Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy

Back in September, I walked into Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy in Hyde Park, Boston, to start my AmeriCorps service year with the CSX Team at City Year.  Even though it is only November, it seems as though I’ve already been on a journey of a lifetime with one of my students, Oliver*. Oliver is the oldest of five siblings in a single parent household; it is clear that he is in need of attention and consistency in his life.

Over two months ago I stepped into my classroom to offer in-school support to my students.  I was ready to serve as a mentor, role model and course-coach. I wanted to assist my teacher as much as possible. We agreed that the best way to do so was to give my attention to those children who need it the most, including Oliver. Despite my eagerness, Oliver was less than thrilled to accept my offer.

While our travels may have started out rocky, we seem to have come to a plateau. By seeing me come to class Monday through Thursday every week, continuing to care, and persevering  through setbacks, Oliver has come to realize my purpose of being there. Instead of insisting that he does not need my help, he seeks me out. Instead of preferring to deal with his academic or personal frustrations on his own, he will let me comfort him and share his burdens.

Getting through to Oliver ensures that I am on the right path to forming solid relationships with students in my class. It makes me understand why I chose to do my year of service with City Year, in schools like the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy. While my journey with Oliver is not yet over, we have finally found a rhythm and understanding.

*Names have been changed for privacy

Written by Nithya Prabhala, City Year AmeriCorps Member Serving on the CSX Team at the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy.

Although the holidays are now over, the adventures continue as one Corps member reflects on 12 days of new experiences serving in a City Year uniform:

Day 1: Seeing kids at the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy have a real playground to use, enjoy and act like real kids in.

Day 2: Watching Steven* attempt to telepathically move the ball closer to him during a game. He thought that strategy would beat going to pick it up himself. Smiling every day at things kids do or say.

Day 3: Kids in our Starfish Extended Day Program starting to take initiative and help their peers or younger students with homework. Some of the fifth graders are becoming a routine part of my third graders’ lives. It is inspiring to see them take on challenges.

Day 4: Watching 20 kids devour 8 very large cartons of ice-cream during our Perfect Attendance Party. One teeny kinder-gardener had four helpings and nearly finished an entire carton by herself!

Day 5 (and every other day): Teaching kids a concept and seeing them have that ‘Ah-ha!’ moment. Watching the ‘Ah-ha’ moment develop into a regular learning strategy.

Day 6: Waking up at 3am to make 70 pancakes, 10 packages of bacon and 7 dozens eggs among other food for the CSX team Teacher Appreciation Breakfast.

Day 7: Having two kindergarten girls pose for about ten minutes at the end of our runway for our Attendance and Uniform Fashion Show. We had to prompt them off the stage.

Day 8: Getting to teach your students aspects of life that you find yourself passionate about in translatable elementary school terms during our Starfish Extended Day Program.

Day 9: Watching with pride as 20+ students from our program execute City Year Physical Training moves with gusto during our Starfish Open House in front of their parents.

Day 10: Getting the chance to talk with students during our Behavior Lunch Buddies Program about their future goals and aspirations. Natalia* wants to go to Harvard so she can be close to her parents. Molly* wants to go to MIT because the school has her initials. She’s been informed that she will have to work very hard to achieve this. Fortunately, she says she is up to the challenge.

Day 11: Having a “dougie-off” with my kids. Watching them prove they have better dance skills than I do.

Day 12: Having the opportunity to hear about and see all the different individual backgrounds of my students.

*Names of students have been changed for privacy.

By Nithya Prabhala, City Year AmeriCorps member on the CSX Team serving at the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy.

PITW #66: Do Three Squishy Things A Day. BING!

1. The moment I entered the Civic Forum at the City Year Boston Headquarters, I noticed a huge group of senior corps members singing and clapping. The enthusiastic greeting overwhelmed me and it took me a moment to realize that the chant-like words and phrases were words of welcome. At the time, I was slightly taken aback as I had no understanding of what a power greeting was. Little did I know that it would become a daily part of my life for the months to come. As a member of any City Year team, we greet students in the morning as they enter the school with similar chants, high-fives and above all else, wide smiles. In the beginning, I think I felt silly, but at this point, I know I’ll do whatever, silly or otherwise, to make sure that my kids smile when they walk in the doors of my school, the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy.

PITW #133: Share “Ripples” Constantly- They Increase The Joy.

2. “Please share a ripple, joy or appreciation.” Everyone in our circle at a service project proceeded to talk about one of these. This is a phrase we hear all the time at City Year and a way to begin a meeting or project with positivity. A ripple is an action that has been repeated and gone on to cause further change. Joys are moments of happiness and appreciations are reserved to commemorate other individuals.

PITW #128: Take Enormous Pride In The City Year Uniform.

3. “City Year!” Those are the first words I heard when I walked into the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy. The kids were so excited to see us! I was confused as to why, since they didn’t know who I am. What they did recognize was my red jacket. From that one article of clothing, they were able to connect me with City Year and the service that we provide and the service that the corps brought to the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy last year. That immediate welcome opened the door to so many kids and opportunities. I understood that by putting my jacket on, I was representing myself, my team, the corps from the past as well as the one of the future.

PITW #158: Operate With Purpose And Pride.

4. “Spirit, Discipline, Purpose and Pride, yeah Pride.” When it was first made clear to us that performing this chant at Physical Training (PT) in Copley Square every Friday morning at 8am was a mandatory part of service, I couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed. I have grown up near Boston and was self-conscious about performing in front of anyone who may have been passing through that area. When the first PT Rally approached, I was nervous, especially because I had the very first position in our team line (I am the shortest). It didn’t take me long to look upon those rallies as something to be proud of rather. I love that we look like an ocean of red, powerfully performing our moves together. I learned that we utilize PT to loosen people up and get energy levels high. We use it to reach out to the community, draw attention to our cause and start conversations with those who do notice us. What we do is important and we want people to know about it.

PITW #180: Remember That Anyone Can Discover ways of Putting Idealism To Work.

5. “This is PITW #…. BING!!” The first time I heard people around seem to scream the word ‘Bing’ in response to a Putting Idealism To Work quote, I was startled. It took me a while to become accustomed enough to refrain from jumping to the practice of saying the word ‘Bing’ (which represents the light bulb moment of an idea). I couldn’t imagine the sense of community that you could feel by sharing a simple piece of culture like responding alike to an inspiring or thought-provoking quote.

By Nithya Prabhala, City Year AmeriCorps member serving on the CSX Team at the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy.

Teacher – corps member relationships are the foundation of our service and allow us to build connections to powerfully impact our students. The CSX team collaborated with teachers to paint panels of our favorite children’s book covers, carrying over the relationships formed in the classroom into service:

Editor’s Note by Igor Kharitonenkov, Communications Coordinator
at City Year Boston:

To hear what kind of difference City Year is making in our schools, just ask a teacher. In February, my new position as Communications Coordinator at City Year Boston and my background in film converged in a series of interviews filmed at the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy, an elementary school in Hyde Park, Boston, that our CSX Team serves at. The compiled footage would eventually be edited down into a short film presented at the Legal Breakfast Community Breakfast.

I’ve spent many touching hours hearing testimonials from our corps, some of which are featured right here on this blog. This visit, however, was my first interaction with the faculty that work with our corps on a daily basis to facilitate a culture of learning for young students. Hearing from teachers first-hand was incredibly moving; it was a look into the symbiotic bond formed between City Year and faculty, and the mutual goal of keeping students in school and on track to graduate. This is the story of Elihu Greenwood Academy, a community of learners.

Created by City Year AmeriCorps members Diana Mai, Erin O’Donnell, Nithya Prabhala, and Rian Yalamanchili. Read their full bios here.

“When I see City Year, I think I want to be one too!” yells a third grader excitedly.

The first thing that many of us look at in the morning is our City Year uniforms. Day in and day out, we all wear the same parts – white shirt, khakis, belt, bright red jacket and Timberland boots.

“City Year has mad stylish jackets,” claims a fourth grader.

Even though it is a uniform all corps members are required to wear, it is also representative of the unity we all feel while we serve. Despite the fact that we each come from different backgrounds and serve at different schools, we are all committed to City Year for the same reason – to serve full-time for a year in in schools and communities and to make a difference in the lives of others.

“CY is an inspiration for me to be a better me.”

Looking at the uniform from the lens of our students, we wanted to see what the City Year jacket symbolized and what kind of difference City Year had personally made to them. All across the spectrum of younger children to teenagers at the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy, The Jeremiah E. Burke High School, The Holland Elementary School and the Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School, we asked students from elementary to high school what the red jacket’s significance was for them.

“The City Year uniform means you have to be responsible and trustworthy because people look up to you,” says a fifth grader.

Click here to view slideshow. This is the third installment of a monthly collaborative project. See last month’s project here - We ask incoming Boston Corps, “Why did you choose City Year?”

1. First, the set up. Everyone on my team took a lot of initiative to make sure that every detail was taken care of in terms of the set up for the event. From tablecloths to banner-hanging, balloons to chairs and food placement to registration set-up, every detail was meticulously managed. We were lucky enough to have Au Bon Pain generously donate much of the food for this event.

3. The execution. We started the event by hosting a panel discussion. Before students and families broke up into smaller groups to listen to three of our speakers, we wanted to give them an overview of the diverse group of professionals attending the event. Each panelist introduced themselves and answered questions that pertained to their specific career.

4. Extra hands on deck. I was not only happy with all of our speakers, all the work my team had put into the event, but also thankful for the many family and friends that came to help us out. They served as ushers for the day, giving valuable extra support to the small, but mighty, CSX team. My sister, a NYC City Year alum, came to impart her experience with City Year in New York. My personal highlight was my dad coming to support our event by volunteering as a speaker and. Special thanks to my teacher, Tammi Mark, who came and sat in on my dad’s presentation.

By Nithya Prabhala, City Year AmeriCorps member serving on the CSX Team at the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy.

This year I was a first year corps member, on a team with a first year team leader and a first year program manager. There have been many new things to experience for everyone. But when you come to work everyday with someone who chose to come back for a demanding third year with City Year, you know it has to be worth it. My Program Manager, in charge of our team at the Greenwood, did just that – Nicole Kfoury is our fearless leader ready to blaze a new trail. I sat down with her to ask her about her first year as Program Manager and how it differs from her years as a corps member.

What made you want to continue with City Year after your first two years as a corps member?

NK: I stayed because of the potential of experiencing a brand new team of young idealists who could make an impact on a new group of students in a new school. I saw this third year as another opportunity to pass on what I have learned first-hand to other people.

What has been the most challenging aspect of being a Program Manager?

NK: The most challenging part has been trying to effectively maintain a balance between work and personal time, especially when I’m being pulled in many different directions; they are good directions, but there are still a lot of them.

[Nithya Reveals Why You Should Host a Career Night at Your School]

What has been the most rewarding part of this year?

NK: Being able to witness my team grow both personally and professionally and, at the same time, transform the E. Greenwood school has been the most rewarding part of my service this year. I have been able to see them develop as individuals before my eyes, all the while building stronger relationships with the school.

Do you have a favorite memory?

NK: Doing our ‘Earn Your Boots’ routine was a highlight- I’m pretty sure we only had to re-do it because people wanted to see the performance a second time!

What was your biggest take away as the year came to a close?

NK: It has been humbling to be able to meet new people year in and year out, who share the same passions I do. Of course my first team as a manager will always be the most special.

Has the experience been what you expected? More? Less?

NK: This experience has been absolutely what I expected and definitely more. I did not expect to fall in love with my team as much as I did.

By Teresa Lee
Teresa Lee is a 2012-2013 corps member serving on the Bain Capital Children’s Charity team at the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy in Hyde Park. 

We asked students to write their New Year wishes and resolutions on construction paper snowflakes. We were very proud of the students whose resolutions involved improving academically or behaviorally.

“I will do better at not throwing paper on the floor!”

“All day recess. No homework.”

“My resolution is no homework, better portions and taste of food.”

“Eat good food.”

Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared on the City Year blog. Reprinted with permission. 

The corps members serving at the Marshall Elementary School and Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy benefit from a unique partnership with Harvard’s SmartTALK program. Harvard works hard to “increase learning opportunities for Boston’s young people.” Here’s a look at how both schools implemented their Harvard training and Smart TALK tool kits.

John Marshall Elementary School

As told by Charlotte Wright, a 2012-2013 corps member serving at the John Marshall Elementary School in Mattapan.

Two students learn the U.S. states with this SmartTALK game.

Through their program SmartTALK, Harvard supplies afterschool staff around the city with learning tools and games that are aligned with grade-appropriate standards and designed to foster a productive and engaging learning space. The games in the SmartTALK kit have helped us keep the students in our Starfish afterschool program focused and learning.

The games allow us to continue academic work with the students after school, while simultaneously providing a relaxed and engaging environment. Our Starfish students, ranging from third through fifth grade, have been able to practice a variety of different skills they need to succeed inside and outside school through playing games. For example, my third-grade students often struggled with geography. One particular Tuesday in class they seemed to be confused about the difference between a country, a state and a city, especially when discussing The United States. Recognizing this, I brought “The Scrambled States of America” game from the SmartTALK kit into Starfish. This game allowed students to practice locating different states on the map while also emphasizing various characteristics and facts about states.

They seemed hesitant, and some even admitted that they thought it was going to be “boring.” We ended up playing for over twenty (exciting) minutes. In the beginning, my students struggled locating states on the map, but after a few rounds they became more familiar with the map and were increasingly comfortable locating states. When it was time to put the game away and transition to club time, I asked my students if they liked the game. George*, a students who is often distracted and off-task, responded: “It was fun. I liked that we learned new things about states and where they are on the map.”

Another student, Kira*, admitted: “I was surprised that a game I could learn a lot from was also fun.” No matter which game they play, all students in Starfish have responded similarly to George and Kira when playing: enthusiastic and engaged.

We are grateful for Harvard’s SmartTALK program, which has given us the tools we need to help our students succeed, not only academically but socially and emotionally as well. We are looking forward to continuing to take advantage of the unique opportunity that the SmartTALK partnership offers us at the Marshall!

To read the full article and to discover how the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy utilizes the SmartTALK program click here.

By Teresa Lee

Photo by Deb Stgo (flickr)

“I don’t want to do my homework. It’s boring.”

Looking up the definition, reading passages, and writing sentences with vocabulary words may help the student learn the definition, but after a while it can grow dull. The following five games are a great way to spice up vocabulary lessons and to keep your students engaged.

Charades
Divide the students into groups of two or  three. Give each group a vocabulary word, which they must act out for the class.  The catch? They cannot speak or write the word or definition. Allow groups a few minutes to plan how they will perform their word. One at a time, call groups to act out their word. The first group to guess the correct word wins a point. To help keep the groups from shouting out random words, you can deduct a point for each incorrect guess.

Taboo
Divide the class into Teams A and Team B. Team A sits on one side of the classroom, Team B sits on the other. Bring two chairs (the “hot seats”) to the front of the room so that when seated, one student is facing his or her respective team with his back is to white board. The teacher writes a word, phrase, or sentence on the board. The students in the hot seats mustn’t see what’s written on the board. Once the teacher yells, “go,” the teams have one minute, using only verbal clues, to get their hot-seat teammate to say the word on the board. The only rule (or taboo) is that students giving clues cannot say the word written on the board, in full or part. The first student in the hot seat to utter the word scores a point for their team. When the round is over, two new players rotate into the hot seat and a new word is written on the board. The first team to score 5 number of points wins.

Pictionary
Set up for this game is similar to Taboo. Divide the class in half. This time, however, the students in the hot seat are giving the clues to their teams. They must draw pictures to help her team guess word, phrase, or expression that the teacher gives them. The rules? Students aren’t allowed to use letters, verbal clues, or gestures to help their team guess. The first team to say the word scores a point.

BINGO
The teacher writes up 10 words, phrases and/or expressions on the board. Each student chooses any 5 of the items from the board and writes them down. The teacher then selects one of the words at random and offers the class a brief definition or synonym. (The teacher does not say the word itself.) The students must mentally match the definition to the word. If a student has the word being described on their board, they mark it off.  The first student to mark off all five of her words shouts, “BINGO,” and wins the round.

Vocabulary pyramid
Group students into pairs. One team member is the clue giver, the other is the guesser. The guesser tries to guess the category (example:  a category might be “Words that are Fast”) from the clue giver’s hints. The challenge is that the clue giver has a list of words she is forbidden to say to her partner.  (In the “fast words” example above, the clue giver might be forbidden to say, “run, sprint or job” but she could say, “speedy, bolt, etc.”)

The goal is for the guesser to correctly answer six categories in less than two minutes.

Related articles:

• Focusing on Literacy by Curtis Bloomfield
• Vocabulary Games: Vocab-Categories by Vocab Girl

About the author:
Teresa Lee was a 2012-2013 corps member serving on the Bain Capital team at the Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy in Hyde Park.