Over the past 15 years, Bain Capital has sponsored teams of AmeriCorps members, helping develop and support more than 200 young idealist giving a year of service. For the 2016-2017 school year, the firm has extended that commitment to sponsor teams of corps members serving in Boston, London, New York, Providence and San Jose/Silicon Valley. The corps members are inspiring and a great way to get to the heart of what makes City Year great.
Name: John Pang
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Serving: New York Civic Engagement Team
What made you decide to join City Year?
I decided to join City Year because of my love for helping out the communities that I live in.
Why are you committed to serving with City Year?
I am committed because of the smiles I see on the faces of the students that we work with. I enjoy the gratitude my team and I receive from the school faculty and staff when we complete a service project.
How do you know you are making a difference?
I know I am making a difference in the communities that I serve in because when we leave the school, we leave a tangible piece of our work for everyone, including the public, to see.
What does it mean to you to have Bain Capital sponsor your team?
I think it is a privilege to have Bain Capital sponsor my team because we get to play an important role in the relationship between corporate partners and the community. By sponsoring our team, Bain Capital shows the social responsibility many companies should also have.
Please share a Starfish Story.
One of my after school students is so full of energy, but sometimes that makes it hard for her to sit still and focus on one thing at a time. Although her energy is a quality I love to see, when it is in excess, it sometimes creates problems with her focus that makes learning new information difficult. During the first half of our year of service we introduced WildCrafts, our arts and crafts club, to the students in our after school program. It was through this club where I was able to see her creativity and her vast imagination! She was always super engaged in the lesson and never took her focus off the lesson unless it was to begin her soon to be masterpiece. She was able to learn various art techniques quickly while also adding her own splash of creativity to her work. She has also shown strengths in teamwork and communication by helping other students in the club, whether by providing advice on how to draw something or how to make a certain color using paint. Her level of engagement and enthusiasm inspires me to make better happen every day at IS 126Q and in our after school club.
