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College Success Initiative Celebrates 10 Years

The College Success Initiative (CSI) celebrated 10 years in 2024, having supported over 360 Cambridge residents in pursuing higher education. Designed to assist historically underrepresented students, including immigrants, first-generation college-goers, and low-income individuals, CSI provides personalized support through dedicated College Success Coaches. The program helps students from Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, the Community Learning Center, and Just-A-Start’s YouthBuild program complete associate or bachelor’s degrees within six years.

Efforts, Collaboration Continue to Expand Afterschool Options for Cambridge Families

The Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) is working to create a more equitable afterschool application and enrollment process while expanding access for Cambridge families. For the 2024-2025 school year, 1,486 students received an offer to a DHSP afterschool program, with 90% placed in their first choice, and a 7% increase in applicants from the income priority group. DHSP has also added 246 new seats across programs, launched an OST Expansion Study to support long-term growth, and continues to center caregiver perspectives through the Caregiver Council.

Most Read Books in Cambridge in 2024

In 2024, the Cambridge Public Library revealed the top 10 most borrowed books, with The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride leading the fiction category, while The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt topped nonfiction. The children's book Dog Man: The Scarlett Shedder was the most popular among young readers. March saw the highest number of checkouts, contributing to a total of nearly 1.1 million books borrowed that year.

Active Transportation Coordinator for the Community Development Department, Tenzin Choephel, stands with a Bluebike in front of Broadway Bicycle School.

Former Teacher Leads Cambridge’s Bluebikes and Bike Education Programs: Profile on Community Development's Tenzin Choephel

Learn more about Community Development’s Tenzin Choephel, whose roles span everything from Bluebikes operations, bicycle education for Cambridge youth, grant writing, and much more.  

A Cambridge Police officer rides a bike while giving the camera a thumbs up

Police Utilize Education and Enforcement to Improve Compliance

The Cambridge Police Department utilizes education and targeted enforcement to enhance roadway safety, reduce harm, and promote compliance with traffic laws as part of the City's Vision Zero commitment.

Download Street Code Safety Resource Guide

Cambridge Street Code helps educate all users of the road about rules, etiquette, and how to get around the City safely.

Affordable Connectivity Program

This new federal program helps low-income households offset monthly costs of a new or existing internet service.

Cambridge Anti-Racism, Equity & Inclusion Initiative

This community’s racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity shapes Cambridge and is what makes it a desirable and enriching place to live, work, and raise a family. In order to best serve the Cambridge community, the City must take an inclusive and equitable approach to address residents' needs.

The City's Community Engagement Team and Cambridge Police collaborated on door-to-door outreach.

Redefining Community Engagement

In FY22, the Community Development Department (CDD) established a Community Engagement Advisory Group for staff to share best practices and reflect on strategies to make engagement more inclusive and equitable. This Group developed a handbook on inclusive and equitable engagement best practices which will be published in September 2022. The handbook, which uses an anti-racism and equity lens to approach planning, implementation, and reflection of community engagement strategies, will be used to increase participation in public processes and programs.

Cambridge Community Learning Center Class

Educational Support and Workforce Development

The Birth to 3rd Grade Partnership (B3), continued its scholarship program for 3 and 4 year-olds from low-income families, adding two new programs to its menu of preschool options, and also increased its number of children accessing B3 scholarships by 13%.

Photograph of young children taking part in an arts and craft activity at a round table

Developing Universal Pre-K

The Birth to 3rd Grade (B3) Partnership is serving as the lead office in the design, development, and implementation of the City’s system of Universal Pre-K

Tobin Montessori Vassal Lane Upper Schools Image Courtesy of Perkins Eastman

Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools Construction Underway

Located at 197 Vassal Lane, the new complex will house the Tobin Montessori School, Vassal Lane Upper Schools, the City’s Department of Human Services Programs preschool and after school programs, and Special Start.

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