Honourable President of Parliament Drs. Gracita Arrindell visited City Year Washington, DC, an organization that unites young people, ages 17 to 24, from all backgrounds for a year of full-time service. The visit and tour took place last week during the presidents working visit to the United States.
The full-year provides them with skills and opportunities to change the world. The program has been established to deal with a number of challenges being experienced in American society.
Every 26 seconds an American student drops out of public high school. According to the National Center for Education Research, 89 per cent of DC students performed below the National Assessment of Educational Progress proficient level in 2005.
In urban public schools that serve primarily low income and Latino or African American youth, 40 to 60 per cent of entering freshman do not graduate from high school.
Volunteers of City Year corps work in Washington, DC schools, after-school programs, and neighbourhoods, where they become powerful role models to youth and help address pressing community problems.
City Year started out with 32 corps members in 2000. Today, the corps has more than tripled to 100 corps members.
Since 2000, City Year Washington, DC corps members have made a difference in the lives of more than 53,000 children; served more than 685,000 hours in the Washington, DC community; and led 9,485 volunteers in service.
President of Parliament Arrindell got an opportunity to interact and share views with student volunteers during a roundtable session with respect to youth engagement. The Hon. Preside of Parliament was also given a tour of the facilities by Jeff Franco, Executive Director of City Year, Washington DC.
"I informed Jeff Franco that Sint Maarten would be very interested and excited to learn about this new venture and look at developing a working relationship to the benefit of our young people, the next generation of world leaders," President of Parliament stated on Thursday.