Category Archive

UI in Action

  • June Team Captains of the Month

    June’s Take the Lead Team Captains of the Month are all 150 of them! We wanted to recognize all of our dedicated Team Captains and thank them for choosing to be leaders in their school and communities. Over the course of this school year, 150 Team Captains from 24 Chicago Public Schools in 19 distinct…

    June Team Captains of the Month
  • Work to Play Soccer Gardeners

    Work to Play program participants at Marquette elementary LOVE them some soccer. They prove it by being at the school bright and early each and every Tuesday and Thursday morning ready to go. However, students were in for a bit of a change of pace at practice one Thursday morning this Spring season. Instead of…

    Work to Play Soccer Gardeners
  • 3rd Annual Work to Play Cup

    Last Saturday, the day Urban Initiatives kids across Chicago had been working toward all school year finally arrived. The 3rd Annual Work to Play Cup started with a sea of yellow school buses pulling up to the Midway Plaisance in Hyde Park as more than 200 volunteers, Board and Junior Board members, and Urban Initiatives staff…

  • The Junior Board Rides Again! #UIOnTheBus

    Just over four weeks ago, Urban Initiatives’ Junior Board laid down the gauntlet and committed to raising $25,000 during the 3rd Annual May Bus Campaign. Everyone was excited. The Bus Campaign, a huge show of teamwork and friendly competition, brings groups of Junior Board members together to raise funds in support of game day busing expenses for our 35 Work to…

    The Junior Board Rides Again! #UIOnTheBus
  • Team Captains Celebrate Service at We Day

    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…

    Team Captains Celebrate Service at We Day
  • UI’s Newest Teammate, Gabrielle Jones

    Gabrielle Jone just joined the UI team as the new Play with Potential REC Coordinator at Dr. Jorge Prieto Math and Science Academy in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin community. What drew you to Urban Initiatives? Gabrielle: The close knit relationship to underserved communities is what drew me to Urban Initiatives. I have been volunteering and working…

  • Meet Greg Washington!

    Greg Washington is the newest member of the Urban Initiatives family. He will be the School Based Program Coordinator for all THREE of UI’s programs, Work to Play, Take the Lead and Play with Potential at Claremont Academy in the city’s Englewood community. Welcome to the team Greg! Urban Initiatives: What drew you to Urban…

  • Fun and Games at the Inaugural Lawndale Field Day

    Spring is (sort of) in the air, and that means our Work to Play soccer teams and Play with Potential recesses have finally moved back outside. Last Saturday, a group of 20 adults met 20 Lawndale Community Academy (LCA) students for the inaugural Lawndale Field Day. The LCA students at the event were celebrating a successful…

    Fun and Games at the Inaugural Lawndale Field Day
  • Team Captains of the Month: May

    Each month we will share with you two dynamic Team Captains that embody the Take the Lead team spirit and go above and beyond in their communities throughout Chicago. This year 151 Take the Lead Team Captains from 24 Chicago Public Schools across 19 distinct communities will help make an impact in the lives of…

    Team Captains of the Month: May