Thankful Thursday: Teachers at School Number One in Fort Lee, NJ

Corps member Steph Yero-bula believes that her elementary school teachers had a huge impact on her life.

Each week, City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley will thank a person or organization for inspiring us in our service. This week, corps member Steph Yero-bula thanks her elementary school teachers for showing such high investment in her education.

On Opening Day, we were asked to dedicate our bombers to someone. Without any hesitation, I dedicated my bomber to my elementary school teachers at School Number One in Fort Lee, NJ. Watching the students grow these past few months at Cureton Elementary has made me realize the excitement my elementary school teachers must have felt watching me and my fellow students grow.

What I have also come to realize is that I was a very lucky student, and that is because I had teachers who stood up for me. They pushed me forward and fought for me when outside forces could not offer encouragement. I am so thankful to have had teachers who constantly forced me to think about the future. For instance, every year we would take some time out of class to discuss what we wanted to be when we grew up. They always encouraged secondary education and careers. They believed in my education more than I was ever able to understand until now.

My elementary school teachers poured their heart and soul into their students. Despite all the problems that I had at home, I always looked forward to going to school because they stressed how education was my way of making a difference; my way out. I have to say that they are a very big factor as to why I am here today; why I want to students to enjoy coming to school. My elementary school teachers played a huge part in me going to college and pursuing a career, not just a job.

Words will never explain how I will forever be touched by their hard work and their dedication to education.

I look at the students during my tutoring sessions and my after-school class and cannot help but feel motivated to give them what my teachers provided for me; to provide these students with a sense of accomplishing everything they dream of and beyond. I cannot wait to see the impact of our work at the end of the school year and tell my elementary school teachers of our work with City Year in San Jose, CA.

Steph Yero-bula, Corps Member CYSJ

Thankful Thursday: Mrs. DeFayette

Each week, City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley will thank a person or organization for inspiring us in our service. This week, corps member Alex Mihalek thanks Mrs. Mary DeFayette for inspiring her to serve with City Year.

Corps member Alex Mihalek with one of her students. Her first grade teacher Mrs. DeFayette inspires her as she serves.

Sometimes, things just click. That’s the way it was with school and me. I had always liked walking through the large brick archway of Bailey Avenue Elementary School. However, as a very restless six-year-old, I would much rather have been playing outside than sitting and reciting my ABCs in a cramped classroom. Then, I was lucky enough to be placed in Mrs. Mary DeFayette’s class and everything clicked.

Mrs. DeFayette is a remarkable educator by every definition of the word. She played a key role in one of the most pivotal years of our education, teaching her students fundamental skills and to love learning. She also dealt with our constant screaming and glue eating, but always had a smile on her face.

As I look back on my time in Mrs. DeFayette’s classroom, over a decade and a half ago now, I am most impressed by her unwavering commitment to her students. Mrs. DeFayette always went above and beyond what was asked of her as a teacher. I distinctly remember one week where I came up with a story that I really wanted to write down.

However, I was still working on correctly shaping letters, so all of the intricacies of recording my thoughts on paper made this a seemingly impossible task. I mentioned this to Mrs. DeFayette one day, and she told me to meet her at recess in the classroom. Mrs. DeFayette stayed in with me during her lunch break for the entire week to type up the story as I told it to her in parts. At the end of the week, I had a printed copy of my first creative writing piece, and I felt like I was on top of the world.

Mrs. DeFayette truly taught me to love learning, and I believe that much of my academic success is a result of her early influence. She also taught me to always give more of myself than is required. At the beginning of my time with City Year, we were asked to dedicate our year of service to someone, and I chose Mrs. DeFayette. Her passion for others and generosity are truly remarkable and I hope one day to embody these traits. Thank you!

Alex Mihalek, Corps Member CYSJ

Finding inspiration in City Year

Jeff Tibayan had the chance to see his cousin Rachel Ramirez in service when he visited City Year Milwaukee.

I recently went to visit Milwaukee, WI to see my good friend and fellow City Year San José/Silicon Valley Alumni Jake Drollinger.  Jake is currently the Recruitment and Alumni Affairs Manager for City Year Milwaukee and is in his second year with the site. This is their founding corps year and I had the pleasure to be part of the Visitor’s Program at Alexander Mitchell Integrated Arts School. The City Year corps members at this school are led by another City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley alum Will Reichardt. My cousin Rachel Ramirez is a first year corps member serving on his team where she leads a seventh grade classroom after school.

The City Year program at Alexander Mitchell Integrated Arts School is partnered up with Boys and Girls Club who has been with the school for years. Together, they make a really cool after-school program where much of the enrichment intrigues the students’ minds. Jerrion Shell and Angela Bolmes, also first year corps members, led the tour of the four-story school as they told me the history and what they do at Alexander Mitchell. I also got the chance to ask them why did they choose to serve as they asked me why I worked with City Year three years; both Jerrion and Angela want to work as senior corps members after this year.

Just like all of the City Year sites, City Year Milwaukee gets together for unity rally every Friday morning.

The morning after, I went with Jake to see the one of the best unity rallies I’ve ever seen. From their readiness check, to physical training, reading of the Daily Briefing, and final team circles, it was all on point. They were loud, energetic and ready to serve! It brought me great joy to see such a young, wonderful, and compassionate group ready to serve their community.

Interestingly enough, Milwaukee’s founding corps reminds me of why I served and why I continue to serve the community I live in. They reminded me of my corps year; the excitement, the friendships we built, the struggles, the frustrations, the warmth, the smiles, and most importantly, the service.

The great thing about City Year, no matter what city, no matter how different the site looks, the mindset is always the same: we want to do GOOD, we want to be the DIFFERENCE, and we want to SERVE with SPIRIT, DISCIPLINE, PURPOSE, and PRIDE. Just hearing those four words being shouted out proudly during PT astounded me; and it astounds the communities of Milwaukee, San José, New York, Boston and everywhere else City Year serves.

Jeff Tibayan, 2006-2009 Alum CYSJ

Challenge cynyciscm wherever you find it

For me, being optimistic has never been a choice.  Finding the silver lining, the upside, the teachable moment, the light at the end of the tunnel is just how my brain works.  And I think part of why I love being a part of City Year so much is that the organization is all about idealism.  It is about taking optimism beyond a positive attitude and shaping it into a powerful force for social change.

But there’s a reason that people often look down on optimists as not being realistic.  It’s because being a cynic is easier.

It is easier to focus on what is not working.  It is easier to complain about how the system is broken.  It is easier to complain about how things are not what you thought they would be.

It takes strength and courage to look past all that and find the solutions, to work for change, and to make “what could be” a reality.

There’s a reason the first PITW that City Year has is to challenge cynicism wherever you find it.  The education system is surrounded by and full of cynical people who think that the problems facing our education system are insurmountable or that the tasks we ask of the corps are beyond what should be expected or can be accomplished by such young people.

Like I said, I don’t really have a choice in the matter.  Pushing beyond that cynicism each and every day is just what I do.

But as a senior corps member, it is always my hope that I am inspiring that same response in others.  That I am nurturing the idealism of the corps and squashing cynicism whenever and wherever it appears.  That I am building a team that knows it can overcome any challenges presented because they have the power to create the change they want to see.  That the passion I have for the work we do speaks volumes about the difference a City Year can make and makes people think even this early in the game about serving another year.

Call me a cockeyed optimist.  Call me an idealist.  Call me crazy.  It only fuels the fire more.  I am giving a year to change the world, and nothing, nothing, can stop me!

Deborah Woo, Team Leader CYSJ