Notre Dame of Maryland University, in collaboration with the Transform Mid-Atlantic AmeriCorps VISTA program, introduced the York Road Education and Service (YES) Program to the community in 2018.

The YES Program, in partnership with Govans Elementary and Tunbridge Public Charter School, supports Notre Dame of Maryland University’s vision for increased college awareness and preparedness among local Baltimore youth.

In the 2018-2019 academic year, the partnership between NDMU and local schools focused on developing sustainable tutoring programs. The YES Tutoring Program had great success that first year, and continues to welcome returning volunteers and partners to contribute to the program's growth.

Following the pilot year, the YES Program has since expanded to include mentoring opportunities, including volunteering with the afterschool STEM program and Diamond Girls at Govans Elementary and serving as a Teacher’s Aide at Tunbridge Public Charter School. Beginning in January 2020, the mentoring partnerships at Govans Elementary and Tunbridge PCS are distinct to the ask of each school, increasing the opportunities for volunteers to get involved.

In the future, the YES Program plans to increase its partnerships by incorporating a health component to the program. Each of these YES Program projects seeks to establish a sustainable and relevant volunteer relationship between NDMU, its partner schools, and the local community.

For more information about volunteering through the YES Program, contact NDMU’s 2023 TMA AmeriCorps VISTA member, Kristina Pickering (kpickering@ndm.edu).