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Opening Day is an event that takes place at all 29 �鶹��Ƶ sites across the nation and is a time where corps members officially take the pledge to serve as AmeriCorps members and get their �鶹��Ƶ jacket. Last month, �鶹��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley officially kicked off the school year by formally welcoming our corps at an Opening Day ceremony which took place in the heart of East San José at the Mexican Heritage Plaza.

Here in San José, we had the pleasure of welcoming 115 AmeriCorps members into East San José schools to serve. These corps members will spend the next 10 months serving as tutors, mentors and role models to over 8,000 students. Corps members got to hear from community partners and were welcomed into their schools by district partners. This year was especially exciting as we welcomed the addition of our 14^th partner school: Mt. Pleasant High School (MPHS), home to over 1,300 high school students.  

We are so excited to be able to welcome MPHS into the �鶹��Ƶ family. This new school partnership allowed our site to complete a second feeder pattern meaning �鶹��Ƶ will consistently be serving the same set of students from third grade to ninth grade as they transition from elementary, middle and high school. Additionally, the Sharks Foundation and SAP are the proud team sponsors supporting the AmeriCorps members at MPHS.

“Today I want to thank you publically for the work you will be doing growing their skills in the classroom through valuable academic interventions.”

At our Opening Day ceremony, we had the pleasure of having MPHS Principal, Martha Guerrero speak to corps members about the value of service and the impact they are making in San José. She shared heartfelt anecdotes as well as her excitement about partnering with �鶹��Ƶ for the current school year.

Another highlight from the ceremony was a special performance by the MPHS Folkloric Dance Team ‘Folklorico!’. It was wonderful to be able to have such a rich cultural performance commemorate Opening Day, because of the connection of some of the cultures that are represented in East San José where our corps members serve.

Overall, it was an amazing event and got our AmeriCorps members, staff and community partners FIRED UP for a new year in East San José!