Photo by Dan Bishop
This fall City Year Milwaukee marks five years of education and inspiration in the community. The program is part of a national effort to place tutors in inner-city schools and assist struggling students. Executive Director Jason Holton has led City Year Milwaukee since its establishment in 2009. Holton sat down during the program’s busy finals season to discuss City Year’s anniversary and how the program has changed the community in the last five years.
What has it been like to interact with the Milwaukee community?
One of the things we consider when going into a new community is that we don’t go unless we’re asked to. That’s really important to us. We need to see a demonstrated need, but it’s more important that the community wants us to be there. I don’t think Milwaukee is unique compared to our other urban schools. There are a lot of kids with a lot of different needs. These are smart students that need a different approach to learning. Having additional human capital in the school building has been very supportive of this.
What do you think is the biggest challenge for City Year in Milwaukee?
The first challenge was to get students to know why we’re there and to get them to trust us. Their question sometimes is, “Are you coming back?” Unfortunately for some of our students, they’re used to adults being in and out. We talk to our corps members and say, “Hey, listen. We’re going to be a consistent presence for our students. We’re going to be there for them every single day. We’re not quitting on them.” And that’s really important to us.
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What makes City Year volunteers and corps members special?
We joke that our volunteers have it easy because they only have to work half a day, which is 12 hours. It’s really early morning, and it’s tough work but it’s so gratifying. The job really draws in great people and I’ve been fortunate enough to hire some very talented, smart and committed folks.
I think the work is important and that’s why I’ve stayed around so long, but it’s also the people. We have a lot of values at City Year and one of them is called “for a cause greater than self.” The people and the mission are really what have kept me engaged. City Year is a special place. The work we’re doing every day with students is very important and fulfilling.
Do you think it has changed you? How?
Oh wow, that’s a really tough question. I’ve heard people talk about a social justice nerve that we all have. That there’s this part of you focused on finding out what’s right and what’s wrong in the world and how to change that. I think working with this organization has helped put my idealism into action. I used to ask myself, “How can I make the world a better place?” and City Year gets me to the avenue of actually doing it. It’s really fulfilling to do this type of work where you know that you’re making a tangible difference and leave this world a better place than [you] found it.
For more information, visit cityyear.org/milwaukee
