Ma-Kirah Wilkerson, 2014

"If there is no wind, there will be no wave"

Why did you join City Year?

I had never heard about City Year until I decided to attend Bentley University. After doing my research on the program I was very intrigued about the purpose of the program and its goals. Coming from a place where I have seen children and teens drop out of school because of different circumstances that probably could have been avoided if they have had a mentor, has motivated me to try and make a difference in my community. City Year will allow me to be a blessing to some child or teen like others in my community have been to me in the past. I am truly excited and anticipating this experience.

What do you hope to achieve with your service? Any personal goals?

I plan to learn how to be an effective mentor so I can pay it forward in my own community when I return home to Dallas, Texas.

What are you looking forward to most in your upcoming year of service?

I’m looking forward to meeting the children and learning from them as well. Having volunteered and worked with children in my past has taught me that I can learn from them as well. Not to mention they can be quite hilarious with their comments and behavior.

Discuss your experience so far for the following:

Experience in your City Year School:

This experience thus far has been an eye opener; just to see how students are struggling in the education system. I am truly fortunate to serve the students of Florida and learn from them as much as they are learning from me. At times it has been rough adjusting to the work life in relation to the college life schedule, but the students make every struggle worthwhile.

Exploration or travel experience in Miami.

A part of me feels as if I am studying abroad in America because I live in a predominant Spanish speaking neighborhood. Thanks to City Year Miami I have visited several Miami tourist sites and cultural events.

Experience with other City Year Corps Members.

It has been a pleasure meeting the other Corps members and learning about their personal and educational backgrounds. Majority of the corps members are college graduates so hearing their college experiences and reasons for participating in City Year instead of entering the workforce is very inspirational.

Experience/process in securing housing for the year.

Due to the teamwork of the other Bentley City Year Miami corps members, the negative aspect of securing housing was minimized. The only down side was getting the paperwork to everyone who lived in 4 different states.