About Bradley

Bradley Massenheimer

After graduating from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's in English and a

minor in music, I volunteered for an Americorps program in Boston entitled City Year. Within

this year-long program, I assisted a 7th and 8th grade English teacher, where I ran small groups

and tutored students who fell behind in their coursework or struggled with behavior. As a corps

member, I took on additional leadership roles, such as becoming a Project Coordinator for the

service projects City Year hosts throughout the year.

City Year gave me the courage to teach abroad in Beijing, China, where I worked with 5th-8th

graders for about a year. Through this dramatic cultural shift, I learned the importance of having

experiences outside of what is familiar and comfortable. Following my time in China, I began

working with high school students and inmates at Lookout Mountain Youth Services Academy.

Four years in the classroom with mainly marginalized and neglected youth allowed for a new

perspective. I developed a broader awareness of the impact that one’s past can have on

their learning. It became clear that teaching is not just about helping students learn information,

but more so helping them learn about themselves as they grow in their work. Though it’s ironic

for an English teacher to admit, the most valuable lessons I have learned in my life have not

come from words within books. These lessons came from new experiences, new people, and a

willingness to learn. I aim to share this same eagerness and curiosity with students so they may

be courageous and prepared in the years ahead.