City Year Detroit Honors 71 Young Adults for Full Time Service

DETROIT, June 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --Young adult leaders who have given more than 120,000 hours tutoring and mentoring Detroit area students will be honored for their commitment on Thursday, June 9, at Compuware Headquarters.

"City Year is really all about learning to serve and learning to lead. These young people have put their own education or careers on hold to give a year of their lives to help someone else succeed…they will never be the same," said Penny Bailer, Executive Director for City Year Detroit.

City Year brings together "near peers" ages 17-24 to Detroit area schools for full-time service. Corps members tutor and mentor more than 1,200 students in grades K-9 during both in-school and after-school programs that focus on improving students' attendance, behavior and academic performance – all in an effort to keep then in school and on track to graduate.  

"City Year Detroit's participation in helping tutor students for the last couple of years helped us make AYP during the 2009-2010 school year. They have significantly helped to raise achievement in our school," said Vetal Elementary Principal Phillip Vanhooks.

Geno Gresham, 18, joined City Year last fall because he said, "I never had a father figure in my life. I've always had mentors. Growing up I always loved to volunteer." Gresham met Bailer at a Rotary Club of Detroit scholarship event, where he was the recipient of a nine-month scholarship for his leadership and academic skills.

This year, Gresham served at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy tutoring eight graders in math and English. He remembers one student who was performing on a fifth grade level in math and didn't know her multiplication tables. "I pulled her out of class and tutored her two hours every day," said Gresham. "She got a B+ on her last report card."

City Year Corps members volunteer for up to two years and are required to complete 1,700 hours of service per year. In return, corps members receive a weekly stipend, basic health insurance, ongoing professional development training, and an educational award of $5,350 to pay for college tuition or pay off student loans.

SOURCE City Year Detroit