KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Hunt Family Foundation – the same family that owns the Kansas City Chiefs, is once again sponsoring a team of mentors and mentors to give back, this time to students at Central Middle School in Kansas City, Missouri.
City Year Kansas City oversees the program. The nonprofit places AmeriCorps members in six schools in the Kansas City Public School District. Staff work full-time helping students with academic, behavioral and other issues. The ultimate goal is to keep students on track for their high school graduation. Central Middle was the first school to participate in the program.
“Seeing kids with smiles on their faces brightens my day,” said Deleecea Hill, the program’s mentor and mentor this year.
Marvislessie Shannon is an eighth grader at Central Middle School. She meets with Hill, whom she calls “Miss D,” nearly every day to review her math homework or just play a game and talk.
“They’re really my friends and Miss D [that I like most about school]. I like the lessons too, but it’s mostly them. They are really my motivation” said Marvislessie.
Both Hill and Marvislessie are thrilled to hear that the Chiefs are rooting for them. The soccer team hosts a pep rally at the middle and high schools on the first day of class each year.
“Just like we root for the Chiefs, I think this is one way the Chiefs cheer for our students and members of City Year AmeriCorps,” said Jeff Shafer, executive director of City Year Kansas City.
City Year is recruiting mentors and mentors for the upcoming school year. Mentors must be between the ages of 18 and 25. The staff receives a decent salary and money for higher education. Find more information on the nonprofit’s website.
Royals Charities, Community America Credit Union, and QuikTrip are other team sponsors of the City Year Kansas City program.
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