Hope HS @ Bronzeville Nursing Center

Hope High School's First Summer of Service Event!

Mr. Grigsby and his super group from Hope High School headed straight into their first service event on Friday.

Bronzeville Nursing Center features over four floors of senior care and Hope students split up to cover each floor with activities support.

Interacting with residents through Bingo games and simple companionship Hope students were naturals making fast friendships with many residents who greatly appreciated another pair of eyes on their Bingo cards so they could win cookies and cupcakes.

Thank you to Angie Byrd and Bronzeville Nursing Center for allowing us to spend time and support your wonderful residents.

Kelvyn Park @ Cob Connection & Foreman @ Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse

A week ago we were concerned our Environmental events would be rained out, but this week were hoping our students could handle the heat! But a heat index of 100* can't stop these students. They are tough service learners.

On Thursday, students from Foreman and Kelvyn Park literally headed 'into the field' to serve with two incredible organizations transforming their local communities.

Foreman High School students went to Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse, an amazing center for organic gardening, classes, events and education that makes us think a bit more about where our food comes from, how its grown and what we eat. Students helped prepare the steamy greenhouse for youth programs begining next week.

Kelvyn Park High School students went to McCormick YMCA which has provided the Cob Connection with a city-lots for urban agriculture development. Cob Connection in addition to transforming vacant lots into urban farms and gardens also uses the experience as job training for youth and their families and then donates the food grown to local food pantries - creating a sustainable, locally-grown system for food development.

Cob Connection is also preparing for youth programs next week and Kelvyn Park students were able to get a great deal done building out an entire row to be ready for planting.

Thank you to Kirsten Akre, Gardener from Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse and Chad Bliss, Executive Director from Cob Connection for allowing us the opportunity to serve in your green gardens!

Michele Clark @ Austin Town Hall

Today as part of their Education, Culture and Recreation offering, students from Michele Clark High School visited the Austin Town Hall Center Chicago Park District.

There they had the opportunity to interact with Day Camp youth and engage them in activities for the morning. Designing foam visors with their names and designs, playing games and coloring filled the morning with smiles and creativity.

Michele Clark High School youth did an amazing job of leading and interacting with youth of all age groups. Coming well prepared, the students even had extra activities left over when the morning was complete. This was the group's first service opportunity and all the students agreed - it was easier and a lot more fun than they imagined.

Thank you Austin Town Hall Center for inviting us to craft for the morning with your fantastic campers!

Taft @ Two Lil Fishes

Today I spent the morning with Taft High School at the Two Lil Fishes Soup Kitchen. Our twenty-one students spent their time engaging the patrons in rousing games of Scrabble, Monopoly, dominoes and blackjack. Candy and a deck of cards really opened up the doors of communication between the students and patrons.

Some discussed favorite basketball players or current events from a shared Red Eye. Jokes were passed between patrons and students. Students were not needed to support the food service part of the day (Isaac and his team have it down) so they were able to meaningfully connect with the patrons that so many others ignore daily.

Two Lil Fishes is an organization that focuses on feeding the needs of the homeless, not just filling them with healthy meals but also providing emotional support. Our students helped that mission by spending some valuable time with patrons before the Thursday lunch service.

Over the course of the morning, we were able to spend time with between 20 and 30 patrons. It was hard to leave the patrons, and they seemed like it was hard for us to leave as well, when the bus came to pick us up.

Thank you Isaac for letting Taft High School and the MGR Foundation spend the day at Two Lil Fishes!

Julian HS @ Share Your Soles

Julian High School students got up bright and early on Thursday to head over to Alsip, IL and the Share Your Soles distribution center. Shipping out 25,000 pairs of shoes per container, Share Your Soles provides new and gently used shoes to countries around the world in extreme poverty.

On Thursday, students were working to sort and clean shoes for an emergency delivery to Sri Lanka. After learning more about the organization through a video on its founder and mission - it was right to work sorting finding pairs, shoes by type, untying laces and preparing the sneakers to be washed (a process that takes two weeks to wash and fully dry!).

Its incredible to see the generousity of donors with thousands of pairs

of shoes filling the warehouse, and also how easy it is to help - just a pair of shoes you don't wear anymore can make a huge difference in the health and wellness of a child, mother, father or brother. Students were touched by the kindness and simplicity of service and discussed how they could lead a collection effort at their school.

Thank you to Mona and the Share Your Soles team for having us twice to your distribution center and allowing us the opportunity to share in your mission!

Simultaneous Service

One of the great things about Summer of Service is stopping and thinking about how many people are serving throughout Chicago at the same moment.

At 10:30AM, on Thursday June 25th, there were 5 school groups serving at the exact same time

• Sorting and washing shoes at Share Your Soles
• Working in the Greenhouse at Kilbourn Park
• Crafting with campers at Austin Town Hall Center
• Sharing a game and a smile at Two Lil Fishes
• Preparing the garden with Cob Connection at McCormick YMCA

And this is literally only the half of it! As Chicago Cares has just as many high schools serving around Chicago with us too!

Foreman @ CCIL

The students from Foreman High School spent the morning volunteering at the Chicago Christian Industrial League. Located in Lawndale, this transitional housing facility is home to single men and women as well as homeless families.

While they provide social services to their residents they also provide bags of food the local needy. Each Wednesday volunteers help put together sacks of dry goods, fresh vegetables and meat that are then distributed to those who need them.

The twelve students representing Foreman High School spent the morning packing some of those bags and distributing them, providing water to waiting patrons and passing out popsicles to children also waiting in line.

After a quick lunch break, students heard the story of one former patron who had been homeless and is now a counselor at CCIL. By hearing one man’s story, the students were able to see how their work today could affect the life of another.

Over the course of the day, our students helped distribute bags to over 150 patrons; delivered water and cleaned up the community pantry.

Thanks to Chris and CCIL for letting us spend the day in the Community Pantry!

Kelvyn Park @ Share Your Soles

To kick off service events for Summer of Service and Leadership, Kelvyn Park High School went to Share Your Soles. Students spent the morning unpacking, sorting and dividing donated shoes. These shoes come from all over the Chicagoland area to the processing warehouse were our students served. Shoes must be discarded if torn, ripped or excessively worn. The shoes that were sorted will be washed, dried and sent to needy areas around the world, such as Sri Lanka and Ghana.

The work that our students did today ensures that recipients get shoes that serve them well and that they can accept with dignity. Even though sorting shoes might not feel like it makes a huge difference as each pair is inspected before it reaches it destination. It was great to see students discussing the need to serve others with respect. We discussed the role that volunteers should take as one that recognizes and values the worth of those they serve.

The students from Kelvyn Park look forward to their other service events over the five week course. Those other opportunities include a trip to the McCormick YMCA to work in a community garden with COB Connection and a day serving lunch at the Ronald McDonald House at the University of Chicago.

Post-its & Preparations

There's a bulletin board next to my desk that's covered in post-it notes.

Each one is a confirmed service opportunity for a group of Chicago Public High School incoming freshmen. From a blank board a month ago over the board is now nearly full. Passing co-workers and interns stop and read the board each day and comment on the changes, "I've never been there!" and "They're going here?! That's AWESOME!"

It is awesome.

In partnership with Chicago Cares, CRFC and Chicago Public Schools - Service Learning Department, students are able to complete their 40 hour Service Learning Requirement and Freshman Connection Program in our collaborative program, Summer of Service & Leadership.

To those involved its more than completing requirements and much more about youth engaging in direct service in their local communities, discussing policy, developing youth leaders and each school creating a civic engagement project or initiative that they lead.

Looking over the post-it notes, it is exciting. VA Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Domestic Violence Shelters, Forest Preserves, Community Gardens, Community Food Pantries, Parks, Youth Centers. Beyond the variety of places, the excitement is the incredible amount of potential for a student to connect with someone or something that will change them, empower them, or humble them.

In the next five weeks, over 200 CPS Students will be engaging in some of their first direct service and in doing so discover strengths, weaknesses, people and opportunities. This could spark to new interests, hobbies, jobs, careers or if nothing more simply new mindsets about the people they serve and seeing themselves as active participants in their community.

We hope you'll check back regularly, see what they're doing, hear from them and follow our Summer of Service and Leadership.