Stratham, NH -- "Coming to City Year wasn't something that I had to think much about. Believing wholly in ‘leading by doing’, I realized, at once, what a shining example this program is for youth," says D'Mitri Agnes, 19 year-old area event producer and newest addition of the "idealist movement". Service has a mainstay for him and his family, according to Agnes. Before setting off for New Hampshire in September of 2008, D'Mitri spent the summer in collaboration with local businesses including Elsa Ross boutique and Gertrude Zachary Jewelers to orchestrate the YouthAIDS benefit hosted at The Grove on Central. "Service, in short, is who I am and what I do. Ambition is paramount in this arena. I'm passionate about making a better place for children," he remarks.
City Year unites young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service, giving them the skills and opportunities to change the world. As tutors, mentors, and role models, these young leaders make a difference in the lives of the students they work with to transform every school and neighborhood within their reach, across the United States and in South Africa.
"I'm very proud to be apart of such a phenomenal organization. The union of personalities and backgrounds and work styles makes for a very fulfilling experience. In no other capacity can you find people so dedicated and with such conviction about what they do. I would describe the job as very labor intensive but, as one would expect, the payoff is huge. It really is marvelous to share in a moment with a student with the understanding that a transformation is taking place. The pride in accomplishment on both ends is so … uplifting."
One goal of the organization is to promote national service in such a way that will transcend the scope of post-secondary options for young people. “The mission, really, is to develop the program in a way that will present itself to young people as a fixture among the more common-place post secondary ventures – like college, say, or the military,” says Agnes.
“Corps-members”
And as for life after City Year? One of many program incentives is the AmeriCorps Education Award, totaling $4725, matched by over a dozen American colleges and universities, that is received by Corps-members upon the completion of their service year. “Sometimes life after graduation is very daunting to think about. Luckily, there’s a system in place to help us with that,” he says. “I’m weighing my options. If all goes well, I will be taking a position as a business strategist with an event production firm in either Scottsdale or New York City.”
For more information on how to get involved, visit www.cityyear.org or call Ted Wing at (603) 773-1618
For more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview, please contact D'Mitri Agnes-Capone at dagnes09@cityyear.org, or reach D'Mitri by telephone at: 603/233/6970.
