Citizen Schools

Citizen Schools' mission is to change the life trajectories of low-income middle school students. Citizen Schools taps the reservoir of out-of-school time, the power of hands-on learning, the passion of aspiring educators, and the talents of adult volunteers to advance students' learning and leadership. We help students succeed in middle and high school, advance to college, and become leaders in their careers and their communities.

Citizen Schools connects student learning to college and career through civic engagement.

Citizen Schools is a national nonprofit organization that partners with middle schools to expand the learning day for low-income children. The organization’s programs uniquely mobilize thousands of adult volunteers to help improve student achievement and bridge the achievement gap by teaching skill-building apprenticeships after school. At 37 middle schools in seven states across the country, Citizen Schools programs blend these real-world learning projects with rigorous academic and leadership development activities, preparing students for success in high school, college, the workforce, and civic life.
Citizen Schools New Jersey currently serves over 270 students and engages over 100 volunteers. Learn more about Citizen Schools’ programs and results at www.citizenschools.org. For New Jersey specifics, visit http://www.citizenschools.org/newjersey/index.cfm.

Who: Anyone with skills to share with young people aged 11-14

What: Teach students your profession or hobby in after-school apprenticeships! Students learn by doing as they create web pages, engineer their own car designs, propose an entrepreneurial business plan, paint a mural, plant a graden, assess local air quality, and much, much more- all created by middle-school students and Citizen Teachers like you! No teaching experience is necessary-- all volunteers receive training and are paired with support staff.

When: Volunteers teach 11 sessions one afternoon a week for 90 minutes (typically Tuesday or Thursday from 4:30pm-6:00pm). Our Fall semester runs from September through December.

Why: Inspire a future leader by adding relevance to their education!

How to become a Citizen Teacher:
Go to http://ctnation.citizenschools.net/dotnetnuke/Volunteer/SignUp/tabid/175/Default.aspx and register as a volunteer. You will be prompted for basic contact information and information necessary to do a background check.

For more information on Citizen Schools, visit our site: http://www.citizenschools.org/newjersey/index.cfm