Inspiration is a catalyst that moves individuals to stand up for something they believe in, to make a difference, or to simply keep going. At City Year, the most inspirational moments are often those that reveal the sometimes unexpected ways in which we have impacted the students and the communities we serve. Below, Emily Bekenstein, team leader at Orchard Gardens K-8 School, describes how she experienced a particularly Inspiring Moment as her first year of service came to a close.
Last year I served at the Agassiz Elementary School and I loved every second that I was there. However, as the end of the year approached, it was sad to think that with the closing of the Agassiz, it would be especially challenging to visit the students and teachers I had grown close to during the year. I knew that my team had made a great impact on the students and I wished that I could return to the school to see how they were doing the following year, but sadly that wouldn’t be a possibility.
On the last day of our Starfish extended day program, our team hosted a huge graduation ceremony and celebration with the 60 students that attended the program, their parents, and their siblings. The event was the culmination of our entire team’s effort to finish out the year strong and give the students the best graduation ceremony that we possibly could. It was a complete success! Parents and siblings flowed into the cafeteria in waves and within no time the room was completely full. The students were called up individually by their peer MCs to receive diplomas and have their pictures taken, and as the final names were called, the room filled with graduation caps as the students joyfully threw them into the air. It was a great moment and I was so proud of all of them.
Students celebrate their graduation from the Starfish program with senior corps member Jackie Levine ('10-'11)
Following the ceremony, students and families were invited to eat a potluck meal and enjoy their time together. As they celebrated, parents paused to appreciate our support and share with us how much their child loved Starfish. One mother came up to me teary eyed and thanked me for working with her daughter all year. She noted the improvement and growth that her child had made and asked if we could take a picture together. Seeing all of the students and parents so full of joy that day was truly inspiring. After all of our hard work, endless hours of planning, and complete dedication to the students, it was wonderful to be able to see the impact that we’d had during our time at the Agassiz.
Shortly after the graduation ceremony, I received a note from Jane*, a student who had attended Starfish and was also in my third grade classroom. Next year she will be attending the Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot K-8 School. The note read as follows:
Dear Mrs. Emily,
I will miss you and Mrs. Grace. I am going to bring the Agassiz heart and the City Year heart to the Y.A. school.
Sincerely,
Jane
As I read this, I was struck by how much love Jane felt from both City Year and the Agassiz school. I realized that as she makes the difficult transition to a new school, she will bring with her everything that she’s learned from City Year and her teachers at the Agassiz. Knowing this, I’m confident that Jane will excel at her new school this fall, and I find comfort in the fact that there will be a City Year team at Young Achievers too.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of students.
