Ret. Army Gen. Wesley Clark was the latest to be honored with a red jacket by City Year Little Rock. The organization's Red Jacket Ball was May 11 in Governor's Hall IV of the Statehouse Convention Center.
City Year AmeriCorps members lined up at the bottom of the escalator leading to the hall to clap, chant and greet attendees. Guests were also treated to cocktails, a silent auction and dinner featuring Italian-stuffed chicken with lemon-caper cream sauce. The popular Mabelvale Elementary School Drumline and dance team, which have performed at past City Year balls, once again kicked off the event.
Sarah Roberson, vice president and executive director of City Year Little Rock, shared her story about meeting Clark and how she launched into "this huge, idealistic rant" about City Year and how it planned to make its mark. Clark, chairman of the City Year board at the time, impressed her with his genuine interest in what the organization was doing to make a difference. To date, City Year has graduated 510 AmeriCorps members, served more than 867,000 hours in central Arkansas schools and tutored 21,000 students.
Carla Harris, a math teacher at McClellan High School, took home the Susan Turner Purvis Outstanding Educator Award. City Year Little Rock Champions Martie and Scott Hamilton did a humorous special appeal that pushed $200 past the intended $20,000 goal.
Jerry Pavlas and Bob Nash, co-chairmen of the ball, shared remarks about Clark.
Clark said: "Battles are only won by the people at the bottom." It's the same off the battlefield, he noted.
City Year Little Rock deploys 54 AmeriCorps members to serve in seven disadvantaged schools, tutoring and mentoring students.
High Profile on 05/21/2017