From Boston to L.A., the TF classes of 2006 and 2007 have continued to make an impact in their communities. Find out who collaborated with John Werner at a TEDx event, who bumped into a former student on a subway in Brooklyn, and who’s still making a difference in the classroom.
Patrick Bredehoft ‘06 “Living in Philadelphia, PA working at the University of Pennsylvania as Regional Director of Admissions (South and Central Asia, Gulf Cooperative Countries, CO/NV/UT). I keep in touch with Asha Strazzero-Wild (TF ‘06), Emmanuel Schanzer (TF ‘06), Nancy Aitcheson (TA ‘05– married her), Patrick Morse (TF ‘11– referred him to his current job in Turkey, which was my former job). My life in education started at CS, and continues to be informed by my experiences as a TF. Thanks to Citizen Schools, I’ll probably never stop wanting to be a teacher. I am the faculty/staff coordinator for Penn admissions, which is a community outreach service offered for free to all 30,000+ UPenn employees to help guide their children and family members through the college admissions process.”
Mara Schanfield ‘06 “Living in Cambridge, MA working for John’s Hopkins Center for Social Organization of Schools as a School Transformation Facilitator, implementing a national turnaround model at English High School in Boston. I keep in touch with Jimmy Wyman, Kayron Wright, Rachel Green, Daisy Ortega, Alex Teitel, Jesse Leavitt, and Dan Goldsbury. Working at a high school now, I experience first-hand the need for more students to arrive to 9th grade, prepared for high school. I am thankful for all the engagement strategies (complete with flip charts and markers) that I learned through Citizen Schools, for working with adults and young people. I use them every day! My work is aimed at raising the graduation rate at English High School. The model is also being implemented at the Burke and the Dever-McCormack.”
Asha Strazzero-Wild ‘06 “Living in Amherst, Massachusetts working at Health Leads, just moved from National Director of Program to National Director of Volunteers (yay!). I keep in touch with Matt Thornton, Ken Bowers, Marta Magnus, Emmanuel Schanzer, and Patrick Bredehoft. CS really provided me a core set of skills that have served as the foundation for my work and learning today. I’m very excited about serving families- kids can’t learn if they aren’t in a healthy space so that’s what I am hoping we can achieve here at Health Leads- the precursor work to CS!”
Shawn Paulling ‘07 “Currently living in Cambridge, MA working at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Museum. My title is Outreach Coordinator/ Celebrate! Producer. I develop programs and manage outreach to teachers, students and family audiences. I also produce the performing arts series, Celebrate!, which highlights America’s cultural diversity through the performing arts. I keep in touch with several former staff through Facebook; Larry Mahl, Keith Clark, Tony Dugas, Jimmy Wyman, Alicia Greene, Kimberly Bernard, Linda Wells, Daisy Ortega, Margaret Irving…the list goes on. I’ve also done work with John Werner for TEDxBoston. Reflections: I talk about Citizen Schools all the time. I could call my years at Citizen Schools my formative classroom years, because it’s where I learned everything that I know about classroom management, and it’s where everything I understand about youth development became clear. Citizen Schools was a challenging two years, but it’s a challenge that reminds me of what I’m able to accomplish. When I think about challenges that may come up now, I always think to myself, I made it work when I was at Citizen Schools, I can make it work now. It’s nice to have my CS experience as a “litmus test” (if you will), to understand my limitations and strengths. I currently impact my community by sharing the legacy of John F. Kennedy; helping young adults develop leadership skills such as public speaking and community problem solving; providing children the opportunity to learn about different cultures through the performing arts; and recycling and making sure other people recycle whenever I can.”
Larry Mahl ‘07 “I live in Los Angeles and work as a Program Manager at City Year. I manage City Year’s program at two elementary schools in East L.A. The Corps Members serve as tutors during the school day as well as run an after school program. I haven’t been in touch with anyone for awhile…if anyone’s in L.A. hit me up! Being a Teaching Fellow has really helped me empathize with the team I’m leading, since I was in a very similar situation. I also use a lot of the best practices I learned at Citizen Schools and apply them to our after school program. I gotta say, elementary school students are a piece of cake compared to the middle school students I used to work with. In terms of community impact, I do a lot of service projects around L.A. through City Year and I’m trying to get more involved in Koreatown, the neighborhood I live in.”
Olga Sverdlov ‘07 “I’m living on a big hill with a little dog in San Francisco. I’m still spending most of my time with middle schoolers! I’m student teaching at Visitacion Valley Middle School, getting my credentials to teach science. Citizen Schools is a big part of why I am doing what I’m doing today! I realized I couldn’t get enough of the sassy little kidlets.”
Talya Oberfield ‘07 “I currently live in Manhattan and am working as a Partnership Manager at iMentor. In my role, I work with other schools and non-profit organizations across the country to help them either build or enhance youth mentoring programs that focus on helping students graduate from high school and make a successful transition to college based on best practices of our NYC program. I often think back on my time as a TF, particularly the apprenticeships, as my work still centers on caring adults being invested and involved in the success of youth in their communities. I’m in touch with several folks from my fellows class and from the Mildred, but not as many as I’d like to be! A few weeks ago, I ran into a student on the subway in Brooklyn who was on my team at the Mildred when she was in 7th grade (06-07), and she’s now a freshman in college! She introduced me to her friend as her old team leader which I got a kick out of. It was incredible to see her and wonderful to learn that she’s thriving.”
Keith Clark ‘07 “Living in St. Louis, Missouri working at FOCUS St. Louis as the Director, Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs. I’m still “in touch” w Emily Raine and Cara Bowman; though out of touch, I still hold a deep appreciation for each of the fellows and staff I was lucky to work with. The experience for me was transformative. I learned as much, if not more, from reflection four years later, as I did during the two years of service. From my cohort, I learned so much about bringing yourself to the work of engaging students in their learning and allowing yourself to be vulnerable. I reflect on the excitement and joy that is possible when you re-engage a student in relevant learning and re-engage a volunteer (through their passions/”expertise”) in their community. When it comes to education and civic responsibility, I value what Citizen Schools seeks to do in shifting the conversation through volunteer engagement. I direct and train the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs. I am working to strengthen our system of democratic self-governance. I engage nonprofits, businesses, labor unions, government agencies and political campaigns from the St. Louis region to provide experiential training in public affairs for 16 Coro Fellows each year. The Fellows get to work and learn in every sector, enhancing their ability to engage diverse groups of stakeholders to address complex issues. The organizations benefit from the talent, initiative and effectiveness of the Fellows to address important projects in the communities in which these organizations serve.”
Shauna Mulligan ‘07 “I am currently living in Lynn, MA and teaching at KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate, our brand new KIPP high school up here. I am a founding English teacher and an instructional coach this year. It’s really great that the work we are doing now give kids in the community in Lynn another choice for high school. I still keep in touch with Sydney Chaffee and Emily Raine. I got a chance to go and see Angelica teaching at MATCH earlier this year, and from time to time I text Keith Clark to see if he has been to Bell in Hand recently. I also ran into Ryan McCarthy a couple of times this summer at a KIPP leadership program. My work at Citizen Schools definitely helped me develop the skills and drive to be able to serve the Lynn community in the way our school is trying to do. Thanks, Citizen Schools!”
Emily Raine ’07 “I’m living in Cambridge and working at Mass 2020/The National Center on Time & Learning on various expanded learning time projects in Massachusetts and nationally. After almost five years there – I started as an intern while I was still a TF! – it’s still exciting and satisfying work, and changes all the time. I keep in touch with a handful of buddies from CS and love seeing local ladies Candice Cook, Mara Schanfield and Ali Stahl regularly. And I recently babysat for Colin Stokes’s amazing kids, who live in the house I grew up in. The extended Citizen Schools family continues to be an important personal and professional community, and one I’m really proud to be a part of.”
Emily Blumberg ’07 “Hello from Chicago! I moved here in the fall to become staff counsel with Business and Professional People for the Public Interest (BPI), a law and policy non-profit. We work to strengthen impoverished communities, preserve and increase affordable housing, improve Chicago schools, and promote open, honest government in Illinois. I feel lucky that I can do the kind of work that led me to law school in the first place –Citizen Schools certainly played a big role in that. While I miss New England (I spent last year clerking for a judge in Vermont), I’m having fun exploring a new city. I keep in touch with a few from my class, but not enough — would love to reconnect!”
Alex Teitel ’07 “I am currently living in San Francisco and working as the 9th grade program manager at BUILD in East Oakland, an organization that uses entrepreneurship to excite and propel low-income, disengaged students through high school to college success. In my role I coach teachers, manage volunteer mentors and support 9th grade students as they develop a business plan to present in a series of competitions and put into action while in high school. I am fortunate to frequently see or speak to many former Teaching Fellows, including once again working alongside my Edwards partner-in-crime, Jessica Graham. I find myself consistently relying on skills honed during the fellowship, from the incorporation of core values into daily instruction to curriculum development, and I feel so lucky to have worked with such an amazing group of dynamic educators at CS, from whom I learned so much. I hope to see all of you soon!”
In other alumni news…
CONGRATULATIONS to…
Alison Stahl who recently accepted a new position as the Director of Implementation at City Connects!
Valerie Schneider who recently accepted a new job as the Assistant Professor of Law at Howard University Law School in DC, running their housing rights clinic.
Camille Baker and Brian Harrison on their recent engagement!
TEXAS event announcement from Lindsay Drakeley…
Please join Friends of Citizen Schools Texas Thursday, March 1 at Saint Arnold’s Brewery for an informational evening of live music, good beer and light bites. Mingle with friends and supporters of Citizen Schools from 6 to 8 p.m. to learn about upcoming mentorship opportunities and ways to get involved. $15 suggested donation at the door. Beer samples provided by St. Arnold’s and music by Governor’s Chair.
