Brainstorming Solutions to Chicago’s Open Space Shortage
The Chicago Tribune just released a comprehensive article about the city’s struggling open spaces, including some of the work that Urban Initiatives has been doing through the Healthy Places project. The article, which can be read here looks at 10 different ways to support Chicago’s “park poor” neighborhoods, including a project to enhance walking and biking routes in targeted neighborhoods.
Continue reading "Brainstorming Solutions to Chicago’s Open Space Shortage"
State-of-the-Art Turf Fields Unveiled in UI Neighborhoods
On a beautiful autumn Saturday, community members gathered around to watch the dedication of three new regulation-size turf soccer fields around Chicago. These fields are part of the “Take the Field’ initiative, which utilized both private and public resources to enhance Chicago’s open spaces, creating an environment where people can come together and celebrate their community through sports.
Mayor Emanuel traveled to each new field for its dedication ceremony, along with Mike Kelly and Bryan Traubert on behalf of the Chicago Park District. At Humboldt Park, Urban Initiatives players from Otis and Prieto schools looked on as the Mayor thanked Penny Pritzker and Allstate CEO Tom Wilson for their contribution to the initiative. At Cornell Square, Coach Jauregi and the Daley School team cheered for Paul Finnegan, the President of Teach for America who sponsored their field. Coach Anthony and players from Reavis thanked the Chicago Bears Foundation for the field at Jackson Park.
Bryan Traubert announced that the fields are meant to be “places where the community can come together and a symbol of the private and public sectors working together to improve our hometown."
Player and families were all thrilled by the fancy feel of the new turf under their feet!
Read the official press release here!
Continue reading "State-of-the-Art Turf Fields Unveiled in UI Neighborhoods "
UI Branches Out with the Healthy Places Project
This year, Urban Initiatives is proud to be the host organization for the Healthy Places project focusing in the New City Community!
We will work in 5 community schools (some who already have our Work to Play Program, and some new recruits) to rally around the CPS Wellness Policy and initiate some projects to enhance healthy school environments. Also, we will be working on a Healthy Places to Walk project that involves examining the quality of biking and walking.
Ultimately, our goal is to be ready to do the Go for the Gold! (also known as the HealthierUS Schools Challenge) application next spring, so that our schools can receive public celebration and a monetary honorarium to fund further health and wellness projects.
Continue reading "UI Branches Out with the Healthy Places Project"
Player Spotlight: Yeira, 4th Grader at Otis Elementary
Yeira, a 4th grader at James Otis Elementary, loves being active. From the moment she climbs up the seemingly hundreds of stairs to the Otis gym on the fourth floor, Yeira’s energy and excitement is quite noticeable. Her commitment to the Urban Initiatives soccer team is evident each morning when she shows up to practice on time, is wearing her shin guards and when she tells Coach Sifuentes about the healthy food she ate for breakfast.
When asked what healthy foods she enjoys eating Yeira quickly responded, “Carrots and apples!” Instilling the idea of eating healthy foods and living active lives are the core of what Urban Initiatives teaches our players. The lessons our coaches teach players like Yeira on the soccer field translate to the classroom as well as at home. While at home, Yeira says she runs in her backyard and does jumping jacks. She also works on her soccer skills; her dribbling, passing and shooting has greatly improved as each week passes.
Continue reading "Player Spotlight: Yeira, 4th Grader at Otis Elementary"
Rainy Day at Reavis Elementary
Getting out from under a rain-smeared morning into the Reavis gym, I found a warm fire at soccer practice. The coaches were pumped, the players engaged. After some solid ball handling and passing work with Coach Jenny, the players were ready for the Berger challenge: a 2 on 1 breakaway against Coach Berger. Taking on all comers, Coach Berger only let a few goals sneak by on inspired passing from the players, and as the squeaks of shoes on the gym floor quieted, practice ended. Players then had a brief discussion on teamwork, followed by a morning snack of NutriGrain bar, natural vegetable-fruit juice (no sugar added!), and a fresh, shiny Red Delicious apple delivered that morning.
“Good Morning America” from UI players and…Mayor Emanuel!
On Friday, October 7th, Urban Initiatives players from Libby, Walsh, Jenner and Prieto schools got to meet Mayor Emanuel and film a TV commercial! The Mayor's Office reached out to the Urban Initiatives team and asked us if we wanted to invite some of our student athletes to film a promotion for Good Morning America. We said “YES!” of course.
Several of our schools are on a two week fall break right now, and we recruited some of our soccer champs from these schools to spend part of their vacation hobnobbing with the mayor and getting their faces on TV!
While he was shaking the kids' hands, Mayor Emanuel commented, "This is my favorite part of the job!"
Stay tuned for info on where you can see the video of our students and Mayor Emanuel shouting “From Chicago!” for Good Morning America.
Continue reading "“Good Morning America” from UI players and…Mayor Emanuel! "
UI Hat Trick: Three Great Schools, Three Great Successes
We've reached our first midseason milestone with our Track E schools and with schools like Bethune Elementary, Lloyd Elementary, and Nobel Elementary, it's hard not to be excited about the remainder of the 2011-2012 program year. Seeing our healthy athletes salivating at the chance to play “Star Wars” after a long summer off, and our new players showing their obvious confusion while trying to figure out how a game called “Skittles” could possibly help to make them healthier is enough to make even the most stoic of observers smile from ear to ear.
At Bethune this year, we've welcomed a new OSPD, Coach Menzo Murphy. He's been upholding Bethune's standard of hard-work and excellence on the soccer field. Flanked on both sides by two dedicated parent assistant coaches, Bethune is off to a great start. And with returning players like Enyce Hunley constantly reminding you, “Coach, I got this! I'm a vet!”, there's no doubt that the Bethune Bears will roar themselves straight to an amazing season.
Continue reading "UI Hat Trick: Three Great Schools, Three Great Successes"
Wings Welcome UI for Biggest Crosstown Ever!
The 11th Crosstown Classic was the biggest one yet! The Crosstown was hosted by the Wings in Wilmette’s beautiful Avoca Park. We were pleased the rain stayed away for our fun, soccer-filled afternoon together. UI is forever grateful to the Wings community for their ongoing support of Urban Initiatives’ efforts.
This year, we had over 150 Wings players participating as players, coaches, or referees. Urban Initiatives also brought 110 players from Jenner, Lloyd, Morton, and Walsh schools. It was our biggest Cross-town ever! It is always such a treat to watch the Wings and Urban Initiatives players play together. On every field, there were tremendous displays of teamwork, sportsmanship, and soccer skills.
Continue reading "Wings Welcome UI for Biggest Crosstown Ever!"
Interfaith Cup Scores a Goal with Chicago Youth
Last Wednesday, ninety youth from all corners of Chicago – from Kenwood and Hyde Park to West Town and Rogers Park – descended upon UIC’s soccer field for an afternoon full of soccer, healthy food, and making new friends. These youth represented a rich array of faith traditions, coming from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and non-religious families. While all of the youth currently reside in Chicago, many of them were born in other countries, including Somalia, Nepal, and Burma.
The kids relished the exposure to different cultures. The small-sided (5 versus 5) soccer games featured mixed-teams, which encouraged the youth to develop their teamwork and communication skills with their new teammates. While some were a bit timid at first, by the game’s end, all were high-fiving like old friends.
Continue reading "Interfaith Cup Scores a Goal with Chicago Youth"
Volunteer Wowed by UI's Impact
Urban Initiatives wishes to thank Stacy Stutz for contributing this insightful blog post and the amazing photos of the Work to Play Program in action. Urban Initiatives considers Stacy one of the most valuable players on our team!
Originally introduced to Urban Initiatives in the Fall of 2007 when my daughter first participated in the Urban Initiatives Cross-town Classic held in Wilmette, I continue to be amazed at the impact UI has on the inner-city children, families and communities it serves.
Last Friday I had the privilege of spending the afternoon at beautiful Sherman Park which is across the street from Libby Elementary school. Libby’s UI team was hosting Pasteur Elementary School, one of UI’s most recently added schools, for their first official UI game. The coaches and kids came out excited to play soccer! My primary reason for joining the team on this day was to take some photographs to use on UI’s website and for UI’s annual fundraiser, the Soccer Ball.