Learning is a process of weaving together different skills to build strong “skills ropes.” City Year helps students strengthen skills essential for success in and out of school—social, emotional and academic.
Weaving skills together
All of us pull together strands of various skills to solve problems, work with others, formulate and express our ideas, and learn from mistakes. We continuously weave academic or “cognitive” skills with social and emotional skills, such as self-management or conflict resolution. The more strands we weave together, the stronger the rope becomes.
To complete a research project in school, a student might need skills in planning, research, reading and writing. Each of these skills—or strands—is equally important for learning.
Learning is an active process, not a passive one. Just as ropes don’t weave themselves, learning requires action to take place, like putting skills to practice and applying them in multiple scenarios.
City Year makes me feel I can really do better and achieve my goals.
10th-grade student City Year School
City Year AmeriCorps members help students cultivate social, emotional and academic skills, from mastering fractions to working in teams—skills that are important in school and in life.
City Year’s holistic approach is based on a growing body of research about how students learn and how caring adults can support the learning and growing process of children and young adults. Collaborating with teachers and principals, our AmeriCorps members help students strengthen their social, emotional and academic skills ropes, which prepares them for college, career and civic life.
Transforming school environments
Our AmeriCorps members build strong relationships with students and partner with teachers and principals to help create school environments where students feel safe, connected and welcomed.
City Year and our partners commit to multiple years of service in systemically under-resourced schools so that students “grow up with City Year”—our seven-year promise to students.
