Urban Initiatives Insider:
A health and education soccer program making a better future for inner-city children
April 2009
| Jump to: | Recent Happenings - UI in the News - Making it Happen - How You Can Help With Appreciation - Spotlight On - Quote of the Month |
From the Executive Directors
In a time of great need when youth programming seems more essential than ever, we recognize that UI has the best supporters around. Despite the difficult economic climate, UI supporters continue to give, which will enable us to offer our Work to Play Program in two more schools this upcoming fall. Thank you! We could not do it without you.
The winter season was a great success. The children stayed active through the cold months, enhanced their soccer skills, and had a blast at Chicago Indoor Sports. Many new volunteers helped facilitate our Work to Play Program and served as positive role models in the lives of at-risk children. In addition to soccer, the winter season brought many cultural experience opportunities to UI participants. Students were taken to the Chicago Children’s Museum, the symphony, and to a soccer clinic with Robert Morris College Men’s Soccer Team. With the help of long time supporter Credit Suisse, UI also helped bring the Writer’s Theatre African American history performance, the MLK Project, to Schiller School and Jenner Academy. Participants from Walsh School had the opportunity to meet Kobe Bryant thanks to program partner, After School Matters. Overall, it was a successful season and we thank everyone who made it happen.
Despite the winter being great, as the sun starts to shine and it warms up outside we are overwhelmed by spring fever. The spring season runs from April 13 through June 5. We would love for you to volunteer at one of our schools.
~ Jim and Dan
Recent Happenings at UI
Scientific Study Collaboration with CLOCC and the DePaul School of Psychology
In February, UI received a $20,000 grant from the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago’s Children (CLOCC) to complete a scientific study, entitled Urban Initiatives: A Preliminary Investigation of Short-Term Health Outcomes, in collaboration with researchers at the DePaul School of Psychology. Jocelyn Carter, Ph.D. will serve as the project evaluator and will supervise all research activities. She has extensive experience in conducting research with children and her current research focus is on the relation between physical health and mental health outcomes in low-income urban minority children. In regards to the upcoming project with UI, Dr. Carter stated, “I am most excited about the opportunity to scientifically demonstrate what program staff, volunteers, and participants have known since the program began – that the UI program has a positive impact in the lives of urban youth.” The study will run through the 2009-2010 school year. The two sites we expand our program into this upcoming fall will serve as the intervention group and the two sites we plan to expand our program into the fall of 2010-2011 will serve as the control group. The study will measure overweight status, physical fitness, daily activity level, and health knowledge of 120 students. We are extremely excited and grateful to CLOCC and DePaul for the opportunity to conduct the study.
Soccer Ball Success
For those who haven’t heard, the third annual Soccer Ball was, once again, the hottest party this winter and our most successful fundraiser to date. All together we net over $100,000 and 599 attendees came to Salvage One to support UI at the event and celebrate the program’s success. Thank you again to our Soccer Ball sponsors, donors, Host Committee, Board, volunteers, and attendees. Special thanks to our Party Planning Committee: Paula Armstrong, Maggie Belliel, Connie Falcone, Jutta Hilpuesch, Jenny Morgan, and Katy Reichert. We are confident that we have the best fundraising team around. You helped us exceed our expectations and the event was a ball!
UI in the News
- February Chicago Housing Authority Outreach article on Leon Wilbut, a former UI participant and now a student mentor. He was featured for his great work helping younger students in the Work to Play Program. In the third quarter of the 2008-2009 school year, Leon once again had perfect attendance and made the honor roll. Way to go Leon!
- March 18 the Northwestern School of Journalism publication, the Medill Reports, featured an article and a video on UI. Click here to read.
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Making it Happen
Letter from Longtime UI Volunteer, 2nd Year UIC Medical Student, and
Schweitzer Fellow Ben Pryess
I’ve often strolled out of an Urban Initiatives early morning practice and thought to myself “well, that’s going to be the best part of my day.” As a second year medical student who spends infinite hours studying, maybe that’s not saying much. On the other hand, I can promise you that my diverse band of fellow coaches will agree.
You see, at each practice I’m deeply rewarded. I laugh (really hard), I’m offered new perspective and taught lessons about my career and my own life, and if I’m lucky, I learn a new dance move or handshake. The kids, who in all their unique glory bring a joy that only children can bring to life, make all this possible. As much as I try to offer up my interest, encouragement, teaching, etc. to each of them, the kids always find a way to give more back to me. Yeah yeah, I know that cliché’s been around forever but there’s no other way to say it. My sincere hope is that I am contributing to their lives in a fraction of what they’re contributing to mine.
As for Urban Initiatives as an organization, I don’t have to hope. I know they’re making a meaningful impact in the lives of these children. I’ve seen the grades go up – and kids proudly show me their report cards. I’ve seen the apples and granola bars gobbled up – in an understanding that they’re better nutrition than chips and pop. And most of all, I’ve seen the way the children smile as they chase the ball down the field – and later tell me “that was fun.”
So what’s the point? To be concise, you’re missing out if you’re not involved. If you can help coach, do it. If you can’t, consider helping out financially or in another capacity. It’s worth it.
Sincerely,
Ben Preyss
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How You Can Help
Volunteer Spring Season 2009
Please join us as a volunteer for our upcoming spring season from April 13 through June 5. We need people to assistant coach our Work to Play Program. In just one hour, you can help 30 children in an at-risk Chicago community better their lives with physical activity, health education tutorials, character discussions, as well as a healthy snack. Please e-mail info@urbaninitiatives.org for more details.
Donate Now
Urban Initiatives will offer the Work to Play Program to 390 students in thirteen schools by the end of the 2010-2011 school year. There is popular demand for our program and we would love to have your support while we expand into four more schools. We know that everyone is very conscious of what organizations they are supporting in this economy and we would be honored if you chose Urban Initiatives. Terrific kids in Chicago will benefit as a result of your generosity. Click here to donate now.
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With Appreciation
- Thank you to all who continue to support Urban Initiatives.
- Thank you to all who volunteered their time and energy during the winter season.
- Thank you to Tom and CeCe Ricketts for becoming a Champion Partner with Goethe School. They join the Devers Group and Storck on our list of Champions.
- Thank you to an anonymous foundation for granting UI $10,000 to help fund expansion into Reavis School next fall.
- Thank you to Mike Widell and Chicago Indoor Sports for donating the use of their facilities during the winter season.
- Thank you again to Lily Stein, her family, and her friends for the countless donations made in honor of her Bat Mitzvah.
- Thank you to the Robert Morris College Men’s Soccer Team for hosting a clinic for UI students on March 20 at Chicago Indoor Sports.
- Thank you to Northwestern’s Civic Education Project for including Urban Initiatives in CivicWeek.
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Spotlight on Christian Nze
Christian Nze is a Special Education teacher and the Urban Initiatives On-Site Program Director at Crispus Attucks Academy. He has worked with Urban Initiatives for almost four years. Before joining Urban Initiatives, Coach Nze ran an after-school program at Attucks. Since getting involved with the Work to Play Program he has taught soccer and valuable life lessons to the kids at Attucks. Attucks is in the Bronzeville neighborhood and has the highest percentage of homeless students in CPS. It is a student population that struggles with stability and Coach Nze has made a huge impact on the UI participants there. He claims he is “old school” and has zero tolerance for lack of respect and antisocial behaviors. As a result, the “respect for self and others” has become the mantra for UI participants at Attucks.
Coach Nze has a fascinating background. While growing up in Nigeria, his interest in soccer was cultivated at an early age. He played soccer at both the grade school and high school levels. Upon graduation from high school, he continued to play the sport he loved with corporate owned soccer clubs: The Electricity Corporation of Nigeria's Soccer Club (ECN) and the African Continental Bank Soccer Club. In 1968, he was honored to receive an invitation to play soccer with the Nigerian Green Eagles, the Nigerian National Team, and played with them for three years. Today he feels blessed to have been one of the pioneers who helped pave the way for the players now able to play professional soccer, both in Nigeria and abroad.
In 1974, at the age of 28, Coach Nze moved to the United States to pursue higher education. He started out at Blackburn College and eventually graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelors Degree in Marketing. While in school he played soccer. Before becoming a teacher, Coach Nze worked in the insurance business. Coach Nze has an impressive resume and he thrives in the classroom. All children would benefit from having a role model like Coach Nze in their lives. We are extremely grateful to have such a talented, dedicated man involved with our Work to Play Program.
“The Urban Initiatives program has been wonderful and beneficial to our students. The program has provided an alternative to other sports to the young ones. One can see the zeal and enthusiasm with which the players at Attucks embrace the game. Besides the fun of playing, the program has been used to affect the behavior of the players.”
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Quote of the Month
"The UI soccer team helps keep kids off the streets and be more in-tune with the good things going on in the world instead of the bad."
~ Dad of a Jenner Academy Program Participant
We want your feedback: Send comments and suggestions to info@urbaninitiatives.org.
Urban Initiatives
650 W. Lake St., Suite 340
Chicago, IL
60661
312-715-1763
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