CAAEL, a 501c(3) nonprofit, is a powerful tool that teachers have been using for over 40 years to help at-risk/special education students succeed. EACH year, CAAEL offers 876 events for 5,000 students from 30 Illinois counties. Used THROUGHOUT the school day, it motivates these kids to come to school, complete their assignments, and behave appropriately. CAAEL is integrated directly into the curriculum and provides alternative school educators a powerful set of tools to build hope and change lives. And through CAAEL’s emphasis on sportsmanship, leadership and teamwork vs. winning and losing, educators use their CAAEL membership to teach the skills needed to be both successful students and productive citizens. Our mission is to eliminate the critical interscholastic athletic and activity gap created when at-risk/special education students are removed from the educational mainstream due to severe behavioral and emotional problems. Since 1976, the Chicago Area Alternative Education League (CAAEL) has successfully provided a full spectrum of interscholastic academic and athletic programs to thousands and thousands of the Chicagoland area’s most at-risk boys and girls ranging from ages 7-21. CAAEL students have been placed in alternative schools for a broad range of behavioral and emotional issues. Typically referred to as at-risk or high-risk, these kids may be aggressive or withdrawn, emotionally disturbed or learning disabled, behaviorally challenging or socially isolated, gang involved, drug dependent, depressed or truant. CAAEL continues to successfully serve this wide range of students with respect to age, disability, ability, race, socio-economic background and culture. CAAEL has proven effective across geographic and demographic boundaries. There are over 876 CAAEL events and tournaments EACH year including bowling, chess, art, flag football, volleyball, soccer, softball, basketball, spelling bees, and academic bowls. Through CAAEL’s core values and motivating programs, it has helped thousands of at-risk kids develop self-discipline, learn to respect others, work as a team, and take pride in themselves and their school communities. Because of all that is taught and learned as part of CAAEL participation, alternative schools have long recognized the value of allocating a portion of their daily schedule for CAAEL activities. As one Comcast SportsNet reporter recognized, “CAAEL is a different kind of classroom.”
CAAEL is comprehensive. CAAEL programs are integrated directly into each partner school’s own curriculum and incentive system to become an essential component of the daily procedures and operations. It’s games and events are integrated directly into each school’s daily schedule where students need to meet attendance, academic, and behavioral eligibility criteria in order to participate in the highly desirable events and competitions that are integrated into the school day. Kids are extremely motivated to stay on target all week so that they can remain eligible to leave school and participate in the weekly CAAEL events during SCHOOL HOURS. Because it is based on partnerships rather than direct student intervention, CAAEL is extremely cost-effective. The programs are delivered through each partner schools’ instructional staff, utilizing their own physical resources and transportation systems. By incorporating the programs into already existing services through specialized training and support, CAAEL impacts the education of thousands of youth annually at minimal per student cost. Note- CAAEL eliminates unnecessary duplication of efforts and services. By customizing the leagues and events for this specific population and managing the network of schools, each partner’s limited resources remain available to address the myriad of other challenges inherent in educating these youth. Sportsmanship is Key. With every event’s emphasis on positive leadership and SPORTSMANSHIP rather than winning, CAAEL students build character and learn necessary social skills. Throughout the school day and at CAAEL events, students learn how to interact positively with peers, show respect for authority figures, work as a team, demonstrate compassion and tolerance, win and lose gracefully, make thoughtful decisions and accept both the positive and negative consequences of their decisions. CAAEL engages alienated youth and helps reintegrate them back into the mainstream. It is a powerful motivator and offers hope of a brighter future for our most vulnerable youth. CAAEL is the only organization providing this broad scope programming for Illinois growing number of high-risk youth. And CAAEL thrives with volunteers. We are always looking for help in many capacities. If you believe in what we are doing, CAAEL is a great way to give back to your community. CAAEL.ORG
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