Urban Initiatives Memorializes Fallen Mentor
Written by Jim Dower, Founder and Executive Director of Urban Initiatives
On Friday, January 20th, our friend Troy Cameron was tragically gunned down while working at Walgreens. Troy was one of my first students at Byrd school when I began teaching nine years ago, and he made a long-lasting impact on me. In the non-profit world we often talk about “impacting” students and changing their lives. It was a two-way street in this case; Troy changed my life as well. When I began substitute teaching at Byrd I was only 22 years old (the same age that Troy was) and I found his 8th grade class challenging, to say the least. Troy, who was a leader in the class, was the first student to stop “messing with me” and encouraged the other students to show me respect as well. He also began helping me on field trips with a small soccer program I co-founded at the school, which ultimately grew into Urban Initiatives. He was a true leader and mentor within the Byrd community, for the students and for me as well.
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Motion & Emotion: A Volunteer's Perspective
By Phil Sandick
I once had a professor who noted the underestimated connection between motion and emotion. During my seasons with Urban Initiatives, that connection has asserted itself time and time again.
When walking, sitting, or standing still (the “slow” motions), it is easy to stay inside an insulated psychological shell. Any mental confrontation with the outside world can be dealt with the same way the slow-motioner deals with a physical confrontation with the outside world: look away, close your eyes, hold your breath. There is no strong need to interact with the outside world or with others, mentally or physically, when you slow-motion through the day.
When sprinting, breathing hard, trying to win as a team, and confronting boundaries to physical movements (in soccer, “fouls”), the fast-motioner has no option but to interact with the real world, with team members, and with people in positions of authority.
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UI's Next Generation of Coaching
“What is y’all thinking? Why are you doing that? You need to pick that up and do your homework,” the coach snapped. The offenders did their best to look ashamed, each beginning to pick up the crumpled pieces of paper on the ground.
“Hold on, I can handle this,” said another coach. “You guys know what the soccer team is about. You need to do well in school and eat healthy. You know that.” Pointing to a completely shredded assignment, “you probably need a new one,” the coach finished.
The action abruptly stopped, and the circle of kids and adults burst into laughs, cheers and applause. This role play activity capped off Urban Initiatives’ first celebration for our 5th-8th grade players, now officially called mentor-coaches.
Healthy Places Helps UI Reach More Kids
After receiving the Healthy Places grant in July, Urban Initiatives embarked on a project to enhance health and wellness resources in our partner schools beyond what we already offer with our Work to Play soccer teams. Because Urban Initiatives is committed to supporting our partner schools in every possible way, we were excited about being able to help teachers and staff in the schools come up with ways to make their school a healthier place for everyone in the community!
Save the Date: Chicago Fire 2012 Season Kickoff Luncheon!
Urban Initiatives is proud to be a grant recipient of the Chicago Fire Foundation. Additionally, the Chicago Fire give back to our organization in many other ways. We are grateful to have them as supporters and hope you will support their efforts to raise funds to support programs like the Work to Play Program at their Season Kickoff Luncheon. We hope to see you there!
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Inspired By Mission, UI Staff Laces Up & Hits the Streets
UI's flagship program, the Work To Play Program, spends a lot of time talking good nutrition and healthy habits to our players. "Eat fruits and vegetables," we say, "limit your screen time and make sure to get at least one hour of physical activity a day." Developing these habits early is key to helping kids live a healthy and active life in the long term. We believe that it will work.
But sometimes it becomes clear that we adults could use some Work To Play in our lives, too. We run around, but in cars doing errands. We eat, but often in a hurry and often not as healthy as we would like. And for anyone in an office, we know that limiting screen time is next to impossible.
That's why the UI staff, inspired by a recent retreat, started a once a week winter running program, Cool Runnings. Drawing inspiration from the hit 1990s film, today was our first crack at the icy Chicago streets.
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UI Participants Team Up with NCAA to Learn Importance of Community Service
This Fall, the NCAA hosted its annual regional Student-Athlete Leadership Forum. The goal of this forum is to “engage a diverse and dynamic representation of student-athletes, coaches, faculty and administrators and provide pertinent and customized sessions that will enhance personal awareness and leadership skills needed to impact student-athlete development at the campus and conference level, and beyond the collegiate realm.” One facet of this forum was a community service project in which over three hundred NCAA student-athletes worked with 40 of Urban Initiatives' student-athletes to make hand-made blankets and audio cards to be donated to the Salvation Army for children in need. This community service project was known as the “Inspire Future Leaders – Blanket Give Away”.
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Trans-Siberian Orchestra Dazzles UI Youth; Storck Presents UI with Check On-Stage
On Saturday December 3rd, Urban Initiatives participants got a chance of a lifetime when they received Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) tickets at Allstate Arena, got a backstage tour, and met the lead performers. Urban Initiatives was the charity partner for the 2011 TSO event presented by Storck USA. To kick off the show, TSO and Storck presented Urban Initiatives with the check for $16,447. It was an honor for all involved.
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Loyola and UIC Pits Two UI Schools Against Each Other for Some Good-Natured Fun
On November 2nd, a chilly Wednesday night, two Urban Initiatives schools, Nobel Elementary and Lloyd Elementary got together to cheer on their local collegiate soccer teams. Each school was cheering for a different team - Nobel for the UIC Flames and Lloyd for the Loyola Ramblers. The UIC Flames and the Loyola Ramblers, both with Horizon League berths still undecided, squared off for another game in their crosstown rivalry. Nobel Elementary, who just a week prior, sat in the stands to see UIC's amazingly clutch finish in their victory over Wright St., was on hand to see if they could bring a little luck to their team a second time around. And Lloyd Elementary, who a week prior was on hand to see a great matchup between Valparaiso and Loyola, came showing their support hoping to see Loyola keep their Horizon League Championship berth alive.
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All Smiles at Reavis Soccer Team's Award Ceremony
At the end of every Work to Play Program season, Urban Initiatives holds team parties to reward participants for their hard work and commitment. This is a video from Reavis Elementary's party. Look at those million dollar smiles! The kids are so proud of all their hard work!
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