Elizabeth Orosco
Northeast News

The Northeast Middle School auditorium was full of volunteers Monday, Jan. 21 to serve the students by participating in the Day Of Service in honor of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.

They painted murals on every floor of the school with messages of hope, inspiration, and encouragement for students walking the halls.

City Year, an nonprofit education organization dedicated to helping students and schools succeed, partnered with Northeast Middle School for the beautification project. City Year teams are made up of 18 to 24 year olds, who provide student, classroom, and whole school support, intended to help students stay in school and on track to graduate high school.

Jeff Shafer, Development Director for City Year Kansas City said the team at Northeast Middle is a constant source of assistance to the students.

“We place mentors in schools to keep kids on track to graduate. They’re here day in and day out, partnering with teachers, doing mentoring and tutoring and this is one of our six schools that we serve,” he said.

Jolie Justus, Councilwoman for the 4th District spoke during the opening ceremony, “I am incredibly excited to be a part of this. Number one, we need to remember why we’re here, and number two, to recommit to community service for the next 12 months,” she said.

Speaking to the volunteers, she said their work impacts the community in a big way.

“We pause to celebrate the life of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. We remember his work and we celebrate his legacy. Your service is making a difference. Our cities, our school, our neighborhoods are better connected and more resilient because of the service you provide everyday. From mural painting to tree trimming to neighborhood cleanups and after school tutoring, every hour of service that you provide returns benefits that ripple throughout our city for generations.”

Bakari Ukuu, Vice Principal of Northeast Middle School, said the City Year team plays a vital role in the lives of the students.

“Our City Year team is an integral part of the Titan family,” he said. “They serve in a variety of capacities. Corps members have sponsored after school clubs and activities and provide our students with life long, positive school memories.”

In their fifth year of operation, Northeast Middle School serves over 780 seventh and eighth grade students.

“We are one of the most diverse schools in the metro,” said Ukuu. “We have students from around the world with over 25 languages spoken in our building. This type of diversity under one roof would likely not have been possible had it not been for the life and service of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”