On April 30th, Take the Lead Team Captains took the day off school, not to hang around or sit on the couch, but to celebrate all the incredible service projects they’ve completed this spring in their communities.
As a part of the Take the Lead program, Team Captains organize service projects with their teammates. Captains take charge of these projects, planning, scheduling, holding meetings, and organizing the events themselves. At each school they take a different approach that works best for them. At Reavis, Captains presented to the rest of their teammates about the AIDS epidemic in Africa, trying to raise awareness about the issue and what they can do to help spread that awareness. At Daley, captains organized a walk-a-thon to promote physical activity and raise money for an international development project. While at Libby, captains sold snacks to benefit a local organization. At Lloyd, captains were silent at practice to raise awareness about immigrant rights. And at Howe, captains, along with their teammates, cleaned up their local park.
These service projects granted them admission to an awesome party! WeDay is a concert for youth around the state to learn more about service learning and be inspired to continue helping their communities and the worlds. Our team captains had the chance to hear NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, Allstate Insurance C.E.O. Tom Wilson, Hollywood Actor Martin Sheen, and many other incredible and inspiring presenters. Many presentations left the captains talking about current issues or ways that they could create change. They left ready to take on the world and continue on their paths of becoming leaders in their communities.
Urban Initiatives would like to thank Allstate for supporting our Team Captains in their efforts of creating better communities around Chicago!
