By Elizabeth Gillis
Staff Writer

 Most students from the class of 2015 will be heading off to college in the fall, but Ashley Garcia will be heading off to help with an organization called City Year.

This organization is an educational nonprofit institution founded in Boston in 1998, and is currently aiding the educational success in twenty-five communities across the United States.

After getting two weeks of training in August, Garcia will be gone for about ten months and finish in the beginning of June. She will be going to Columbia, South Carolina to work there from 6am to 7pm, Mondays through Fridays. Garcia will be mentoring, tutoring, and serving as a role model to help elementry school children and the schools there to succeed.

“We will be working to bridge the gap in high-poverty communities between the support that students actually need, and helping to increase graduation rates across the country,” said Garcia.

Garcia first heard about City Year while looking into different gap year volunteering programs. After spending most of her childhood in the suburbs of New York, she is very familiar with the challenges of growing up in the inner city.

“I have only been living in Westford since my freshman year. Before I was adopted from foster care, I lived in New York City, and because of this I think my understanding of living in a big city will help me empathize with the needs of the community,” said Garcia.

Garcia is extremely excited about going to South Carolina. She said her mom was a major inspiration to go out and help out the community.

“My mom is a Service Learning Coordinator at Blanchard and plans many service projects. I guess her love of giving back has just rubbed off on me,” said Garcia.

After finishing her time with the City Year program, she will be going to community college in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will eventually study at the University of North Carolina. She has narrowed her study options down to social work or elementary education.

“I will be attending community college first in Charlotte, North Carolina. I will be establishing residency there this July with my mom. At the end of my assignment with City Year, I will receive a $6,000 scholarship which is going to pay for most of my community college fees. My plan is to matriculate into the University of North Carolina to study either social work or elementary education,” said Garcia.
Garcia has much appreciation for the WA staff who supported her decision.

 “From Westford Academy, I have to thank Mr. Antonelli, Mrs. Lynch, and many of my teachers for their unwavering support of my decision of putting off college for one year and following my dreams of helping others,” said Garcia.