Alumni Spotlight Kylie Eiselstein

Year Served: 2023–2024 City Year Bay Area AmeriCorps Member
Current Role: Student, University College Dublin

For Kylie, City Year Bay Area started as a way to explore a potential career in education. What she found was much more than a gap year. Through a year of service, she discovered a passion for youth advocacy, a deeper understanding of community, and values that continue to shape her work around the world. Today, she's pursuing a master's degree at University College Dublin with plans to continue serving young people wherever her career takes her.

Q: What made you want to sign up for City Year in the first place?

Honestly, I wasn't sure about signing up for City Year at first! Like many service-oriented opportunities, City Year asks you to fully lean in, and that can feel intimidating.

I knew I loved working with kids, and I was interested in teaching as a career, so City Year felt like a great way to explore those interests during a gap year. What I didn't expect was how much I would learn beyond the classroom. From teaching methods and organizing service projects to learning about City Year's values and the communities where I served, the experience gave me space to better understand myself, what I value as a person, and what I wanted from my career.

Q: Do you have any fun or inspiring stories about your students?

One of my favorite memories is watching my students' attitudes toward learning change over the course of the year.

When I first pulled students into small-group interventions, many of them were nervous or reluctant. But as we built relationships through humor, positivity, and consistency, they actually started looking forward to that time together. By the end of the year, I had students who weren't even on my intervention list asking for extra math problems, worksheets, or more time in small groups!

It's inspiring to watch students discover that learning can be fun and that school can be a place where they feel safe and supported. Helping build that mindset early on can make a lasting difference.

Q: During your time with City Year, what training or experiences prepared you for your career journey?

More than anything, City Year changed my mindset.

The City Year values—especially service to a cause greater than yourself and Ubuntu—have stayed with me throughout my career. I carried those values with me while teaching English in both Italy and Indonesia, and they've shaped the way I approach every classroom. Believing that every student can succeed is essential for any educator or mentor, and City Year helped instill that belief in me.

Q: What was your favorite thing about your City Year experience?

Without question, the relationships.

Of course, I loved working with my students, but I also became part of an incredible community. My teammates, co-teacher, school staff, administrators, and everyone else I worked alongside created a support system where people genuinely cared about one another. Having that kind of community makes all the difference.

Q: Did your experience at City Year shape any of your career or education choices?

It's still shaping them!

After City Year, I worked as an English teaching assistant and tutor before beginning my master's degree in International Relations at University College Dublin. My goal is to work in youth advocacy, supporting students and educators in communities that need it most.

City Year absolutely influenced that path. It reinforced my commitment to service and strengthened my desire to build a career focused on creating opportunities for young people.

Q: Last year, we witnessed the $400 million reduction in AmeriCorps funding, which continues to impact organizations like City Year that have served communities for decades. What was your reaction?

To me, it's heartbreaking.

Not only does it deprive communities of mentors and student support, but it also takes opportunities away from young people. At a time when so many are facing economic pressure and a challenging job market, City Year provides a meaningful way to give back while earning a stipend, developing professionally, setting goals, and becoming part of a supportive community.

In other words, it gives young people hope for the future.

Right now, I think they need that more than ever.