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…
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…
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…
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’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…
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…
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…
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…
Last weekend, two Urban Initiatives staff members took off their soccer cleats and put on their running shoes to take part in the 1st annual Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council Family Fun & Fitness 5k! Simba and April warmed up for the race with Southpaw, the White Sox mascot (what is he supposed to…
At Jenner Academy’s first practice of the Fall, when Coach Simba shouted out, "Kiss the soccer ball!" without first saying "Coach says" a few kids dropped down to give their soccer ball a big smooch, while the players who were listening attentively watched on howling with laughter. Playing new games like Coach Says (similar to…
Eleven of the eighteen schools at which Urban Initiatives is running the Work to Play Program kicked off their Fall Season this week. Urban Initiatives is thrilled to welcome Lloyd and Pasteur Elementary Schools to the UI team! UI would like to send a special thank you to the Chicago Fire Foundation for helping us…