedicate a year of my life to service after college. Last year, as I was deciding what to do after college, my sister came across City Year in an e-mail and told me about it. It seemed to be the perfect fit!
I serve because I feel as though we all have an obligation to give back to society and help those in need.

What are you most excited about this year? I am most excited about seeing the impact that CYDC will have on the community.

What are you most nervous about this year? I'm most nervous about getting my food stamps. I don't think that Montgomery County likes me…

What is something most people don't know about you and wouldn't guess? I am a huge U2 fan. No joke. My sister finds it embarrassing. For U2's 360 Tour, I waited for around fourteen hours to score a good position in front of the stage. Was it worth it? Oh yeah!

Get to Know Desmond!

Desmond P.

Corps member serving on the Civic Engagement team

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Education: H.S. diploma

What team are you on and what do you do? I am on the CE team and I handle all the inkinding of food and drinks for service projects and I support the rest of my team.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I chose to do City Year because I didn't want to immediately jump into college because realistically, college isn't going any where any time soon and I serve because I like what CE does and how we operate and I really want to make a change in little kids lives.

What are you most excited about this year? I'm excited to meet new people and learn life skills from others.

What are you most nervous about this year? Nothing really, I feel as though I'm gaining a lot.


What is something most people don’t know about you and wouldn’t guess? My ethnic background, I am African American and Filipino. I am also a video producer.

Get to Know Sarai!

Sarai G.

Corps member serving at Ferebee-Hope

Hometown: York, PA

Education: B.A. in Communication from George Mason University

What team are you on and what do you do? I serve on the WSWC team at Ferebee-Hope Community School. I provide one-on-one and small group tutoring to students. I also serve as my team's after school coordinator and plan Starfish Corps.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I joined City Year because I admired the diversity of the program, specifically the people, the types of initiatives, and the day to day CY life. I serve because I believe that everyone deserves the chance to have 'enough'. I also serve because I aspire to try and make peoples' days better than their previous ones.

What are you most excited about this year? I'm most excited about seeing my kids improve and watching them become more confident in themselves. I'm also extra excited to work with my team--they're amazing!!

What are you most nervous about this year? I'm most nervous that I will feel like I did not make an impact on some of the kids.

What is something most people don't know about you and wouldn't guess? I have a poem published in a book and there is a picture of me hanging in an Applebee's back home in PA!

Meet Georgina!

Georgina S.

Corps Member serving on the Civic Engagement Team

Hometown: Mercer Island, WA

Education: Hofstra University, BA - Classics

What team are you on and what do you do? I’m on the CSX Civic Engagement Team and I help plan service projects, design murals, and engage the DC community.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I joined City Year because I wanted to get more experience working with children and I serve to help those who have been overlooked.

What are you most excited about this year? I’m most excited about being able to go back to our City Year For A Day locations and see the work we’ve done.

What are you most nervous about this year? I’m worried either MLK Day or Global Youth Service Day will fall apart without enough time to fix it.

What is something most people don’t know about you and wouldn’t guess? I’m the messiest neat-freak ever! My apartment might look like a mess, but I know where everything is and I flip out if I can’t find stuff.

Introducing Nadia!

Nadia P.

Corps member serving at Francis-Stevens

Hometown: Washington, DC

Education: High School at Deerfield Academy

What team are you on and what do you do? I serve on Whole School Whole Child at Francis-Stevens education campus. I work in the kindergarten class tutoring and mentoring children during the school day. Also, during after-school I run an “Environmental Explorers” club that teaches second graders to be environmentally conscious and protect the world that they live in.

Why did you join City Year and why do you serve? I joined City Year to help my peers in servicing the DC community. Being a DC resident I felt an urgency to give the children of DC the same opportunities that I was given growing up. I serve the children at my school everyday to make sure that they are excited about their education and that they have positive role models in their lives.

What are you most excited about this year? I’m most excited about Teaching my kids everything that I've learned over the years and learing from them as well. I'm also really excited about making a difference.

What are you most nervous about this year? I'm most nervous about what the kids and faculty will think about me and if they like me. I just really want to be their favorite person ever!

What is something most people don’t know about you and wouldn’t guess? Most people wouldn't guess that I'm an intense fan of doing Billy Blank's Tae Bo workout in my living room. I love it!