Sarah O'Brien, an eager young Jumpstart Boston volunteer, dedicated a year to working one-on-one with a pre-school student in at an inner city school. Anaiya, the young girl she tutored, was bright and energetic, but her working single mother didn't have the time to help her daughter practice learning to read after school. After months together, O'Brien was sure the pair were making progress. One day, when O'Brien arrived for an afternoon session, Anaiya grabbed her hand and quickly dragged her to a desk to show her she could write her name. By the end of their time together, Anaiya had mastered the alphabet, putting her on track to be successful in kindergarten.
This is just one of the many inspiring stories featured in Citizen Active, a four part series made by lifestyle channel Plum T.V. and sponsored by Bank of America. The series features the stories of motivated youth activists, the nonprofits they work for and the impacts they have in their communities. Each episode puts the spotlight on a specific topic including improving education, preserving the environment, inspiring the next generation and building community.
The education episode goes behind the scenes with four unique organizations ranging from innovative schools to supportive after-school programs: Citizen Schools, Jumpstart, DreamYard Project and TEAM Charter Schools. Behind each organization is a dedicated team of leaders, volunteers and activists working daily to make a difference for the students they serve.
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Watch more episodes on plumtv.com/citizenactive.