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Contact: Shannon Berry
Email: Sberry@cityyear.org

METTA AND KEITH KRACH TO RECEIVE 2018 CITIZEN LEADERSHIP AWARD

First time ��ɫ��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley recognizes a couple for their inspiration, dedication and service

San José, CA (October 25, 2018) — Tonight at ��ɫ��Ƶ’s annual Starry Starry Night Gala at Levi’s Stadium, ��ɫ��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley will honor Metta and Keith Krach with the 2018 ��ɫ��Ƶ Citizen Leadership Award.

The gala will bring together more than 400 Bay Area business and community leaders to hear stories of impact from some of ��ɫ��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley’s AmeriCorps members, who serve full-time in schools as tutors, mentors and role models, preparing students with the skills and mindsets to succeed in school and in life. The event will also celebrate the champions and supporters who make this work possible–including Metta and Keith Krach, who are the first couple to receive ��ɫ��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley’s Citizen Leadership Award for their inspirational commitment to the community.

“Keith and I are incredibly humbled to receive this esteemed recognition,” said Metta Krach. “We share a common vision of the world and a deep need to try to help where we can. As we tell our children, it is all about making a difference–a big difference, a small difference, but most importantly, a meaningful difference. This is how we want to raise our children, with a deep spirit of generosity and gratitude.”

serves as chairman and former CEO of DocuSign and Ariba, chairman of the DocuSign IMPACT Foundation and chairman emeritus for the Purdue Board of Trustees. serves as a member of the Board of Governors for the San Francisco Symphony, the Board of Trustees for the Bay Area Discovery Museum, and Board of Visitors for Georgetown University Law.

“City Year is about developing next-generation leaders through mentorship, and they know it’s as much about transforming the person as it is about transforming the world,” said Keith Krach. “��ɫ��Ƶ’s success is due to the organization’s tremendous leadership team and the remarkable idealistic spirit of the young people who serve.”

This year, ��ɫ��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley AmeriCorps members are serving over 8,000 students in 14 schools in the Alum Rock Unified Elementary and the East Side Union High School Districts, helping students stay on track to graduate from high school prepared for college and career success.

According to a 2015 study by Policy Studies Associates, schools partnering with ��ɫ��Ƶ, as compared with similar schools without ��ɫ��Ƶ, were up to two-to-three times more likely to improve on math and English assessments. Another longitudinal study conducted by Policy Studies Associates showed that ��ɫ��Ƶ alumni are 45 percent more likely to be civically engaged or belong to a community organization. In San Jos?é/Silicon Valley, 86 percent of students coached by ��ɫ��Ƶ AmeriCorps members significantly improved on key interpersonal and social-emotional skills related to college and career readiness.

“I have such great admiration for Metta and Keith Krach, and we are delighted to honor them at ��ɫ��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley’s 2018 gala,” said Michael Brown, CEO and co-founder of ��ɫ��Ƶ. “Metta’s love for helping children and communities, combined with Keith’s passion for leadership and mentoring, generates a powerful force for civic impact in the Bay Area and beyond.”

“��ɫ��Ƶ would not be able to have an impact in the San José/Silicon Valley community without the time, talents and financial support of individuals like Metta and Keith,” said Pete Settelmayer, executive director of ��ɫ��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley. “We are honored to present them with the Citizen Leadership Award and add them to our prestigious roster of past honorees.”

Past Citizen Leadership Award recipients include John Chambers, former CEO of Cisco; Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP; Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe; and John W. Thompson, chairman of the Board for Microsoft.

“After 20 years of friendship, I know Keith understands the most effective way to develop great transformational leaders is through the power of mentorship,” said John Chambers, former CEO of Cisco and recipient of the award in 2014. “Metta and Keith are true believers not only in ��ɫ��Ƶ’s noble cause but also in their pay it forward model.”

“The ��ɫ��Ƶ Gala is always a memorable evening to honor the world’s most dedicated visionaries,” said Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP and recipient of the award in 2015. “Metta and Keith are leaders of consequence. It’s my honor to congratulate this dynamic duo making a profound impact on people’s lives.”

“Metta and Keith make a strong team with a shared passion for supporting all causes related to education,” said John Thompson, Chairman of Microsoft and 2016 honoree. “Their initiative in establishing the DocuSign Impact Foundation will leave a lasting legacy.”

��ɫ��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley’s gala is supported by sponsorships from companies like the 49ers and individual donations. Proceeds will allow ��ɫ��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley to sustain and grow its programs and have a deeper impact on the schools and communities it serves.

“Keith’s transformational leadership inspired the creation of DocuSign IMPACT Foundation which empowers our employees to transform people’s lives by transforming noble causes,” said Amy Skeeters-Behrens, executive director, DocuSign IMPACT Foundation. “The DocuSign IMPACT Foundation has partnered with ��ɫ��Ƶ to help drive their mentorship mission through our special 2-for-1 matching of employee donations, non-profit product programs and our ‘Hack-For-Good’ hackathon at this year’s Momentum user conference.”

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About ��ɫ��Ƶ

��ɫ��Ƶ helps students and schools succeed. Fueled by national service, ��ɫ��Ƶ partners with public schools in 29 urban, high-need communities across the U.S. and through international affiliates in the U.K. and South Africa. Diverse teams of ��ɫ��Ƶ AmeriCorps members provide research-based student, classroom and school-wide supports to help students stay in school and on track to graduate from high school, ready for college and career success. A 2015 study shows that schools that partner with ��ɫ��Ƶ were up to two to three times more likely to improve on math and English assessments. A proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, City Year is supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service, local school districts, and private philanthropy from corporations, foundations and individuals.