This week, corps members reflect on their induction into City Year. As a site, City Year Boston celebrated Opening Day on October 15. For senior corps members, this day held a unique significance as their second formal start to a year of full-time service. Below, Yaa Acheampong, Team Leader serving on the MFS Investment Management Team at the Dever-McCormack Upper School, shares her thoughts on this day.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino leads the 2011-2012 City Year Boston corps in their oath of service.
It’s 8:00 AM at the English High School on Saturday, October 15, and although I’ve never been here before, so much is familiar about this Opening Day. I mean, yes, I am aware of the differences, but oddly enough, it is not what is different about this day that stands out to me. Instead I am drawn to the similarities. You see, last year around this same time, I – along with 140 other City Year Boston corps members – was down the road at the Agassiz Elementary School preparing to take my oath of service in front of friends, families, City Year Boston and Headquarters staff, community partners, and Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino. Today, I was doing the very same thing. But something was different. And it wasn’t just the location.
The 2011-2012 MFS Investment Management Team serving at the Dever-McCormack Upper School
As I stood looking out at the sea of red bomber jackets all around, it hit me: This year’s Opening Day isn’t about me. Last year, as I recited the City Year pledge and devoted myself to serving the students and communities of Boston, it meant giving my all to the students that I directly served. But this year, as Mayor Menino led us in reciting those very same words, they meant something a little different to me. This year, my service to the students and communities will manifest itself through my ability to prepare corps members JJ, Max, Jenn, Josh, Damian, Nathan, Yelena, Peter, and Zach – the MFS Investment Management Team – to provide the best service possible during their year at the Dever-McCormack Upper School in Dorchester. I pledged to give my all to those nine individuals so that they could give their all to the students that they serve.
Team Leader Yaa Acheampong and City Year Boston alum ('10-'11) Langdon Morris
So as I recited the City Year pledge that day, I thought of my team, and how I will serve them this year as they in turn serve their students. Then I spent the rest of the day in much the same way that I spent Opening Day a year ago: painting a mural on a wall next to a former senior year corps member, who one year ago had pledged to serve his team just as I had done that morning.
