Last Wednesday, the Nobel Elementary Work to Play team traveled to Loyola University and enjoyed a NCAA Men’s Soccer match versus Northwestern University. The Nobel team were invited to play with some real NCAA student athletes on an actual collegiate soccer pitch. The kids absolutely loved getting to play with the older players. After they…
At Urban Initiatives, soccer is not the only component that makes up our Work to Play Program. Each week head coaches lead discussions covering a variety of different character development and health & wellness topics. For week 6 of the Work to Play Program, we discuss the importance of eating healthy. During practices last week…
Urban Initiatives is happy to welcome one of its two newest Work to Play partner school National Teachers Academy! Located in the Armour Square community, NTA has been an amazing addition to our program! OSPDs Aaron O’Neill and Melissa Matthews lead them with their never-ending enthusiasm and positive energy. With one of the largest rosters…
They say the best way to see a city is on foot. On October 12, a team of highly committed, slightly nervous, adrenalin-fueled members of Urban Initiatives’ first ever Bank of America Chicago Marathon team ran 26.2 miles of Chicago’s roads and pathways, all in support of our programming! The runners’ course took them North from Grant Park through…
After last Friday’s game day at Chicago Indoor Sports, Tory Burch may be feeling ready to create a line of soccer cleats! Well, that may not be entirely true, but our players from Providence Englewood Charter School (PECS), Pasteur Elementary, and Marquette School of Excellence had an awesome time playing soccer with ten Tory Burch…
Last Friday, a team of eight brightly-dressed volunteers from Groupon left the office early, walked down the street, and met the kids from Jenner Academy and Nobel Elementary at Seward Park. Groupon’s team, many of whom have been volunteering at Friday afternoon games for the past few years, recognized lots of familiar faces on the Jenner…
When does Urban Initiatives’ fall season officially begin? When hundreds of players from the Wilmette Wings and Urban Initiatives take the field for the annual Crosstown Classic! On Friday, October 10th, nearly 400 2nd-8th grade Urban Initiatives and Wilmette Wings players came together for the 14th Crosstown Classic at Avoca Field. Kids, coaches, parents, and…
Program Associate Brandon Reed shares what his soccer players learned regarding physical activity at his schools during week 4 of the Work to Play season! When I was a kid growing up in Chicago, getting adequate physical activity everyday was almost second nature. Even in the era of television and video games, to me, nothing…
Let’s hear about recess at Lawndale from the perspective of new REC Coordinator, Shy! So far my job has been a whirlwind of chaos but I have enjoyed every moment, good and bad. What do you like best about your job? The kids. Every day I get the chance to hang out with some of the…
Urban Initiatives is happy to welcome one of its two newest Work to Play partner schools Nixon Elementary. Located in the Hermosa community, Nixon Principal Mr. Gerald Paul Byers really shows how much he cares for his school and his students by being just as committed as they are. OSPD Jason Bohrer teaches the Work…
The days leading up to October 1st seemed to double in length for the kids on Little Village Academy’s Work to Play team. They couldn’t wait for the night they would get to visit a university campus just minutes away from their neighborhood. University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is a quick commute from the…
