A year of service deserves a proper send-off. This past weekend, City Year Bay Area AmeriCorps members gathered for an end-of-year celebration hosted by board member Dave Justice and his wife Emma — and the word that comes to mind is: grateful.

The Justice family opened their beautiful home for an afternoon that was equal parts relaxation, friendly competition, and genuine community. Thanks to the incredible spread from Frank's BBQ, corps members refueled like champions. Between bites, the afternoon came alive. Corps members faced off on the pickleball court, went head-to-head in spike ball, and cooled off in the pool.

There's no single way to describe a year with City Year — but for AmeriCorps member Brielle Lam, one word captures it best: balance.

After graduating college and standing at a crossroads, Brielle wasn't sure what she wanted to do next. Education interested her, but she wasn't ready to commit fully. City Year offered something rare: a meaningful way to explore a calling without burning every bridge behind her.

There's no single way to describe a year with City Year — but for AmeriCorps member Michelle Brown, one word captures it best: rewarding.

Michelle didn't arrive at City Year by accident. Growing up with dyslexia, she moved through school wishing someone would show up for her the way she struggled to show up for herself. That experience didn't just inform her decision to serve — it became her mission.

This May, City Year Bay Area and The King’s Trust came together to host another inspiring “Get Hired” event — a powerful reminder of what’s possible when young people are connected to opportunity.

At the heart of the event were our AmeriCorps members, who shared their stories of service, growth, and leadership in incredibly powerful ways before flipping the script and interviewing partner organizations about career pathways and opportunities. It was inspiring to see ACMs speak so confidently about their experiences and the futures they deserve.

There’s no single way to describe a year with City Year — but for AmeriCorps member Garrett Wu, one word captures it best: adventure.

After graduating and searching for direction, Garrett joined the Bay Area corps looking for meaningful work, personal growth and a clearer sense of purpose. What he found was a year filled with early mornings, unexpected lessons, school spirit rallies, deep relationships and the kind of growth that only happens when you step outside your comfort zone.

When Nirva joined City Year straight out of high school, she wasn’t entirely sure what direction she wanted to take. What she did know was that she wanted a year to grow, explore, and experience something meaningful before heading to college.

We're watching the first rung of the career ladder disappear in real time — and the young people paying the closest attention are starting to lose hope.

That's not a metaphor. It's data. Youth unemployment reached 10.8% in 2025 even as the broader economy held steady. Entry-level job postings have dropped 35% as AI automates the rote cognitive tasks that once gave young people their first foothold in the workforce.

From a late-night TV commercial to two transformative years of service, get to know Luke  as he reflects on how the experience shaped his perspective, career and connection to students. 

On Saturday, April 4, 2026, Team Leader Mackenzie Mego led a transformational day of service at Ryan STEM Academy as part of her legacy project. A dedicated group of AmeriCorps members and staff came together to beautify the school’s blacktop, painting vibrant activity spaces that will give students new opportunities to engage in both team and individual play.

City Year AmeriCorps Members recently had the opportunity to participate in an engaging 18-Minute Networking event hosted by our valued partners at Deloitte. This fast-paced, structured networking experience allowed ACMs to connect directly with professionals, practice introducing themselves, and gain confidence in sharing their skills, experiences, and career aspirations.

Meet Thanaa Muhammad, a City Year ’23–’24 alum who turned her year of service into a lasting career path. From recess games to one-on-one student support, her year of service not only shaped her future but also deepened her commitment to helping young people thrive.

In our latest Alumni Corner feature, Vanessa Rivera reflects on the journey from college student to trusted mentor at Horace Cureton Elementary. From building confidence to finding purpose in education, their story is a powerful reminder of the impact national service can have – especially in the face of growing challenges like the defunding of AmeriCorps.

Wolf Reese didn’t expect City Year to change the course of his life—but it did. From navigating culture shock at Cornell to discovering his passion for tech and education equity, Wolf’s journey is a powerful reminder of how one year of service can open unexpected doors and reveal new opportunities. Read on to learn how City Year helped shape his purpose—and his path.

Theki Change served as an ACM with City Year from 2022-2023. Theki is now a Solutions Analyst at Deloitte and, since his time with us, has learned how to transform his passion for service into a meaningful career. Check out this blog post to learn how he used his time at City Year to build critical skills that helped him land a premier job with one of the top consulting firms in the country and what advice he would give to someone considering a year of service with City Year in the Bay Area.

Kailani Bowers, City Year Alum and current Board member reflects on her time with City Year. Learn about her training experiences, surprising moments and advice for incoming ACMs.

This month we sat down with City Year alum Cristian King (Seattle/King County 2014-15) to hear about his life post-graduation, and how his service at City Year has shaped his entire career. 

This month we sat down with City Year alum Cristian Casanova (2017-18) to catch up on what he’s been up to since graduation, and to hear some of his pretty moving reflections on his year of service. Cristian recently returned home from Geneva where he participated in the 2024 Global Shaper Summit at the World Economic Forum. Hear how his time with City Year set him on this changemaker path, and continues to inspire his work at Accenture.

At City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley, we are incredibly proud of our Alumni and strive to provide a continued sense of community as they embark onto the next phase of their journey. This month, we are featuring Caitlin Donnelly, Americorps volunteer for the 2022-2023 school year. Read about Caitlin’s City Year experience below!