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Philadelphia. The City of Brotherly Love, home of the world champion Philadelphia Eagles (yes, we’re still claiming it) and the most passionate, die-hard sports fans on the planet. There’s a lot Philly is famous for. From delicious cheesesteaks and Rocky movies to the Liberty Bell and Patti LaBelle (see what we did there?). Now add to the list … drum roll please…BEST OF CITY YEAR!

2018-2019 was a great service year for ��ɫ��Ƶ Philadelphia (CYP) and our achievements didn’t go unnoticed. Out of 29 ��ɫ��Ƶ sites across the country, our national headquarters office recognized Philly as one of the best. ��ɫ��Ƶ Philly was recognized for excelling in engagement amongst both our staff and AmeriCorps members as well as exceeding our financial goals for the year. We also successfully launched Leveled Literacy Interventions (small-group, supplementary interventions to help bring students up to grade-level in reading and writing) in seven schools with a solid plan to expand further in the year ahead.

Members of ��ɫ��Ƶ Philly’s beloved community took time to reflect on the year gone by.

AmeriCorps Member Traevon Harmon, who is returning in 2019-2020 as a second-year corps member, says the highlight of his 2018-2019 service year was simply seeing smiles on his students’ faces. “Especially the moments when they had been struggling, but then they progressed and moved on. The smiles on their faces just warmed me up inside.” Hormana—a Trenton, New Jersey native—adds, “Serving in Philly means I get to be a part of a great city. But there are also a lot of students who need help. So, just to be able to give back and be a part of the city of Philadelphia is a great thing.”

Anita Dumas, City Year impact manager for William D. Kelley School, says, “I think ��ɫ��Ƶ Philadelphia embodies the spirit of the city. Everybody put a lot of heart and soul into the past year and really brought it. We’re always trying to bring it and last year we got some recognition for it so great job to the team!”

Jheri Grossman, civic engagement manager at CYP echoes Anita’s feelings. “At ��ɫ��Ƶ Philly, there’s a lot of passion that unites everyone who works here. There are a lot of differences in how people work, personalities, etc., but everyone is deeply united by a serious passion for the work that we do for the students of Philadelphia and for the city of Philadelphia.”

On Friday, August 2, the CYP community—staff, senior corps, and second-year corps members—celebrated its new status as a “Site of Champions.” Food and fun were had by all with a few Philly favorites serving as a soundtrack for the event: Boys II Men’s “Motown Philly” and the Fresh Prince’s “Summertime” just to name a few.

The celebration was topped off with reaffirming words from ��ɫ��Ƶ Philly’s Executive Director Darryl Bundrige. “This award says a lot about our team and our ability to work together. It’s a cause for celebration so cheers to you all.” The executive director also reminded the group of ��ɫ��Ƶ’s ultimate purpose. “What we do is not about winning awards. What we do is about bringing the best possible experience to our students.”

If you’re interested in helping Philadelphia students succeed, visit us online to learn about how to enroll in this year’s corps and follow us on and .