Chicago is one of the most segregated cities in the United States. Each of Chicago’s seventy-seven communities have distinct racial and economic divisions that have compounded the educational disparity that children from low-income households experience. Nearly 86% of children in the Chicago Public School system come from low-income households. Also, of the 318,060 elementary students in Chicago, 56% are at or below the national norms of reading comprehension. Elementary school children deserve intensive, individualized attention if they are to reach grade level. You can help break down these economic and educational barriers by joining City Year Chicago. As a tutor and mentor, you will work in high-need neighborhoods, where you will become a powerful role model both in and out of the classroom, and help create solutions for community problems.