Working Together to Support Student Success
Philadelphia, PA — Esperanza Academy Charter School (EACS) is excited to welcome City Year Philadelphia as a partner in supporting student success throughout the 2025-2026 school year. Led by Dawn McCray, Managing Director of Impact, and Deanna Johnson, Senior Director of Learning and Instruction, 112 City Year Student Success Coaches (SSCs) began their training earlier this month, and a team of eight SSCs joined the Esperanza Academy community on the first day of school.
As Esperanza Academy enters its 25th year of serving Philadelphia’s students, two of the school’s core priorities for the year are academic growth, particularly in Math and ELA, as well as culture and climate initiatives that focus on developing the whole child. By embedding SSCs into the daily fabric of Esperanza Academy’s high school grades, this partnership will provide additional academic support, strengthen teacher-student connections, and contribute to a positive school culture that motivates students to thrive. 
The SSCs will partner closely with teachers to deliver data-informed whole-class support, small-group tutoring, and one-on-one interventions. They will also help build positive school culture through power greetings, energizers, afterschool enrichment programs, and schoolwide events.
Dr. Evelyn Nuñez, CEO and Superintendent of Esperanza Academy, expresses the significance of this partnership to the school community: “At Esperanza Academy, we believe every student deserves the support and encouragement to reach their fullest potential. Our partnership with City Year brings dedicated mentors into our classrooms and hallways—role models who will walk alongside our students, celebrate their strengths, and help them overcome challenges. Together, we are building a culture of hope, resilience, and academic excellence that empowers our scholars to thrive in school and in life.”
City Year was founded in 1988 as a national service program to unite young adults for a demanding year of full-time community service. The program has grown from 50 corps members to more than 2,000 serving in 29 U.S. cities, including Philadelphia. City Year believes that all students can succeed and that developing the skills and mindsets of children and young adults contributes to strong, vibrant communities, a belief that EACS shares.
“City Year is proud to partner with Esperanza Academy for the 2025-2026 school year,” shares Darryl Bundrige, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of City Year Philadelphia. “We are grateful to Dr. Evelyn Nuñez for her steadfast support–through her leadership in the School District, her service on the City Year Philadelphia Board, and now in her role at Esperanza Academy. Together, we look forward to strong collaboration and meaningful impact for Esperanza’s students and community.”
About Esperanza Academy Charter School:
Esperanza Academy Charter School is a K-12 charter school in the Hunting Park neighborhood of Philadelphia. Esperanza Academy Charter School is dedicated to providing a quality education that prepares critically thinking, socially capable, spiritually sensitive, and culturally aware young adults who can use English, Spanish, and technology as tools for success in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.esperanzaacademycs.org.
About City Year Philadelphia:
City Year is a trailblazing, youth-powered organization with a dual mission: expanding educational opportunity for students and developing diverse leaders through national service. Research shows the more time a student spends with a City Year AmeriCorps member serving as a student success coach, the better the student outcomes—academically and interpersonally. A public-private partnership, City Year is a proud member of AmeriCorps, operating in Philadelphia and 28 other U.S. cities with international affiliates in the U.K. and South Africa. Today, 37,000 alums continue to lead and serve where they live and work. https://www.cityyear.org/philadelphia/
Media Contact:
For coverage opportunities and interviews, please contact:
Marjorie Morris | 215-370-2605 | mmorris2@cityyear.org | https://www.cityyear.org/
Joana Díaz | 215-966-4527 | jdiaz@neacademy.net | https://www.esperanzaacademycs.org/