Communities In Schools of Chicago

Exposure to new experiences across Chicago is critical for young people's growth and development. We were delighted over the weekend to share more about how CIS connects students with community programs and resources at the WGN TV studios!

Our Senior Arts & Culture Partnership Specialist Katia joined their morning program to talk about how CIS links students with field trips, cultural opportunities, and more.

Watch the full interview here: https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-weekend-morning-news/local-nonprofit-works-to-keep-field-trips-free-for-chicago-students/

Our team at CIS of Chicago is proud to co-sponsor Do the Write Thing, a writing program that challenges middle schoolers to share their ideas on the causes of and solutions to youth violence.

One week ago, Do the Write Thing Chicago hosted their annual awards banquet and recognized one student to serve as the national student ambassador. This student will represent Chicago at the Do the Write Thing Summit in Washington, D.C. over the summer.

At the awards banquet, we were delighted to recognize Damiya Myers, a seventh grader at Johnnie Colemon Elementary, as this year's ambassador! We can't wait for this year's Summit and all the exciting opportunities between now and then (including an interview with Damiya and CIS' Robin on NBC).

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀.

They partner with their CIS Student Supports Manager to set goals for coming to school, staying in school, and ensuring they are on the path to graduation. They work diligently to reach their goals. And throughout the process, they gain skills for not only succeeding in school, but skills that will serve them well throughout their life.

𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆.

They honor one student at each of their schools with a CIS Tenacity Award and celebrate the progress they made.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿'𝘀 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻!

And thanks to the efforts of our school-based leadership team and Field Supervisor Paul Fagen, each winner will receive a gift box with a gift card, certificate of recognition, a tenacious T-shirt, and donations from some of our amazing community partners -- the Chicago Architecture Center, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Betsy's Blankets, and the Chicago White Sox!

Last week, our Chief Partnership Engagement Officer Robin Koelsch shared her perspective at We Are Our Own Medicine gun violence prevention conference.

We Are Own Medicine is a community-led collective whose mission is to empower communities to implement solutions that transform neighborhoods back into safe, thriving spaces. Robin served on a panel with Cameron Barnes, Chicago Public Schools Office of Faith-Based Initiatives; Damien Howard, Together Chicago; and Nick Rivera CarePortal.

Learn more about the conference here: https://weareourownmedicine.com/

One week ago, we were able to celebrate our school partners with a day dedicated to self-care, and here was the feedback from one attendee:

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿'𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁-𝘂𝗽?
𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦. 𝘗𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲?
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦.

𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄?
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦.

Feedback like this says it all. We value our schools, and they value their partnership with CIS.

Our team believes that when we can invest in self-care and empower our counselors and school staff with the time and space for self-care... students in turn are better served!

Today, we had the opportunity to provide that space for school partners with a day dedicated to self-care. Our partners who give so much to young people were offered special sessions in return -- chair yoga, painting, and more.

Special thanks to Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) for hosting us and shout-out to our Partnership Team for planning such an impactful and much-needed event.

𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Recently, our team connected a Goodman Theatre in-school performance to PreK-1st graders at three CIS schools. Inspired by the wildlife of Lake Michigan, the production used music, movement, and imaginative play to meet young children exactly where they are.

Thank you, Goodman, for providing such an engaging experience for our students with your performance of 𝘚𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘚𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩.

This spring, our Fundamental Needs Partnership Specialist Jacque has been busy working with community partners to meet students' and families' essential needs.

-In January, Enchanted Backpack provided backpacks filled with resources to several CIS schools, and more schools are expected to receive resources soon.
-In February, Cradles to Crayons Chicago provided coats to CIS schools with this specific request, ensuring students are staying warm.
-In March, Jacque attended Cradles to Crayons Stronger Together Appreciation Brunch, along with other service partners, and built strong connections with individuals and organizations across the city.

Our team at CIS of Chicago is thrilled to welcome Ari Glass to the Board of Directors.

Ari Glass serves as the Head of Real Estate at Mansueto Office, an investment firm based in Chicago, and he has more than 28 years of commercial real estate experience across several disciplines. Before Mansueto Office, he served as President of Zeller Realty Corporation, and prior to Zeller, he worked as the Marketing Director at Golub and Company.

Ari is a Chicago-area native and brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and passion to CIS of Chicago. We look forward to his continued service on our Board of Directors. Welcome, Ari!

Through a field trip to the American Writers Museum, students experienced not only the reading of a children's book by the author himself. They participated in drawing activities that responded to the book's themes AND went home with their own copies.

Thanks to CIS community partner, the American Writers Museum, for hosting our students and to author Harold Green III, whose reading of his book "Hugged by the Night" was enjoyed by all present.