written by Gina Sedita, Service Leader, Foundation to Be Named Later team
“There is just something about the James F. Condon Elementary School that keeps people coming back.” – LisaMarie Indovina, Team Leader, City Year Boston
It was 1995 when a City Year team entered The James F. Condon Elementary School to begin their service in the heart of South Boston. That City Year team was the first of 13 teams, making it the longest continuous partnership City Year Boston has ever had with a Boston Public School. A student body of 700 scholars between the ages of 4 and 12 saw City Year Corps Members every day, greeting them in the morning, helping them with their classwork, and encouraging them in afterschool to be the best students and community members that they can be. After those 13 years of excellent service, because of the great improvements that the Condon made, City Year was transferred out of the Condon to serve in other Boston Public Schools that had greater need of a City Year Corps Members.
Boston Civic Engagement is excited about the Condon's Haunted House for Halloween
Today, in 2012, despite no longer having a team at the Condon, City Year is still an active part of the school community. The Foundation To Be Named Later Boston Civic Engagement Team arrives at the Condon at 8am every other Friday to deliver weekend food bags prepared by the Greater Boston Food Bank to each and every student. The delivery of the food bags allowed for City Year Boston to continue to make an impact long after our service was finished. The latest food bag delivery from Greater Boston Food Bank was prepared by 8th graders through Governor Deval Patrick’s service initiative, Project 351. City Year Boston was an integral part of organizing and executing Project 351, and the final delivery of the food bags prepared with Project 351 was an amazing opportunity to transcend City Years’ service from student to school.
