Last week, 230 City Year AmeriCorps members will pledge to support more than 14,000 students in some of Chicago’s highest-need communities this year at the Opening Day Ceremony for City Year Chicago, an organization dedicated to helping students and schools succeed. Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education and Managing Partner of the Emerson Collective, and others will join City Year AmeriCorps members as they officially kick off their year of full-time service in 26 Chicago Public Schools. “I have been a fan of City Year’s work in schools since the organization came to Chicago more than two decades ago,” said Arne Duncan, Managing Partner at Emerson Collective. “Our students need diverse, near-peer role models to model a path to success. These young people in red jackets are really moving the needle in helping students unlock their potential in Chicago as well as around the country.”

Comcast NBCUniversal is the national sponsor of Opening Day at 27 City Year locations across the country. A strategic partner since 2001, Comcast NBCUniversal has provided more than $87 million in cash and in-kind support to City Year. During that time, City Year has grown from nearly 700 City Year AmeriCorps members to a corps of 3,100 diverse young leaders, serving 205,000 students in 300 high-need urban schools this year. City Year AmeriCorps members serve full-time alongside teachers, tutoring students one-on-one, providing in-class support and organizing school-wide programs to increase academic achievement and student engagement. This year Chicago will celebrate its 23rd year working with local students, schools and communities in Chicago. “We have the privilege to partnering with 26 amazing schools across this culturally rich city, which is only possible given the support of the Chicago Public Schools, Chicago’s business and philanthropic community, as well as our AmeriCorps members and their supportive families and friends,” said Rebeca Nieves Huffman, City Year Chicago Executive Director and Vice President.