City Year DC Announces "Lifetime of Idealism" Award Winner at 15th Anniversary Gala

WASHINGTON, May  7, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On May 12, City Year Washington, DC will host its 15^th anniversary gala, where they will present Jim Cicconi, Senior Executive Vice President of External and Legislative Affairs, AT&T Inc., with the "Lifetime of Idealism" award. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Washington Hilton. On hand will be more than 600 business and community leaders, citizens and City Year Washington, DC AmeriCorps members. 

"City Year is proud to recognize Jim Cicconi and AT&T for their commitment to improving the lives of people both in the District and nationwide," said Jeff Franco, City Year Washington, DC Executive Director and Vice President. "Their ongoing commitment to helping others serves as an inspirational model for all of us to follow."

AT&T aims to drive innovation in education through AT&T Aspire, the company's signature education initiative focused on school success and career readiness.  Through Aspire, AT&T has contributed more than $2 million to City Year and engaged its employees to mentor students and City Year AmeriCorps members in five cities across the country.  Over the next two years, AT&T will expand its support to impact a total of 2,500 students in seven schools, which will receive academic and social-emotional interventions provided by teams of City Year AmeriCorps members.

At the Gala, AT&T will also announce it will match up to $50,000 in contributions to City Year Washington, DC to support their Diplomas Now collaborative at Cardozo Education Campus. "At AT&T, we are dedicated to supporting programs like City Year, which help ensure children right here in DC, as well as around the country, have the tools they need to stay in school and on track to graduate," said Jim Cicconi.

Since 2000, City Year Washington, DC AmeriCorps members have been serving in District public schools to provide support to students who face the greatest risk of dropping out.  AmeriCorps members use research-based tools to improve students' attendance, behavior and course performance in math and English. Corps members also lead afterschool programs and school-wide initiatives to improve school culture.

City Year Washington, DC's 15th anniversary gala is made possible by Bain Capital, City Year's National Gala Sponsor. Since City Year's inception, Bain Capital and its employees have supported City Year with more than $25 million in donations and hundreds of volunteer hours by the firm's employees. The national gala sponsorship includes a donation of $50,000 to each of City Year's sites nation-wide.

"City Year and Bain Capital share a common belief that supporting young people's education, growth and development is the single most important investment we can make in our future," said Jonathan Lavine, City Year National Board Chair, and Managing Partner of Sankaty Advisors, Bain Capital's credit affiliate. "City Year is an incredible double bottom-line investment. It helps students in high poverty public schools succeed, and at the same time develops corps members into civic-minded leaders of tomorrow. As supporters of the organization for more than two decades, we are honored to sponsor City Year's 15th Anniversary."

Speakers include Sean Doherty, Bain Managing Director and Chief Legal and Administrative Officer, and Washington D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Kaya Henderson, who will discuss how DCPS are working with City Year to turnaround the lowest-performing DC public schools.

About City Year City Year is an education-focused organization founded in 1988 dedicated to helping students and schools succeed. City Year partners with public schools in 26 urban, high-poverty communities across the U.S. and through international affiliates in the U.K. and Johannesburg, South Africa. Diverse teams of City Year AmeriCorps members provide high-impact student, classroom and school-wide support, to help students stay in school and on track to graduate from high school, ready for college and career success. A proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, City Year is made possible by support from the Corporation for National and Community Service, school district partnerships, and private philanthropy from corporations, foundations and individuals. Learn more at www.cityyear.org.

About Philanthropy and Social Innovation at AT&T: AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. In 2013, more than $130 million was contributed or directed through corporate-, employee-, social investment- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T's signature education initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring.

About Bain Capital, LLC: Founded in 1984, Bain Capital has grown into one of the world's foremost privately-held alternative investment firms.  Bain Capital's affiliated businesses - Bain Capital Private Equity, Sankaty Advisors, Bain Capital Ventures, Brookside Capital and Absolute Return Capital - manage approximately $80 billion in assets for endowments, pensions, foundations and other institutions and individuals.  The firm's more than 900 employees in 13 locations around the world focus on delivering great returns for investors while contributing back to the communities where they live and work.  Through Bain Capital Community Partnership, the firm and its employees serve as trusted partners to more than 500 civic organizations around the world whose missions inspire them, helping to build great communities and improve the quality of life where they live and work.

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SOURCE City Year

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