Fattah and Americorps Announce City Year Grants to Serve Philadelphia Schools

At a time when Philadelphia schools are facing the loss of programs because of budget cuts, a bit of good news came Thursday to Philadelphia schools, such as Germantown High School, that work with City Year.

Congressman Chaka Fattah, D-PA, and Director of Americorp John Gomperts announced Thursday that the Philadelphia branch of City Year is receiving a grant for $2.4 million.

The grant will help run City Year Programs in the schools, and provide 210 Americorps positions to work within City Year.

“City Year works to tutor and mentor sixth through twelfth graders in Philadelphia schools. We have a six-year run of increased test scores and other improvements, and you can see those improvements coming from schools that connect directly to City Year,” Fattah said.

The competition for grants this year was fierce, said Gomperts, because the applications for Americorps grants were received in record numbers.

“Only the most exceptional programs got funded this year,” Gomperts said.

City Year provides in school and after-school tutoring and mentoring programs, along with youth leadership seminars and camps to students in underserved sections of Philadelphia.

“I visit schools in the area at least once a week, whether it’s Germantown High or South Philadelphia High, you see kids making a tremendous effort through the City Year program,” Fattah said.

Congressman Fattah's district includes Chestnut Hill.