COLUMBIA (WACH) - 25 members of non-profit organization City Year have pledged to spend a full year of service at Columbia’s C.A. Johnson High School.
On Friday afternoon – the members held an “In Track and On Track,” rally to kick-off their year of service.
The members pledged to serve more than 1700 hours as tutors, mentors and role models to C.A. Johnson students.
"Today’s rally is about having fun, talking about some serious issues, discussing the challenges, introducing some resources that are available to you and launching you with my fellow City Year Corps members into what we want to be a truly special year," said Cindy Carter with City Year.
The members said the idea is to keep the students in school for all four years and on track to graduate.
"We are at a serious point in our lives right now, you are our future,” said C.A. Johnson High School Principal Nathan Smith.
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin spoke at Friday’s event and said each student has the power to control his or her own fate.
He also said the students have the ability to help grow Columbia’s economy.
"If half of you in this room don't graduate as some statistics suggest, you can equate $300,000 of revenue loss for this city for each one you. That's over $20 million in lost revenue and productivity for this great city," said Benjamin.
To learn more about City Year, visit their website:
http://www.cityyear.org/default_ektid13307.aspx
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWACH