PIPblog: Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection

Not "Goodbye" but "See you later"

2011-07-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

On July 6th, 2009, my first day at Cabrini Connections, the first day of the 2009 Edgewood College Experience, I was greeted by three students: Savon Clark, Sean Mayfield, and Charles Hill. They welcomed me with open arms and we clicked right away. At that point, I had no idea how great of an experience working at Cabrini Connections would be and how much I would get to know these three young men and so many others over the course of 132 tutoring sessions, 19 Youth Leadership Council meetings, eight college visits, and more.

Two years later, here I am again with Savon, Sean, and Charles (above) at the 2011 Edgewood College Experience. They are juniors in high school now. Sadly, however, where they once welcomed me in, they are now seeing me off. Yesterday, July 15th, 2011, was my last day at Cabrini Connections. I was laid off due to the organization's continued financial struggles. Over the last 20 pay periods dating back to September 2010, the staff has been paid in-full and on-time only six times. Next week's Golf Benefit could make or break the organization.

While it has been a tough year and I am sad to see it end like this, I am proud of our accomplishments and I know I personally have learned a lot from everyone I worked with at Cabrini Connections - especially my "partner in crime" EL Da' Sheon Nix. Together, we led a program that won awards from the Department of Family & Support Services Youth Division in 2009 and 2010 for being the best mentoring program funded by the City of Chicago and we had five seniors graduate this year who are all headed to college in the fall. Not too bad, eh?

Thank you all for keeping track of the program on my blog (I had 5228 absolute unique visitors!) and thank you for reading all of my stories (This is my 217th blog post!). I hope they made you smile, and laugh, and think, and reflect. Major cities like Chicago will always have thousands of youth in need of educational and financial assistance. A tutoring and mentoring program like Cabrini Connections can change a young person's life. I've seen it happen. Please continue to support nonprofits like this one with your time and dollars. We are all a part of the solution. One love.

2011 Year-End Dinner

2011-06-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, Cabrini Connections celebrated the end of the 2010-2011 tutoring and mentoring year with its 18th Annual Year-End Dinner. About 250 students, parents, volunteers, alumni, staff, and board members crowded the Cornerstone Academy in Chicago to recognize each other for great accomplishments - the greatest of which is that all five of our seniors graduated from high school and are headed to college in the fall. This video shows the presentation of Graduation Dollars and yearbooks to our seniors, with a special surprise at the end ;-)

Spoil the surprise =>
I would like to personally thank all of my friends and family members who made this such a successful year. A year ago I felt lucky to have the opportunity to remain a staff member at Cabrini Connections, and I look back a year later proud of all that we accomplished. Congratulations!

Bonus video: Video & Filmmakers Club's spring quarter project

Groupon Deal of the Day

2011-06-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

We are live on Groupon.com - the greatest deals site in the world! Please take a moment to check out our page at

http://www.groupon.com/deals/cabrini-connections

For every $10 you donate, Cabrini Connections gets $15 thanks to matching sponsor ContextMedia. With 36 hours to go, we are just 22 donations away from reaching the "tipping point" and locking in $2000+ for the program!

Cabrini Connections to be featured on Groupon!

2011-06-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

In January, EL Da' Sheon and I had the opportunity to visit Groupon's headquarters at 600 West Chicago Avenue, just across the river from Cabrini Connections. Groupon is a popular daily deals site founded by fellow Northwestern University alumnus Andrew Mason.

Since speaking to a group of about 50 employees there, we have recruited six as mentors (including Cat, above) with several others on the waiting list. In January, I also met with a woman who organizes most of the nonprofit initiatives for Groupon. We talked about many possibilities and have kept in touch since.

Today, I am pleased to announce that Cabrini Connections is going to be featured on Groupon.com with a G-Team campaign during the week of June 6th! G-Team is a community outreach initiative within Groupon that brings communities together to do good, have fun, and make an impact.

This is a tremendous opportunity for Cabrini Connections to gain exposure in the Chicago area and to grant our seniors extra support for college. Our campaign seeks to raise $2000 to double this year's "Graduation Dollars" - our form of scholarships, to be awarded at the Year-End Dinner.

I will post again on Tuesday with specific details on how to get involved. Until then, please share this blog post via email, Facebook, and Twitter, to let everyone in your network know to expect us on Groupon.com next week! Thank you!

Student Spotlight: Whitney Hemphill

2011-05-24T11:22:00.001-07:00

Whitney Hemphill is a senior at Wells Community Academy High School who is completing her SIXTH year at Cabrini Connections. Whitney was born and raised in Cabrini Green but she is moving to the south side next month. “It’s time for something new,” she says. She enjoyed growing up in Cabrini Green because a lot of people were around and she made a lot of friends, but now a lot of those people have moved away.

Whitney is the youngest of five children. “I used to get anything I wanted,” she says. Her older sister, Angelene, graduated from Cabrini Connections in 2009. She now attends Harold Washington College. Whitney and Angelene were in the Art Club together for several years. That is one of the activities that first hooked Whitney into the program.

“Cabrini Connections has made my grades go up,” she says. “I’d still have Ds and Fs if I hadn’t come here.” And she kept coming despite going through six tutors! Whitney had bad luck with tutors leaving for various reasons like moving or enrolling in graduate school, but in 2011, she finally found “my main tutor” – first year volunteer Cat Reading. “She is here all the time and she understands my work,” says Whitney. “We get done with everything, even if we have to work extra late.” Cat is one of several volunteers who have come to us from Groupon. (Cabrini Connections will be featured on the popular deals site during the week of June 6th!)

Whitney’s advice for the student is to “keep your head up. Don’t give up. [High school] might be hard, but you can make it through if you pay attention.” For tutors, she says, “Keep coming. Keep helping us. Enjoy being with us. And even though it’s not a paid position, we thank you for coming.” Very kind words from one of our most distinguished graduates!

In the long term, Whitney wants to move away from Chicago. She would like to visit Miami, New York, and China. As a career, she would like to pursue nursing. It has been her goal to become a nurse since 8th grade when she visited a hospital. She likes taking care of people. In fact, she has a one-year-old daughter, Azaria, who has had “a huge impact on my life.” Whitney changed a lot for the better this year with the added responsibility of raising a baby girl.

For college, Whitney is deciding between Chicago State University and Robert Morris University. She is looking to enroll in January 2012. Until then, she is searching for a part-time job, so if you have any leads, let us know and we’ll pass along the information!

Volunteer Spotlight: Jessica Bearden

2011-05-24T11:01:00.001-07:00

Jessica Bearden was born in South Carolina and moved to Texas at the age of 5 where she stayed through high school. She is from a south Texas town named McAllen just 10 minutes from the Mexican border. She was very active as a kid, playing soccer and tennis mostly, but also volleyball, softball, and track and field. Much of her free time as a teenager was spent practicing for, training for, and participating in organized sports. She is still very active to this day.

During spring break of her senior year of high school, Jessica spent 10 days visiting London, England, and Paris, France. She loved her time in Europe so much that she wanted to move there! It was understood that she would go to college at some point, but she felt that she must first have a chance to grow up and become independent, separate from the rigor of college classes. “I didn’t want to be the dog off the leash,” she says. “So I cut the cord and put an ocean in between.” She ended up living in London for over a year.

When she returned to the U.S., Jessica worked at a restaurant for a year and a half before going back to college. She enrolled at The University of Texas-Pan American near her hometown. She graduated in May 2008 with degrees in biology and chemistry. Math and science have always been her strongest subjects. As a kid her favorite question was “Why?” and she feels that math/science gives you the answer.

The summer before her senior year, Jessica had a 10-week internship at Argonne National Laboratory, which is in a southwest suburb of Chicago. She had another internship there during her senior year, and when she graduated, they offered her a job! She has worked there for three years now. She is a molecular biologist who works with DNA and bacteria. A typical day for her is spent growing DNA and testing protein in a laboratory. “The days I least enjoy are in front of a computer running tests,” she says.

As a permanent Chicago resident, Jessica really appreciates the warm days now. “Having seasons is kind of nice,” she says. She also likes fall and winter fashion. You don’t get to wear many jackets in Texas. One of her hobbies at present is Ultimate Frisbee. She plays on a women’s team that travels around the Midwest. She encourages youth to pick up the sport because it is big on college campuses.

At Cabrini Connections, Jessica works with 8th grader NyShanell Freeman. They have worked together for three years since being paired up at Cabrini Green Tutoring Program. “NyShanell is a little shy, but she came out of her shell with me,” says Jessica. When alumnus Eboni Rivera and her mentor Susan Nice spoke during a tutoring session last year, NyShanell said to Jessica: “That’s going to be us someday.” Jessica says matter-of-factly, “I don’t really have a choice anymore,” so she’s in it for the long run.

Jessica’s tip for mentors is to be patient and communicative. “[The students] are not as childlike as we imagine.” And for the youth, she says, “Don’t try to grow up too fast. Enjoy this time.” Thanks, Jessica!

Student Spotlight: Marcus Burks

2011-05-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

Marcus Burks is the second student to be featured in the student spotlight for a second time (Melissa Young). He was originally featured as an 8th grader at Wells Prep in March 2009. Two years later, he is a rising junior at King College Prep. Marcus is from the far south side of Chicago and has four siblings.

He has three younger sisters who “make me feel like a leader” and an older brother who he’s close with. Marcus aims to be a positive influence in his sisters’ lives because “I wouldn’t want to see them doing anything negative.” What personally keeps him going while he’s looking out for others? “Hopes and dreams of going to college,” he says.

But first things first, “You gotta stay fresh.” Marcus says his high school is “a big fashion show.” Everyone is dressed well so it’s a challenge to keep up. His tips are to “find your own style” and think about “how you want people to see you.” What you see is what you get!

As for academics, Marcus’s favorite subject right now is chemistry. He finds it interesting and he benefits from his strength in math. This could prove useful as he considers studying engineering in college.

Marcus is looking to get out of Chicago, though. “I’ve been here too long,” he says. “I want to meet new people.” His first choice is Florida, even though the Miami Heat are his worst enemies at the moment. “If I ever go to Miami, I’m wearing my Bulls gear!” He predicts the Bulls to win in seven games because “We have D. Rose and they don’t.”

This is Marcus’s third full year as a participant at Cabrini Connections. He has been with the same mentor, Joe Fridlin, since 4th grade when they worked together at the YMCA. Joe is a “positive influence… he’s like a big brother… [and] he makes sure I’m on track to be successful.”

Marcus’s tip for mentors is to get to know your student and become friends with him or her. “Let them know that you care and that you’re there for them if they need you,” he says. This will build trust and understanding and lead to a better mentor-mentee relationship.

This summer Marcus plans to continue working (he has a paper route) and having fun. He loves to stay active. He plays pick up basketball and he runs track for school. His motto is: “Just live by the day.” Have a great summer, Marcus, and thanks for making Cabrini Connections an important part of your life!

Volunteer Spotlight: Melanie Munsey

2011-05-18T14:17:00.001-07:00

Melanie Munsey grew up on the East Coast but has spent the majority of her life in Illinois. She went to middle and high school in McHenry and she has lived in Chicago for the past six years. As a kid, she always liked school, especially history, reading, and writing. Her dad is a retired naval officer, so her family moved around a lot when she was young. She switched schools often, which was always an adjustment, but she always tried to look at the bright side of things: “I got to meet a lot of new people.”

As a teenager, which most Cabrini Connections students are, Melanie says it is important to have goals in mind. The opportunities that you have at the end of high school are a direct result of how you spend those four years. If you want to move out and go to college, you have to put forth the effort to put yourself in the position to make it happen; to make your dreams become a reality!

Melanie attended McHenry County College for two years before transferring to DePaul University’s business school. She had a nontraditional college experience because she didn’t live in a dorm, worked full-time, and was thus unable to participate in many extracurricular activities. She did, however, play soccer for many years. She says that being a student athlete is a balancing act but, ultimately, working with teammates helps motivate you on and off the field.

Melanie worked primarily in restaurants from her senior year of high school through college. She gained a lot of skills from multitasking and working with people. She says it is a particularly good job for students because the hours are flexible and it pays well. The coolest place she ever worked was Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Restaurant because it was frequented by influential people such as Barack Obama!

In present day she works at a global market research company called Ipsos. She does quantitative research on large groups of people about new products, packaging, etc. Her job is challenging because she has to coordinate with people all over the world and manage the logistics of each major project. For example, just recently, she was working on a study in Japan when the earthquake hit. So not only are their time zone and language barriers, you also have to be up with current event and sensitive to certain situations.

Melanie became a tutor/mentor at Cabrini Connections after being referred by her friend, veteran volunteer Elena Lugo. She has tutored youth before but was looking to develop a 1-on-1 relationship instead of just doing homework management. So far, Melaine likes the program and her student, Tenia Tucker. “It has been much more rewarding than other programs,” she says.

Her tip for mentors is to ask a lot of open ended questions. She also recommends getting to know what your student’s situation is like at home and in school. All of these things help build trust and, in her experience, make your student comfortable enough to tell you when things change or when he or she is having a hard time. Thanks for the advice, Melanie! Keep up the good work!

Student Spotlight: Jerman Beathea

2011-05-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

8th grader Jerman Beathea was born in Cabrini Green and lives there now, but in between, he moved around a lot. Jerman has lived on the west side of Chicago, on the south side twice, and in Minnesota for two years! If you think Chicago’s cold, Minnesota is worse. Jerman says it was fun at times, but mostly he’s glad to be back in Chi-town.

He is the youngest of four siblings. He has two brothers and one sister. Jerman was a troublemaker when he was younger – swearing and fighting at the age of 7 – but he has matured over the past seven years. He is much more mature and focused now.

Jerman attends Jenner Elementary Academy of the Arts. His favorite subjects are reading, writing, and social studies. He says Jenner is a good school and he has learned more than he expected to when he first got there. He plays football and basketball, with football being his favorite. He plays wide receiver and linebacker and has dreams of playing college football one day, and he is already beginning to understand the pressures of being a student athlete. He has had to take time off from the team to improve his grades and stay after school to get extra help.

Next year, Jerman will attend Lincoln Park High School. He is excited about going to a new school where he knows a lot of people already. One of those people is Dionte Herron who, along with De’Jour Stewart, recruited Jerman to Cabrini Connections.

Jerman is in his first year with the program and works with Jay Kenney, also in his first year, on Wednesday nights. Jerman says, “It has been excellent” so far and Jay is a good mentor because “he pushes hard, but not too hard.” Their subject of focus during most tutoring sessions is math. Jerman recently took advantage of multiple Career Week trips. He visited Evanston Hospital and Whole Foods Market on Day 2 of Career Week and the American College of Surgeons and DePaul University on Day 3. Jerman attended the most trips of any student by far, so we commend him for participating so much!

As an adult, Jerman dreams of working in the construction or real estate businesses. His stepdad owns a construction company and has given him many opportunities already to get work experience. At the age of 11, Jerman was learning how to remove carpeting and put down tiles. He has also done roofing.

Jerman wants to stay around Chicago, but he does like to travel. He has been to California, Georgia, and Alaska, among other states. In Los Angeles he went to a Lakers game and he predicts the Lakers will face off against the Bulls in this year’s NBA Finals. Who does he think will win? You’ll have to ask him to find out.

Congratulations on making the spotlight Jerman! Good luck with your transition to high school.

Volunteer Spotlight: David Kim

2011-05-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night mentor David Kim (right) is a lifelong resident of Illinois. He was born in Rogers Park, grew up in Skokie, and attended college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. As a child, he was very shy, quiet, and studious. It was not until college that David became extroverted. He suggests moving out on your own to a campus environment after high school. “It is on your own that you learn to mature socially,” he says. “You develop as a person, begin to relate with others, and make lots of new friends.” David says that living on his own in college helped him break out of his shell and build self-confidence.

He was further exposed to the “real world” through the co-op program in the College of Engineering. There he would spend one semester in school and one semester working. He also had the opportunity to work over the summer. David worked for Rolls-Royce Aerospace in a different department each time (manufacturing, design, testing, marketing, etc.). He had told himself, “I don’t want to graduate without a job,” and these internships helped him build up his resume to ensure that that didn’t happen.

Surprisingly, however, David did not go with an engineering company out of college. “It wasn’t my cup of tea,” he says. David became an Information Technology (IT) consultant, a position he held for five years, and with this job, he traveled a lot; working and living in almost every major city in the United States. IT consultants “deliver technological solutions to complex business problems” and their work involves computers, software, programming, and analysis.

David currently works at BlueCross BlueShield as a Business Solutions Architect. It is a stable position with no travel, but still allows him to use his analytical skills. He is not all “left brain,” though. David’s weeknight and weekend job is as a life empowerment coach and certified hypnotherapist. David is very passionate about personal development and growth and “expanding my awareness as a human being.”

His passion for this type of work opened up six years ago after personal hardship in his work and personal life. As he was searching for answers to deal with stress better and find purpose and meaning in life, he met his first personal success coach. He became engrossed in the subject – reading books and attending lectures and seminars – to the point where he now runs his own business.

This experience is great for David’s role as a mentor at Cabrini Connections. He became involved with the program because it is a personal value of his to give back to the world. “I love coaching, helping, and mentoring others,” says David. “[Cabrini Connections] has been everything I imagined it to be.” He reminds volunteers, “It’s not always about the schoolwork. It’s also about life.” At the start of each session, David always spends a few minutes asking his mentee, Juan Zamudio, how his week has been.

In his spare time, David loves to run (he ran a marathon), dance (he does Latin and ballroom dancing), sing (he’s in his company’s choir), and travel, among other things. He has gone scuba diving in Thailand, surfing in Costa Rica, bike riding in Italy, and this summer he’s headed to Machu Picchu in Peru.

David’s advice for everyone is: “Always do the best you can in any moment… Don’t get down on yourself too much. Mistakes are a part of life.” Thanks, David!

Career Week 2011

2011-04-22T10:21:00.001-07:00

Looking at babies

Looking at pastries

Looking at video games

Each year during Chicago Public Schools' Spring Break, Cabrini Connections organizes "Career Week" - a week full of trips to visit mentors in their workplaces. This year Jerman Beathea, Marcus Burks, Justin Fields, Dionte Herron, and Ana Tate visited a hospital, a grocery store, a scientific and educational association, and a university.

Our first stop was Evanston Hospital where Wednesday night mentor Gabrielle Cummings is Vice President. She is in charge of all of the day-to-day operations of the hospital including hiring and firing, how it looks and feels, and new construction projects with budgets of up to $100 million. For this visit, she recruited two of her colleagues - Pediatrician Kenneth L. Fox, M.D. and Registered Nurse Rhonda Scott - to present about their careers as well.

Dr. Fox grew up in Chicago and went to medical school at the University of Chicago. He did his residency in Boston, Massachusetts, and has traveled all over the world helping people. He even went to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake to offer his services. Dr. Fox knew he wanted to be a pediatrician from the age of 4 and spoke greatly about motivation and focus.

Ms. Scott grew up in Evanston and went to Evanston Township High School. As a student in high school, she even visited Evanston hospital, the place she works now. At the time of graduation, she was still uncertain about what she wanted to do, but several people encouraged her to pursue nursing. It is a great way to help people and it pays well, too, she said. Ms. Scott spoke greatly about finding your passion and then sacrificing to pursue it.

Our next stop was Evanston South Whole Foods Market where Thursday night Volunteer Coordinator Melissa Iwaimi (right) is the Customer Service Coordinator. She is in charge of all of the cashiers, the customer service desk, and counting the money at the end of the night. She introduced us to Marketing and Community Relations Specialist Bridget Isaia who was our main tour guide for the rest of the afternoon.

We started in the Produce section with a talk about organic versus all-natural and how foods are purchased, prepared, and displayed at Whole Foods. Next we went to the Meat & Poultry department to learn about the humane treatment of animals and the ranking system for meats. After perusing the store a little more, we came upon the Bakery. We learned about what it takes to become a baker and what differentiates Whole Foods' cakes from the cakes you see in a regular supermarket. All in all it was a great visit with exposure to many careers you can find behind-the-scenes in your local grocery store.

On Wednesday, we visited two more locations. We began at the American College of Surgeons with Wednesday night mentor Brian Kamajian (left). Brian is the Manager of Software Development at ACS. He put together a fantastic lineup of speakers including employees from the departments of Information Technology, Conventions & Meetings, Graphics, and Accounting. Each speaker spent 15 minutes explaining what they do and how they reached this point in their careers. (Special thanks to Brian for taking us out to lunch at Sayat Nova Armenian Restaurant.)

Again, it was fantastic insight into the vast career opportunities that are out there for our students to pursue. Someone has to design the graphics for the NBA. Someone has to organize the events that are NBA games. Someone has to keep track of the money from ticket sales. Being a player isn't the only option!

Our last Career Week trip for 2011 was to DePaul University where Brea Adams (right) works in the Office for Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TLA). She is also a graduate student in School and Community Counseling. This is the third consecutive year that Brea has hosted a group for Career Week!

She started us off with a tour of her office and the people she works with. TLA supports teaching and learning at DePaul by providing services, resources and events focused on best practices in teaching. One of the main things they do is offer supplemental instruction in historically difficult courses. Brea talked about this process and why it is particularly important to ask for help when you're in college. Don't be afraid!

Brea also talked about her personal studies. She led a great exercise in which she asked our students to write down what they thought caused people (in general) to act the ways that they do. We came up with friends, family, personal experiences, motivation like money or prestige, and more. She then made the point that each individual person is the summation of many communities and personal experiences and thoughts. Therefore, we should not judge a person by their actions alone. We should understand and care for each other more deeply. That is why Brea wants to be a school counselor!

The last thing Brea did was take us to DePaul's College of Computing and Digital Media. One of the many media-related degrees you can get there is Computer Game Development. Our students were very excited to see these students (picture at the top) hard at work in the "Console Gaming Lab."

Thank you to all of our volunteer and student participants and everyone else in and outside of the program who contributed to Career Week 2011. I look forward to one day having these students host us as visitors in their workplaces! See you next year!

Student Spotlight: Javon Gordon

2011-04-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

Javon Gordon is a 7th grader at Manierre Elementary School. He lived in the Cabrini Green area until a couple years ago when his family moved to the west side. He says the move was tough because he left a lot of his friends, but participating in Cabrini Connections gives him the opportunity to come back. Javon’s older brother, William Gallion, who is an 11th grader at Lincoln Park High School, has been a member of the program since 2007.

Both brothers are huge sports fans; of basketball in particular. Javon plays point guard and, even though he’s a Chicago Bulls fan, his favorite player is Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. He predicts that the Bulls will play the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals and the winner of that series will win it all! (He could be right.)

Javon likes his school and his teachers but acknowledges that other students’ bad behavior makes for a difficult learning environment. He says that some kids act out and some curse at their teachers. Meanwhile, Javon stays focused. His favorite subject is science because he likes to know “how the world works.”

He is committed to getting an education because his mother and grandmother have pushed him. He dreams of being an athlete (basketball player) or a doctor (surgeon) when he grows up. Next year Javon will enter the 8th grade and begin searching for the right high school. He would like to attend Lane Tech College Prep.

At Cabrini Connections, Javon works with third year volunteer Charlie Goff. “He is a really good mentor… When I slack off, he makes me do the work,” says Javon. “He won’t tell me the answers. He says, ‘You know this.’” He’s teaching him to believe in himself.

Javon is also a member of the Writing Club which meets on Wednesdays from 5-6pm. He says it is a great forum to “express feelings” and you can expect to see him and other club members in video interviews during the 2011 Year-End Dinner on June 16th. It is especially impressive for Javon to be in Writing Club because he comes to tutoring on Thursday nights! Usually the pitch for Writing Club is that it’s easy to attend if you already come to tutoring on Wednesday nights, but Javon proves that Thursday night students can make it work, too!

His final advice, at Cabrini Connections and in life, is to “do your best!” Thanks, Javon!

Volunteer Spotlight: Gabe Chapman

2011-04-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

Gabriel (“Gabe”) Chapman moved around a lot as a child, but he was born in Atlanta, Georgia and went to high school and college there. Atlanta is a "sprawling city" at the "foothills of the Appalachian Mountains." When Gabe thinks of Atlanta, he thinks of “trees… peaches… music!” You can tell he’s passionate about music as he rattles off all the bands from Atlanta: Indigo Girls, The B-52s, R.E.M., Collective Soul, Outkast, Ludacris, and Usher. Not bad! Gabe is an amateur musician who recently performed guitar at “Cabrini’s Got Talent!”

In high school he took a lot of AP classes, played sports (captain of the soccer team), and was really involved all around (president of The Fellowship of Christian Athletes). Gabe’s greatest interests were international government, politics, and history, but in college – at Georgia Tech – he chose to study engineering. Looking back on the decision, he says, “I ending up doing something I wasn’t really into.” Instead, he says, “Do something that’s tangential.” He wishes he would have studied international affairs, which was a new department at the time.

Gabe says his interest in that area started with Indiana Jones: the languages, the culture, the politics. He studied abroad in Chile during college and it was a “fundamental experience… useful and fun.” He speaks French and Spanish and bits of Portuguese and Italian. He got back into politics later in life and attended graduate school in Italy. He performed research in Africa and actually got malaria while doing so!

Ultimately, Gabe made his way back to Chicago to live with his brother who is in a band. Gabe learned graphic design with his brother’s band and decided to give it a shot as a career. A graphic designer “helps present information either in print format or on the web.” Gabe works for a commercial real estate company now. He helps market their properties by creating presentations, maps, web sites, brochures, illustrations, photos, and more! “Even on a bad day, I get to play around,” he says.

Prior to becoming a graphic designer, Gabe did gain two years of experience as a teacher. This is what led him to volunteer at Cabrini Connections. “Education is really important to me,” he says. “I wanted to do something.” He googled us, liked all of the commitment we require, and signed up to be a mentor in the fall of 2009.

Gabe currently mentors 7th grader Nehemiah Mitchell (younger sibling of Patrick and Imann Mitchell). He says it has been a “great experience” to work with Nehemiah and he has also enjoyed getting to know Nehemiah’s best friend, Andrion, and his mentor, Frank. Additionally, Gabe organized a fundraiser over the holidays (Beards for Kids), joined a Cabrini Madness team (Boom Goes the Dynamite), participated in the talent show, and attends monthly mixers. He’s become a Cabrini Connections rock star!

Thank you for your time and dedication to the program, Gabe. Nehemiah is lucky to have you!

Live feed of Cabrini-Green demolition and lights

2011-04-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

Project Cabrini Green’s live feed video component, coming from the demolition site, can be watched here 24/7, for the duration of the demolition. The light installation is visible every day, from 7pm to 1am CDT.

Click on the image above to be taken to the Project Cabrini Green web site. Once you are there, click the Home tab to find students' actual audio and text which become the lights. Below are two videos about the project.

"Cabrini's Got Talent" for real!

2011-03-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of the performers and audience members who came out to the first ever Cabrini Connections Talent Show presented by the Youth Leadership Council on Saturday. All six members of the council worked the entire quarter to make their dream of this show a reality and it paid off... literally! $115.50 was raised from 32 attendees and will go towards the Council's next event (TBA).

After all of the performances were done, we had everyone vote on their top three and we said that the "winners" would be invited to perform at the Year-End Dinner. No one knew this beforehand or during the show because we didn't want it to feel like a competition.

The top three students are:

Marquita Fisher & Dominique Curtis (poem)
Mylana Williams (singing)
Ana Tate (singing)

We would also like to invite Gabe Chapman (guitar) who was the highest vote-getter among the volunteers who performed. You can see all five of these performers live at the Year-End Dinner on Thursday, June 9th, at Cornerstone (1111 N Wells St).

GLC gives back

2011-03-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hip hop artist GLC from Chicago visited Cabrini Connections on March 2nd, 2011 to speak about "love, life, and loyalty" - from growing up on the south side of Chicago to becoming a successful artist, working with legends, and winning two Grammies.

We all suffer losses and we take losses in our life, but from those losses we should just use those as motivation in order to win and become a winner and become successful, because if I did it, you definitely can. Church!

Previously: Rhymefest Gives Back

I'm quoted in the Chicago Tribune!

2011-03-23T10:15:00.001-07:00

You can read the article at either of these links:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/art/ct-live-0323-cabrini-tichy-20110322,0,3604457.story
http://www.cabriniconnections.net/images/PDF/2011%20tribunepcg.pdf

It is about Project Cabrini Green which will light up the last high-rise building of Cabrini-Green beginning next week. In January, Cabrini Connections students took part in a public light art workshop with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. They created stories and poems which, based on the rhythms of their recordings, were turned into blinking LED lights. Their lights will be among those placed in each of the 134 windows of the building.

Student Spotlight: Elisabet Ortiz

2011-03-17T11:48:00.001-07:00

First year student Elisabet Ortiz was born in St. Anthony Hospital in Chicago on Mexican Independence Day (September 16th). She attends Lincoln Park High School where she is in the double honors program. Her favorite subject right now is chemistry but she understands the math component and she enjoys doing experiments. “I love playing with fire,” she says, literally.

Elisabet says school is important because, “I need to go to school to be what I want to be. I’d die if I didn’t go to school. You have to work for your long-term goals,” and she does just that! Elisabet’s goal is to graduate high school with a 4.5 GPA. She plans to join the military (noncombat) after school, come back and go to Harvard, get a Ph.D. in Law, become governor, and become the first female president of the United States!

Elisabet got into politics through a political debate club called the Junior Statesmen of America. “We are all representatives and senators and we run it like our own little country,” she says. “There are bills, laws, conventions, debates in Wisconsin…” and in February she got to go to Washington, D.C. to see the real U.S. government in action.

In her spare time, Elisabet is much like any other 10th grader. She enjoys making friendship bracelets, browsing Facebook, hanging out with her friends, and eating at The Cheesecake Factory. If she could visit anywhere in the world right now, she would go to Puerto Rico. She also wants to meet Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber. Perhaps becoming president will give her the power to set up a rendezvous.

Elisabet was connected to Cabrini Connections via her mom who had another child, Kevin Cordero (Class of 2008), in the program. “It has been great so far,” she says. “More than I expected.” Elisabet works with veteran tutor Brea Adams on Thursday nights. “She is a really good role model to me… [and] you have to be qualified for me.”

We’re glad she meets your criteria! Good luck with school and congratulations on making the spotlight!

Volunteer Spotlight: Natalie Durda

2011-03-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

First year mentor Natalie Durda was born in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a southwest suburb of Minneapolis. “Things move a little bit slower [in Minnesota],” she says. “Everyone is really nice,” and even though it is north of Chicago, the winters are not as bad because it is not as windy.

In school she loved English, Spanish, and social studies, and, “Soccer was my sport.” Natalie’s parents instilled a strong work ethic in her, so she has always worked hard. She was already working 20 hours a week in high school!

Natalie went to the biggest high school in Minnesota with just under 1000 people in her graduating class. It was intimidating at first and easy to get pressured into doing good and bad things, but she had a core group of friends who stuck by her. She was gradually able to distinguish the wrong crowd and by the end of high school she had all the negative people out of her life.

Moving from high school to college was an even bigger challenge. Natalie, along with a handful of others from her graduating class, chose to attend the University of Kansas. She was really excited about it, but it wasn’t until she got there that she realized how different the culture was.

Her initial feeling was that she had made a bad choice, but after rolling over a few speed bumps during her freshman year, she stuck it out and ended up making awesome friends. Natalie says the experience taught her “how strong you can be” and it made it easier for her to move to Chicago.

She graduated with a degree in social work, but she has since switched careers and now works in commercial real estate on the management side. She may go back to school to get a master’s degree in social work, but for now she is enjoying the work that she is doing.

Whether its work or school or spending time with her friends, Natalie has always kept busy; and volunteering is an important part of her schedule. She found out about Cabrini Connections through Chicago Public School’s web site. She liked that there was a program giving back to the community in which it started.

Natalie works with second year student Alexis Spears on Wednesday nights. Natalie says, “She’s taught me patience and perseverance. We might get frustrated, but a little bit of a positive attitude really goes a long way… Sometimes you need to step back from the situation. You cannot get easily frustrated. This is a child you’re working with. This is not an adult.”

She also says, “Take pride in being a little receptive. Know when to dance around things or be direct with things… Make light of some situations and be serious other times…

Thank you for the simple but important reminder, Natalie, and thank you for your service to Cabrini Connections. We are happy to have you and I’m sure Alexis is, too!

And the Oscar goes to...

2011-02-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

For the second year in a row, Cabrini Connections is hosting a fundraising tournament called Cabrini Madness, and for the second year in a row, I am co-producing weekly videos to promote the campaign and its teams. Above, you can watch "Maybe" - the original Michael Jordan commercial and the EL Da' Sheon Nix remake. Below, you can watch "The Decision" - mimicking LeBron James' ESPN special - and "Training Days" - showing teams, including my Green Team, preparing for the 2011 Cabrini Madness season.

Are we a match?

2011-02-14T10:44:00.000-08:00

Cabrini Connections' second annual Cabrini Madness fundraising tournament is officially underway. Last year, my team, The Green Team, advanced to the Final Four and finished in 3rd place with $1865 raised. This year I am excited to announce that The Green Team is back! Our goal is to break $2000 and contend for the title.

Team members:
Sundi Brewer-Griffin (vol.)
Mark Colwell (non-CC)
Marquise Cook (student)
Dan DeGreef (volunteer)
Israel Dosie (student)
Kaitlin Kalaway (non-CC)
Chris Kelly (volunteer)
Jamie Neuberger (volunteer)
Jordan Stephens (student)
Bradley Troast (staff)

In honor of Valentine's Day, I am matching donations up to $50 total for the next 24 hours, which means, for example, two $15 donations and a $20 donation will become $100, or one $50 donation will become $100. I would appreciate your contribution to get this campaign started. You can click on the screenshot above to access our fundraising page. Thank you very much!

2010 Holiday Appeal a success!

2011-02-04T11:28:00.000-08:00

On December 1st, I began a letter writing campaign that would see $1495 raised for Cabrini Connections by mid-January. The day before, on November 30th, we met as staff to discuss plans for the 2010 Holiday Appeal. Each year we send letters out to our database of past donors and volunteers. An official letter was written up, but our president, Dan Bassill, encouraged us to add a personal touch. I decided to kick it up a notch.

In the envelopes that I sent out in December and early January, I included a full-page, personalized, hand-written letter, at least one photo print, a link to my fundraising page, the standard Holiday Appeal letter, a donation form, and a return envelope. This was a great opportunity to catch up with family and friends, both on a personal and professional level. I really enjoyed the process.

Who did I write to? A lot of people - over 50 in total. I made a network map with hubs for family, my closest group of friends, friends from home (Florida), connections from school (Northwestern), and businesses like my doctors and pet services. This is something that anyone can do. It is a useful strategy for targeting potential donors, but also in general for keeping in touch with and utilizing your network.

I would like to thank all 28 individuals, families, and businesses that donated to my fundraising campaign. We raised $1495 which is an average of over $50 per person. We did this in six weeks which is an average of almost $250 a week. If this went on all year it would be almost $13,000!

Thank you for your generous donations and continued support in dollars, in-kind donations, connections to other resources and potential funders, and words of encouragement. It means a lot to me and our 87 mentors, volunteer coordinators, and club leaders who work with 73 youth on a weekly basis.

Donors
Blum Animal Hospital
Greg Cera
Arnold K. Chernoff, D.D.S.
Stuart Cleland & Karen Koerth
Wayne & Anne Coloney
Ryan Erickson
Max Fletcher
Bonnie Fowler
Natalie Furlett
Anurekha Gollapudi
Anne Griffin
The Kiani Family
Barry & Nancy Lethbridge
Emily Machado
Parag Mahajan
David Nelson
Meixi Ng
Austin Perry
Lauren Pietrocarlo
Deb Reed
Bill & Sheila Ryan
Sam Schiller
Elwin Schott
Nicky Smith
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Bradley Troast
Henry, Peggy, and Celine Troast
The Yilmaz Family

Council plans Talent Show, serves mentors

2011-02-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

On December 16th, the Youth Leadership Council met for the last time in 2010 to decide on a group assignment for winter quarter. Each quarter, the Council is expected to complete one group assignment and each member is expected to complete one individual assignment. After debating several options, the decision came down to a lock-in or a talent show. The group decided to go with a talent show because, given our financial situation, they felt it would be helpful if their assignment had a fundraising element. The lock-in will most likely be saved for spring or summer as a celebration of the year.

On January 13th, the Council met for the first time in 2011 to begin plans for the talent show. They were joined by Thursday night student Nazarah Bilal, who expressed interest in planning a talent show, and her mother, Gina Ercoli, who has experience with fundraising and event planning. After discussing many elements of the show - location, date, audio/video needs, catering, ticket sales - it was decided that their first step would be to assess whether any students would actually participate in a talent show. So they came up with a sign-up sheet and made an announcement that night, but it wasn't just any other announcement (see video above).

On January 27th, the Council met to continue planning for the talent show and a special recognition project for mentors. During the week of January 24th, all students, led by Council members, served dinner to their mentors during sessions! This was the culmination of National Mentoring Month during which we have had a couple students stand up each week to thank their mentors and all of the other mentors. It was a great surprise much appreciated by the (hungry) volunteers.

With about 10 students interested so far, the Council decided to extend the sign-up deadline for the talent show another two weeks. At their next meeting, they will decide on a location and date and begin serious planning for the event. If you would like to contribute your talents - as a performer or a volunteer - please let me know and I will put you in touch with the committee.

In the meantime, their individual assignment is to "take over" student and volunteer spotlights for the month of February. During each session, a different Council member will meet a student and a volunteer who they do not know and then introduce them to the group during announcements when we regularly do spotlights. We always talk about being one big family and using the room to your advantage, so the Council hopes to set a good example for other students looking to meet new people.

That's all (that's a lot!) for now. Stay tuned for more updates.

Volunteer Spotlight: Catherine Mugeria

2011-01-25T23:48:00.000-08:00

Catherine Mugeria grew up in Nairobi, Kenya. She says it is a great country with better (than Chicago) weather and beautiful scenery. Her parents still live there while her sister lives in the United Kingdom and her brother lives in Florida.

After high school, Catherine moved to the United States to attend college. She chose DePaul University because it has a good program in her area of interest (math). She ended up graduating with a double major in finance and economics.

What made her undergraduate experience interesting is that Catherine went to school full-time and worked full-time. Because of financial reasons, she had to do this in order to pay her tuition. She worked for GE until she graduated in 2005.

Catherine’s first job out of college was in the finance department at Kraft Foods. She worked her way up in the organization before recently leaving to join a consulting firm. To be successful in the field of finance, Catherine says you have to be good at math, you have to be detail-oriented, and you have to have good communication skills. Your main responsibilities are to prepare budgets, close the books for each month, and communicate numbers to senior members of the executive staff.

Part of why Catherine is interested in volunteerism is that she wants to see more minorities in the finance area. “[Youth] are intimidated by numbers and so they don’t pursue that,” she concludes. Catherine first expressed interest in Cabrini Connections in 2008 before finally being paired up with Khaliyah Jones in 2010.

“At first, you don’t know what to expect,” says Catherine, “but now I feel that I’m easing in. I’m really connecting with my mentee. I look forward to coming every Wednesday.” Her tip for getting to know your student is: make him or her at ease. Ask what your mentee did over the weekend and share your contact information up front. She told Khaliyah, “You can reach me any time.”

Catherine’s advice for students is to focus on your English skills. As you progress further in your education, if you consider graduate school, your reading and writing skills will be critically important. She also says, “Be smart about picking your [undergraduate] school. The alumni network and school name goes a long way.”

Catherine’s hobbies include running (She has completed marathons in Chicago and San Francisco), traveling (She has been to Dubai, Europe, Tanzania, Uganda, and Bahrain), and meeting new people. “I enjoy getting to know different cultures outside of my own,” she says. “It has helped me adapt to this country.”

Look out for Catherine on Wednesday nights and as the captain of Cabrini Madness team "Running for Cabrini." Congratulations on reaching the spotlight!

Student Spotlight: Justin Fields

2011-01-25T23:43:00.000-08:00

Justin Fields was born outside of the United States in Kingston, Jamaica. He moved to Chicago when he was 12 months old and he has been here ever since. Justin likes Chicago because most of his family lives here and the summers are great. He does love to travel, though. He has been to Mississippi and Virginia and he even thinks that Virginia might be better than Chicago. If Justin could go anywhere right now, he would go back to Jamaica or visit California.

As a child, Justin was shy, but he got over it thanks to people who introduced him to their friends. He was the beneficiary of networking just like we hope you all are here at Cabrini Connections.

Justin is a 7th grader at Oscar Mayer Magnet School. His favorite class is physical education (PE) because he loves sports. His favorite sport is soccer in which he plays goalie. The subjects he struggles with most are social studies and language arts, which is partly why he signed up for Cabrini Connections – to get help with his reading and writing.

Justin graduated from Cabrini Green Tutoring Program last year. His mother suggested he join Cabrini Connections and after one quarter he already loves it. Justin’s “awesome” mentor is Brian Kamajian who is also in his first year. “[Brian] always has a smile on his face,” says Justin, “and he always says ‘Let’s bust it open’ when it comes to homework.” Justin also appreciates his mentor as a motivator. “Even though I get tired, [Brian] tells me to keep trying. He’s a really good guy.”

With a solid mentor by his side, Justin can set his sights on big goals. In two years, it will be time for Justin to move up to high school. His top three options are Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, The Chicago Academy for the Arts (ChiArts), and Walter Payton College Prep.

In college, Justin would like to study film, specifically screenwriting, and music. He has been a member of Cabrini Connections’ Video & Filmmakers Club since September 2010. Currently he is co-developing a fund raising video for the club.

As for music, Justin has been listening to it his whole life. He plays bass guitar and he loves to perform even though he can’t sing. He credits his aspirations to teachers who encouraged him to become a musician. If either option doesn’t work out, he’s also interested in becoming a painter, an actor, or a professional boxer.

Good luck as you continue to grow up, Justin! We’re excited to see what you accomplish!

Volunteer Spotlight: Jennifer O'Rourke

2011-01-20T11:54:00.000-08:00

First year mentor Jennifer O’Rourke was born in the Chicago suburb of Wheaton. She had a great childhood with her two younger brothers – playing outside a lot and going on road trips. Her favorite trip was a six week excursion out west to see Mount Rushmore, the Redwood Forests, and the Grand Canyon.

“What I love the most is to travel,” says Jennifer. Out of high school, she went to College of DuPage, a community college, for two years. There she was able to study abroad in London and Canterbury, England. After transferring to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, she went back to London and also to Australia.

“Traveling is a bit of a challenge,” she says. “You never know if it’s going to be easy or difficult.” Jennifer likes to arrive in a city with just a plane ticket out. She backpacks her way along, has to find places to stay, figure out the language, how to order food, etc. She is drawn to foreign places by their natural beauty. “[America] is a young country,” she says. “But the pyramids… the lost temples in Cambodia… they’re older than time.”

When it comes to college, Jennifer says to “look at the big picture.” It is exciting to go away, but it is important to consider how you will be financially placed after going to a university. She also says “everything is a challenge” in college. “It’s not going to come easy.” In the end, college is a great place to disqualify things you are not interested in and figure out what you truly love to do.

After graduation, Jennifer was still itching to travel the world! She would work in a local restaurant for a few months and then travel for a few months. Her travels in Southeast Asia and the Middle East got her interested in security and intelligence studies.

Therefore, ultimately, she moved to New York to work with a professor at New York University in religious studies with a concentration in Islam. Then, she applied to graduated school at the University of London, got in, and ended up getting her master’s degree in Middle East politics. Jennifer stayed in London working in finance for five years before moving back to Chicago. Right now she is looking for opportunities to transfer to government work.

Jennifer found out about Cabrini Connections through her brother Daniel who was a volunteer last year. She works with Jahia Williams on Thursday nights. “Jahia’s great,” she says. “I really, really like my mentee. She’s a big part of why I enjoy it so much.” Jennifer also says it’s easy to make Cabrini Connections and her relationship with Jahia a priority. “When I leave on Thursday, I don’t think, ‘I’m done now.’ I think, ‘What am I going to do next?’”

That is a great attitude to have, Jennifer! Thanks for being a part of the team!

Student Spotlight: Kevin Stanfield

2011-01-20T11:45:00.000-08:00

Cabrini Connections alumnus Kevin Stanfield moved to Cabrini Green at the age of 3. He says it was hard growing up in the area because he had trouble fitting in with people from his building. It was like a competition to see who had the nicest things. But this is something a lot of young people struggle with and Kevin made his way through.

At the age of 13, Kevin’s mom took a chance and moved with him (her only child) to California. That didn’t last long, though, as they came back after just a year. They missed their family too much, most of which is in or near Chicago. Kevin loves Chicago because it has activities for every season. “This city is like a never-ending event,” he says. Whether it’s the beach during the summer or hay rides during autumn, there’s always something to do.

Kevin started at Cabrini Connections in 7th grade. His first tutor left unexpectedly and he was followed by a string of substitutes. However, Kevin was involved in the tutoring program and art club and tech club in order to keep him busy, so he kept coming. One of his greatest accomplishments was co-creating the documentary, “Cabrini Green, ‘This is What I Know’: Our Lives, Our Truths, Our Stories,” which won the “Strongest Voice” award at the Columbia College Raw Voices Festival.

Once in high school, Kevin had a regular tutor whose name was Robert. Kevin says he was “like the father figure I didn’t have as a kid.” Robert helped him with time maintenance and scheduling. He also came to his school and talked to his teachers and counselors. Kevin wasn’t used to having so many assignments before high school, so Robert helped him plan out his time accordingly.

Kevin is very thankful for all that the program has done for him. “Cabrini Connections showed me new things and was a way to meet new people. I told myself I would never get on a plane, but this place put me on a plane to go to Ireland.” In 2006, five teens and one volunteer had the opportunity to travel to Ireland. Kevin fell in love with the place and wants to retire there when he gets old. “It has cool things you couldn’t see in a city, like stars! I saw a sky full of stars; a city in the sky!”

Part of Kevin’s artistic side certainly comes out when he describes his trip to Ireland. Kevin was a six-year member of the Art Club and continues to contribute as an alumnus. Kevin actually taught himself how to draw. As a kid, he had nothing to do and he didn’t want to go outside with friends because they were always getting in trouble. Instead, he used art as an escape. “It’s like an extension of my life,” he says. “I can express so many feelings [and] once I’m done with it, I won’t feel the weight any more.”

To future alumni, Kevin says, “Come back.” Kevin was here this past weekend for a light art workshop. Though he is an artist, it was his first time doing poetry and he appreciates the opportunity to try new things. As for school, he says, “Never give up. It’s going to get hard. It’s meant to get hard. But stick through it and you’ll be surprised what you get out of it. Put up a fight and you’re going to win.”

Spoken like a true poet! Thank you for living up to the mantra, “Once in Cabrini Connections, Always in Cabrini Connections.” We’re happy to have you.

Volunteer Spotlight: Tim and Jessica Minton

2011-01-11T13:17:00.000-08:00

Tim and Jessica Minton joined Cabrini Connections in January 2010. (At that point they were engaged, but they have since gotten married. Congratulations!) Tim was born and raised outside of Boston, Mass. He describes it as “the perfect place for a die-hard sports fan,” which he is. He also says Boston is known for aggressive personalities and its fast-paced lifestyle. “You grow up fast,” he says. At the age of 15, Tim moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his dad to attend high school. He went from a diverse, fast-paced city to a non-diverse, Midwestern city. It was a “big shock,” but “the best decision for me,” says Tim.

Jessica was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, about two hours west of Chicago. She came into the city a lot and loves it here. “It’s a big city with a small town feel,” she says. Jessica went to college at Indiana University, though most of her family has gone to Iowa. She wanted to do something outside of what they had done and she liked that it was far enough away to feel on her own, but close enough to visit home if she wanted to. She graduated with degrees in journalism and art history. “College is the best time of your life,” says Jessica, “because you don’t have that real world responsibility.” For example, she was able to discover a great passion: running. Subsequently, she has completed seven marathons!

Tim went to college at Miami University of Ohio. He was recruited there to play baseball, but it also has a top business school, another interest of his. He ended up graduating with degrees in finance and management information systems (MIS). Tim says he is a very structured person, which helped him balance being a student and an athlete. “The key is coming up with a routine and sticking with it,” he says. “It’s hard and exhausting, but the reward is worth the sacrifice.”

After graduating, Jessica spent time in London and Arizona before returning to live and work in Chicago. She wanted to be close to her family and she likes the metropolitan environment. Unexpectedly, an acquaintance of Jessica’s turned out to be a headhunter and lined her up with a great job. She works as an assistant at a proprietary trading firm called DRW Trading Group. Her lesson learned is that “you shouldn’t take any relationship you have for granted. You never know what could happen.”

While Tim loved baseball, he realized that not everyone goes pro, so he shifted his focus to his ambitions in business. To be successful in that field, Tim says you have to be analytical and detail-oriented; you have to have an outgoing personality; and you have to be able to develop relationships. After working at a trading firm and an investment bank out of college, Tim made a career switch to commercial real estate in 2005. He now works at a boutique firm in Chicago with eight employees.

(But how did he meet Jessica?!) Tim and Jessica met at East Bank Club gym. They have different interests (“opposites attract”), but they have other things in common, such as volunteerism! Jessica found out about Cabrini Connections online after searching for a program that works hands-on with kids. She told Tim about it and he got involved a week later. Since the beginning of this academic year, they have been paired up with twins, Reggie and Brittany Murphy, whom they love!

They say the key to get to know your student is consistent communication. “Go the extra mile… Relate to them on their level… Be a friend.” Tim and Jessica also suggest off-site visits. They recently went bowling with Reggie and Brittany and had a great time. They hope that volunteers continue to do more and more with their students and for the program. Last year, Tim and Jessica started a fund raising team which came in second place in Cabrini Madness. This year they say, “We’re not going to get fooled.”

Student Spotlight: Dionte Herron

2011-01-11T13:13:00.001-08:00

Second-year student Dionte Herron was born in Chicago but moved to Milwaukee at the age of 3. He says it was a “quiet place” where “people didn’t come outside.” He himself didn’t go far and stayed inside to read most of the time. Also, there weren’t a lot of trees, and Dionte loves to climb trees.

10 years later, at the age of 13, he moved back to Chicago. Currently he lives with two of his sisters. He has seven siblings total; five of them older. Dionte is happy to be back in Chicago. “More fun, more friends, more people,” he says. Most of his family is in the area, too.

Dionte is in the 8th grade at Jenner Elementary Academy of the Arts. As part of the curriculum there, he has to take arts classes. So far he has learned to play the guitar, the bass clarinet, and the drums. His favorite period is lunch (I believe him), but he says his best subject is math. When he grows up he wants to be an electrical engineer. He has played a lot of video games growing up and would like to be involved in making them. If that doesn’t work, his backup plan is to become a carpeter.

In the fall, Dionte will move on to high school. He is probably going to Lakeview High School, but he has applied to other schools such as Walter Payton College Prep that he is waiting to hear from. He’s not excited about high school like everyone else because, he says, “It’s just going to be harder, and more work.” I suspect he’ll enjoy it when he gets there, though.

Dionte heard about Cabrini Connections through his friend and Youth Leadership Council member De’Jour Stewart. “I like it here,” he says. “I get my homework done instead of going home and going to sleep.” His mentor is 10-year veteran and member of the Board of Directors Mike Hayes. “Mike is fun and he’s helping me learn,” says Dionte. There primary foci during tutoring sessions are algebra and social studies.

As Dionte grows up, he imagines he will stay around Chicago, close to his grandmother. He likes the summers here as well. We’re happy to have you Dionte. We hope you stay involved at Cabrini Connections for many years to come.

Volunteer Spotlight: Brian Kamajian

2011-01-11T13:09:00.000-08:00

First year mentor Brian Kamajian grew up as a “70s suburban kid” in Skokie, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago. He has two brothers, his dad was a school teacher in the city, and his mom was a secretary. His dad was a gym teacher and coach at Kelvyn Park High School for 35 years.

In high school, Brian was a good student who loved math and science (in fact, he craves it). He also wrote for the school newspaper and was the captain of the football team. When you think about what you want to be when you grow up, Brian says it is important to find the things you like to do and the things you are good at; then find a combination of both and do your best at it.

It may take awhile to find out what you want to be, though, Brian can attest. He was undecided coming out of high school so he chose to go to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign because “I figure it had everything under the sun.” He wound up graduating with a degree in chemical engineering and he continued on to get a master’s degree in the same field from Auburn University in Alabama.

After graduating, Brian was a chemical engineer for five years, “but my heart just wasn’t in it,” he says. “I like the academic part, but the work had little real engineering. It was all management.” So he decided to mix it up and spend two years overseas!

Brian is Armenian and has attended an Armenian church in Evanston since he was young. He now runs the Sunday School there. In 1988, an earthquake took place in Armenia which killed tens of thousands of people. In 1991, Brian and his wife went to the country for a year to help with relief activity being done by the Armenian General Benevolent Union. 1991 is the year Soviet Union fell apart and Armenia established its independence, so it was an incredible time for him to be there. Afterward, he and his wife spent the next six months traveling through 18 countries in Europe.

Once back in the U.S., Brian got into computer software and he still works in that industry today. He is the Manager of Software Development at the American College of Surgeons. He and his wife have two children: Katie (11 ½) and Pete (10). “Being a dad… it’s a lot,” he says. “You get more than you bargained for, but I’m very happy.”

Brian discovered Cabrini Connections on the Internet and through a former coworker who spoke at one of our Tutor/Mentor Conferences. As he has watched his own kids grow up, it has helped him appreciate the importance of programs like Cabrini Connections for other youth. “The kids are wonderful, to put it mildly,” he says. “They’re really trying and you've got to love the effort.”

Brian works with Justin Fields who is also in his first year. Brian says he’s great, a nice guy, and they’re getting along well. In the two hours they spend together each week, he just hopes to be able to give him “a flash of what’s going on in the mainstream;” of all the opportunities that are out there.

Brian has been a great advocate for the program: joining a fundraising committee with other volunteers and sending a personal letter to 50 of his closest friends during the holiday season. We thank you for all you’ve done. Congratulations on reaching the spotlight!

Student Spotlight: Paris Lockett

2011-01-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

Paris Lockett has always lived in Chicago and has always been a “good gal.” She’s outgoing and has a lot of friends; a personality she says she got from her father and grandmother. She has a large family: three sisters, one brother, two nieces, and one nephew. All her siblings are older, so she gets to learn from their mistakes, and her nieces and nephews are younger, so she constantly has somebody to play with.

Paris is a junior at Phoenix Military Academy. Going into high school, she thought it would be all segregated by groups, but, instead, she says, “We’re all like one big family.” She is in three clubs: acting club, book club, and the sisterhood program, which is an all-girls program designed to help teens support each other.

The future is bright for Paris. She has her plans all laid out. She wants to study biology at UIC or the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in order to become an obstetrician and gynecologist (OB/GYN). She witnessed her sister giving birth with a mean doctor, which inspired her to make it easy for women to give birth and to be compassionate.

After she establishes herself as a doctor, Paris would like to open her own hospital and others around the world. They will have all types of practices, but they will be most known for women’s health. “I want to be the CEO of everything,” she says flatly. One of her favorite quotes is from a teacher at her summer camp: “I am somebody. I’m on my way somewhere. I got something big to do. You don’t know who you’re standing next to.”

In her spare time, Paris likes to write, read, go to church, and hang out with her boyfriend Savon Clark. Savon is a four-year member of Cabrini Connections who recruited Paris to the program. So far, she says it is “excellent” and “is keeping me on track.” She meets with her mentor, Tiffany Smith, on Wednesday nights. “I love my tutor to death… Big thank you to my tutor!”

Paris is also a member of Writing Club, which meets on Wednesdays before tutoring from 5-6pm. “I really love that club,” she says. “We get to talk a lot and it makes my writing stronger.”

When she graduates high school, Paris will be taking a vacation to Paris! She has traveled a lot around the U.S., but she cannot wait to go overseas. Good luck reaching that goal and the many others you have. I hope we can help you achieve them!

Make a Move

2010-12-31T14:52:00.000-08:00

It's the last day of 2010 and we've had a great year at Cabrini Connections. My favorite moments include the Year-End Dinner, our college visit to Northwestern University, and our recognition by the City of Chicago as the top mentoring program. Thank you all for reading my stories. I wrote 117 blog posts this year and I always get comments from friends and family members who say they've read them. I consider you a part of Cabrini Connections' extended family and I appreciate you keeping us in your thoughts.

If you would like to make a year-end financial contribution to the organization, you can do so on my fundraising page here: http://www.razoo.com/story/One-Month-s-Rent-For-Youth-Tutoring-Center-In-Chicago. I'm raising money to help cover one month's rent at our tutoring center in 2011. It takes $5300 a month just to keep the doors open, but what goes on inside those doors is priceless. If you haven't seen my walkthrough video before, I've included it below.

Happy New Year to you and yours. See you in 2011!

All in a day's work

2010-12-20T13:34:00.001-08:00

11am
Last Thursday, EL Da' Sheon and I attended a Delegate Agency Meeting & Recognition Luncheon for the City of Chicago Department of Family & Support Services Youth Division. You may remember, last year we won an award "For Outstanding Performance in Youth Development." Well, this year, we were honored again, "For Outstanding Performance in Youth Opportunities." Of all the programs funded by the city for mentoring, we are the best! Thank you to every student, volunteer, staff member, board member, and donor for making this possible. I hope you will continue to support us as we go for a three-peat in 2011!

6pm
On Thursday night, we held our last tutor/mentor session of the quarter. It was an "open" session for the holidays, meaning students could bring food and play games if they chose to, or continue working as usual. Attendance continues to be fantastic and both students and volunteers finished at over 85% for the quarter. (Our goal is 80%.) Listen to holiday messages from our students below.

8pm
A parent called at the end of the night to warn her daughter about a shooting in Cabrini Green on Cambridge Avenue where they live. Two fellow students ended up walking her from our center to the area. A policeman had to walk her the rest of the way to her house. It is stunning to think that someone was being shot at on the other side of the bridge while we were celebrating the holidays at 800 W. Huron. It is a sad reminder of why programs like Cabrini Connections are still needed in this area and in high-poverty areas around Chicago. Mike Trakan's recent series of maps does a good job of picturing this situation. I recommend viewing them on his blog here.

Thanks for reading. Happy Holidays!

Student Spotlight: Carmenlita Jackson

2010-12-14T11:50:00.000-08:00

Carmenlita Jackson is 16-years-old. She says she was “weird as a kid” and has “made people laugh” all the way from pre-school. At her graduation, when they asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she jokingly said, “a mommy.” Her mother and grandmother in the audience laughed and rolled their eyes.

Presently, Carmenlita attends Dunbar Vocational Career Academy in the Douglas community area. As a freshman, she didn’t like it too much; as a sophomore, she was an honor roll student; and now, as a junior, she says it’s hard again, “but I’m going to get through.”

Her favorite classes are English and law. She wants to be a lawyer when she grows up, so it only makes sense. In law class they learn about negotiations and civil cases among other things. This week she is learning about criminal trials and drug cases.

Carmenlita’s top choices for college are Roosevelt University, Northwestern University, and Northern Illinois University. She would like to study English or business and start her own law firm one day. Roosevelt is her top choice because it has a program connected to The John Marshall Law School.

If not a lawyer, she would like to become an RA nurse (restorative nursing assistant). Responsibilities of an RA include assisting patients with exercise, providing care, and documenting activities. Carmenlita knows a lot about taking care of the human body. In her spare time she loves to exercise – playing basketball and floor hockey, running track, and dancing.

No matter what, Carmenlita says, “I just want to be successful and give back to the community.” A small piece of wisdom she would like to impart on younger students is, “Don’t stop!” She says freshman think high school is just a game, but it really counts, and it’s hard to catch up, so get focused from Day 1.

Carmenlita found out about Cabrini Connections through one of her mom’s coworkers who is a graduate of the program. She started in 7th grade, which makes this her fifth year. She is working with a new mentor this year, Abby Manger, on Thursday nights. Her cousin, Jahia Williams, is also here that night. “I really like it,” says Carmenlita. “When I’m close to a deadline, I know I have a Thursday to depend on.”

We’re glad you feel that way! Thanks for being a part of the Cabrini Connections family!

Youth Leadership Council Meeting 12/2/10

2010-12-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

Youth Leadership Council held its second meeting of 2010-2011 on Thursday, December 2nd. Two projects were on the agenda: creating a suggestion box and stuffing holiday mailing envelopes. Cierria volunteered to take the lead on the suggestion box, which is intended to be a place where students and volunteers can anonymously suggest, criticize, or praise programs and policies of Cabrini Connections. Cierria created the box after the meeting, during her tutoring session. It is now located on top of the supply cabinet.

For the bulk of the meeting, Cierria, Savon, Melissa, and I stuffed, labeled, and stamped envelopes for our 2010 Holiday Appeal. We had a great assembly line system allowing us to get several hundred envelopes put together, which were later sealed and mailed by a volunteer during the session. Thank you to all the Youth Leadership Council members for helping out during this labor-intensive meeting. At the next and final meeting of Fall 2010 on Thursday, December 16th, we will decide on a group project for winter quarter and begin planning.

Student Spotlight: Cierria Tharpe

2010-12-07T00:45:00.000-08:00

17-year-old Cierria Tharpe is a senior at Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center. This is her SIXTH year at Cabrini Connections and she has been with the same mentor, Diana Restrepo, the entire time. “She listens to me,” says Cierria. “I can go to her and tell her anything. She’s like family to me.” It sounds like their relationship has grown to a great place, which is now especially useful because Cierria is going through the college admissions process.

“I’m ready for college,” she says, “but I’m in that phase where I don’t think I can get in.” Cierria was on the honor roll in grammar school, but she wishes she had done better in high school. Her recommendation for students headed to high school is: “Don’t loose focus… Get your work done or you’re going to make it even harder on yourself.”

However, thanks to guidance from the College Zone, Cierria is excited about the prospect of going to a community college and then transferring to a college or university. “I realize now, when I’m getting help, just to take it,” she says. Cierria was afraid to ask for help at times in the past, but now she meets regularly with E and Lindsay (also in the spotlight this week) in the College Zone.

When she grows up, Cierria wants to be a pediatric nurse or a fashion marketer. She loves kids and has worked with them from an early age. (She has a lot of cousins and a little brother.) Also, her aunt is a nurse and she’s always looked up to her. Cierria loves fashion, too, and she would love to choose what goes on display in stores.

Cierria has a really big family. “Everybody is so spaced out, but when we get together, it’s like we haven’t been apart,” she says. Recently, one of her cousins was killed and she has relied on her family for support. “Always appreciate the stuff you have and the people in your life,” she says. “You never know what could happen.”

In family and at Cabrini Connections, Cierria does her best to be a leader and a role model. She was recently elected to the Youth Leadership Council for a second time. She wants to be a voice for what students are thinking and she wants to “feel better about myself knowing I made a difference.” Thanks for stepping up, Cierria! We look forward to honoring you at the Year-End Dinner!

Volunteer Spotlight: Lindsay Devick Richardson

2010-12-07T00:15:00.000-08:00

Lindsay Devick Richardson was born in Downers Grove, a western suburb of Chicago, as the youngest of three girls. She went to small elementary and middle schools (about 60 people in each), but she went to a huge high school (600-700 people)! She says high school was a lot of fun, she was big into sports (volleyball, track, and gymnastics), and it was nice to feel a part of something.

Next, Lindsay ventured to a school with more than 20,000 people: The University of Tennessee. “I wanted to try something different than my little bubble,” she says. It took a long time for Lindsay to figure out her major, but eventually she chose journalism. (Read: You don’t have to know what you want to be right now!)

Shortly after graduating and moving back to Chicago, Lindsay went back to school at Columbia College to get a master’s degree and teaching certificate in education. Three of Lindsay’s grandparents were teachers, which means she has good pedigree for the profession. She also flat out enjoys it. “I love hearing students’ points of view,” she says. “No matter what mood I’m in, they are energetic, full of life, and inspiring.”

Lindsay taught a third grade class as part of her education at Columbia. “I tried to be approachable to students,” she says. “In middle school, I didn’t have many teachers like that.” She says it’s also important to remember how much influence you can have over youth. “A teacher [at Columbia] once told me, ‘You never know when you’re making a memory with your students.’” We all remember the great teachers. Lindsay wants to be one of them.

At Cabrini Connections, Lindsay makes her impact as a coordinator in the College Zone. She and her co-coordinator E meet with students and their mentors to discuss postsecondary (and post-middle school) plans. “What I love about College Zone,” says Lindsay, “is you get to meet a little bit of everybody.” She says every student has something to offer and they all have great ideas and energy.

Lindsay works in education publishing at Quarasan, which is where she heard about Cabrini Connections from coworkers who are mentors (MC Nelson and Liz Jandrain). She works as an editor helping to develop textbooks. Students, if you have any suggestions, you know who to go to.

Lastly, Lindsay has a piece of personal advice from the College Zone: “It’s never too late to turn it around.” Lindsay’s grades in high school were not good, but she got As and Bs in college and all As in graduate school. If you want more where that came from, set up an appointment with the College Zone. Thanks, Lindsay!

Reader contest

2010-12-06T13:16:00.000-08:00

Cabrini Connections continues to have its best fall quarter in some time. Last year, attendance for students and volunteers the week after Thanksgiving was 71%. Can you guess what it was this year?

Leave your guess as a comment and the person who's closest before Friday will win two free AMC Movie Theatre passes!

UPDATE: Congratulations, Miles! You are the winner! The correct answer was 89.4%. 67 out of 77 students and 77 out of 84 volunteers attended sessions and clubs in Week 11.

2010-2011 Youth Leadership Council

2010-11-29T10:27:00.000-08:00

After weeks of campaigning and a night of speeches, six students were elected to the 2010-2011 Youth Leadership Council in late October. Wednesday night representatives are Savon Clark, Charles Hill, and De'Jour Stewart, and Thursday night representatives are Cierria Tharpe, Mylana Williams (above), and Melissa Young (below).

The council held its first meeting on Thursday, November 18th. After brief introductions (they all know each other already), we talked about identity, goals, and expectations - What is the Youth Leadership Council and why does it exist? A good layout of the council plan can be found here on Chris Warren's blog (my predecessor who revitalized the Youth Leadership Council in 2008). The new council will continue to form its own rules and roles, but Chris's plan is a good starting point.

Continuing in the meeting, we reviewed project ideas from last year's council and brainstormed project ideas for this year. Since it is a brainstorms session, anything goes! Ideas included a snack bar during tutoring sessions, a lock-in, a dance, painting the walls to bring more color into the center, a homecoming event for alumni, creating a mascot for the program, and more. As winter quarter approaches, the council will decide on at least one project to pursue, but for the remainder of fall quarter, their focus will be to assist with the holiday fund raising campaign.

On November 17th and 18th, when EL and I talked about the status of Cabrini Connections with our students and volunteers, all six members of Youth Leadership Council joined us up front to help lead the discussion. On the way out that night, they distributed holiday appeal letters to students for them to take to friends, family members, teachers... anyone who may take interest in their participation at Cabrini Connections. Lastly, on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week, council members came in to write personal appeal letters to potential donors, several of which can be read here.

Congratulations to the new members for being elected and thank you for immediately helping where you are most needed. I look forward to writing further updates about the accomplishments of this group over the course of this year. Thank you for reading.

Conference video

2010-11-24T10:03:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, Tutor/Mentor Connection held its biannual Tutor/Mentor Leadership & Networking Conference at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. Over 100 leaders, volunteers, and stakeholders from the region took part in 20 presentations covering topics in branding and marketing, new media and technology, volunteer recruitment and retention, and more.

Special thanks to the three presenters who became involved through my asking - Brad Manilla and Anthony Bernas from let's dabble, LLC, CoCo Calixto from BUILD, and Amy Ludwig from Illinois Campus Compact. It was a pleasure to welcome you and I appreciate your contributions to the conference. I believe many others did as well!

You can read comments from attendees on Karina's blog here. Our next conference will be in May 2011, but until then, you can find us online in our Ning forums. Thank you!

New reports

2010-11-23T10:06:00.000-08:00

First up is our 2009-2010 Student Character Report. Each year we ask mentors, teachers, and parents to assess strengths and weaknesses observed in their mentees, students, or children. Graphs of responses from each field is included as well as analysis. Please take a look!

The 2008-2009 report can be found here.

Second is our 2009 Financial Overview. It breaks down the expenses and revenue distribution of Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection for the 2009 fiscal year. It shows how money is allocated to our different activities and initiatives, but also how a large portion goes to rent, utilities, insurance, and personnel. In a free program like ours, these costs can be invisible. Therefore, with this overview, we hope to give potential donors insight into what all goes into making our organization successful. Again, please take a look!

The 2008 Financial Overview can be found on page 14 here.

If you have any questions about these reports or the process by which I make them, please comment or send me an e-mail. Thank you!

Volunteer Spotlight: Lisa Coy

2010-11-15T22:20:00.000-08:00

First year mentor Lisa Coy grew up about an hour south of Chicago in “a small town full of corn and cows.” She stayed there through high school, but had to get away for college. “People stay comfortable. They stay where they know,” she says, “instead of merging out into other places… I wasn’t myself there,” so 10 years ago she moved to Chicago.

“It was really scary,” she says. “I was scared to get lost,” but eventually, getting lost is what introduced her to different parts of the city. “I pushed myself further to explore new things… to see what is out there besides what is in front of me.”

Lisa attended Columbia College Chicago where she majored in Vocal Performance, singing classical blues and jazz music. Again, her explorations of the city were useful. She got to know professional artists around Chicago and started singing at various jazz and blues clubs. She even sang at the Jazz and Blues Festivals over the summer in Grant Park.

At Columbia, Lisa lived in the dorms, which was a really fun experience. “I met some of the weirdest people in my life then,” she says. “I’ve never been exposed to so many different cultures at once.” However, once more, it was an effective way to get to know people.

Lisa graduated in 2003 after finishing the four-year program in three years. A sudden death in the family motivated her to focus on her studies. “My passion helped my tragedies become a positive experience,” she says. After graduation, she worked in the mortgage industry for awhile. She also did web design and was a personal shopper.

But, for a long time, her passion has been music. In the second grade, she was extremely shy, but one day her teacher heard her singing in the bathroom. She encouraged her to join the choir and “it opened up a whole different life for me… It made me go places.”

Now, Lisa has combined her passion with teaching. A few years ago she started tutoring kids and adults from Korea. It was not until then that she thought she could be a teacher. So she decided to go back to school and in 2010 she received a Master of Arts in Teaching from Columbia. “It was the hardest two years of my life,” she says, “but it was the most beneficial thing, because it’s not about me; it’s about the kids and making sure they get the best education with what resources they have.”

Lisa is currently a music teacher at Glover Cleveland Elementary School. She teaches kindergarten through 8th grade and kids with special needs. She gets to experience a “vast amount of personalities in a day” and she says it is “fun, never boring.”

For students, her insight into the mind of a teacher (herself) is: “I let the kids know how smart they are and how important they are. I create a positive learning environment. Kids get caught up in what they can’t do instead of focusing on what they can do. Everyone is really good at something. It’s about figuring out what that one thing is. Everything else will align.”

Lisa brings this same attitude to tutoring. She heard of Cabrini Connections through her friend Lindsay Devick Richardson who is a College Zone Coordinator on Thursday nights. Lisa works with Starisha Owens on Wednesday nights. “She’s really smart,” says Lisa. “I constantly encourage her. She can be what she wants to be. Just keep focused and keep working hard.”

You’re a great motivator, Lisa. We are proud to have you on our team!

Student Spotlight: Starisha Owens

2010-11-15T15:31:00.001-08:00

14-year-old Starisha Owens has always lived in Chicago. She loves everything about the city. A hidden gem (a place she likes to go that others might not know about) is Martin Luther King Jr. Park Roller/Inline Skating Rink. When she gets older, however, Starisha wants to “move away from all the craziness” and “be by myself for awhile.” She dreams of moving to Los Angeles or Atlanta after graduating from college.

Starisha is in the 7th grade at Walt Disney Magnet School. In general, she says she loves school. “All of my friends are there. It’s like a family.” Starisha’s favorite subject is writing because it helps her express her feelings. It helps at school and at home because when she can’t talk to anybody else, she can talk to her notebook. The subject she struggles with most is math, but she plans to get better by staying focused, working hard, and constantly looking over her notes. Good plan!

In about a year, Starisha will have her eyes set on high school. She would like to attend her neighborhood school, Lincoln Park High School. Starisha thinks high school will be “different,” “unusual,” and “kind of scary,” but she’s excited nonetheless.

Eventually, she is interested in becoming a writing teacher. “I love kids,” she says with a smile. “I used to be one.” According to her, the keys to working with kids are “be patient with them” and “you can’t yell at them.” Starisha wants to teach them right and wrong.

She also wants to become a teen counselor. “What I’m going through is hard,” she says, “and these kids need someone who really understands them.” Starisha was bad as a kid, but she learned from her mistakes and has matured along the way.

At Cabrini Connections, Starisha works with Lisa Coy on Wednesday nights. They are both in their first year with the program. “I love it,” she says. “Everybody is so friendly!” Starisha also loves her mentor. “She’s my favorite tutor yet... and we’re both Scorpios!” Lisa is a music teacher and Starisha loves to sing. Sounds like a perfect match!

Columbia College Visit

2010-11-15T12:52:00.000-08:00

On Friday, November 12th, four students (Kierre, NyShanell, Starisha, and Akeim) and I visited Columbia College in downtown Chicago. Each fall we try to visit one university or college per month because it is prime time for applications. However, while our seniors may get the most tangible use out of these visits, we encourage all students to take advantage of the opportunities. Even for our elementary school students, it is important to begin the visioning process now.

Columbia College Chicago is a private arts and media college with over 120 academic programs including creative writing, fashion design, film & video, journalism, music, theater, and more. Columbia has a fantastic mission here, part of which says, "Columbia's intent is to educate students who will communicate creatively and shape the public's perceptions of issues and events and who will author the culture of their times." I must say, it really does read and feel like a college designed for the 21st century.

Before going on an official tour, our day began with lunch in the University Center. UC is a residence facility equipped with suites and apartments, a dining facility, a fitness room, and more; located at 525 South State Street. Special thanks to Lynn Cruz and Kim Vitek of UC Dining Services for allowing our students to eat for free!

After lunch, we walked a few blocks east to the Admissions Office at 600 South Michigan Avenue. This is where we met Laura, our tour guide for the day. Because Columbia has such a wide array of programs, each tour is actually catered to the group, so Laura began with simple questions to determine our students' interests. We discovered that education, fashion design, video game design, film, and photography were the top interests.

Laura did a great job in taking us to as many of these programs as possible. Hallways in the fashion design department were lined with beautiful displays of fabrics and outfits on manikins. The photography department also has a lot of work on display, and we got to go in a dark room! Even on a Friday afternoon, there were lots of students hard at work. I could tell they were passionate about it.

Of all the places we visited, the video game department was definitely the standout. Each year, the senior class designs a video game which last year was called GruntWork. As Laura showed us the preliminary designs for the game, Kierre and NyShanell (former Tech Club members) couldn't help but think of the Cabrini Connections video game in production right now. Just like GruntWork, they began with designing characters and a layout.

Also in the video game department, we were treated to an impromptu Q&A session with current students. We were simply looking in a computer lab... a few student workers realized why we were there... and they started chiming in with notes. More Columbia students came in... our students kept asking questions... and it went on for about 15 minutes. It was a fantastic experience and I must commend my four tourmates for asking such intelligent questions. Most of them have been on college visits before and I could tell they are more comfortable in the environment now.

Thank you, Laura, for being a such great tour guide, and thanks to Sarah Osterman of Admissions for setting up our visit. We had a great time! I look forward to the day we can bring back more students to visit, and I hope eventually we can hand some of them off to you permanently ;-)

Two big wins!

2010-11-15T11:32:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday night, Michael Bridges and his mentor Jason Tennenbaum enjoyed a night at the Chicago Bulls game courtesy of ContextMedia! The Bulls defeated the Golden State Warriors 120-90. My friend Rishi Shah, CEO of ContextMedia, was kind enough to donate the tickets. His company also donated the TV which runs in our center.

Our method for selecting which lucky pair would get these tickets was... whichever Wednesday night pairs were free on Thursday night had to pick a number 1-100. We preselected 33 as the winning number because that is the number of tutoring weeks in a year. It is also Scottie Pippen's jersey number. Jason ended up coming closest with his pick of 32, which he chose because he is a big Los Angeles Lakers/Magic Johnson fan. Maybe we should have disqualified him for that, but we gave him the tickets anyways and he and Michael had a great time. Thanks, ContextMedia!

Also last week, on Saturday, several mentors and their friends took advantage of free tickets to the sold out Northwestern-Iowa football game. Big thanks to Betsi Burns and John Mack from the Northwestern athletics department for donating 25 tickets to the program! It may have been cold and rainy, but the 'Cats pulled off a dramatic comeback in the 4th quarter to beat the Hawkeyes 21-17, making the trip well worth it. Now it's on to Wrigley Field! Go U!

Program walk-through

2010-11-12T14:01:00.000-08:00

Check out this new video, featuring ME, as I walk through Cabrini Connections. This was shot on Wednesday night by Mitch Holzrichter in one continuous shot on the first take. Yes!

For the full story, please read Dan's blog post. Thanks for watching!

Waiting for "Superman"

2010-11-10T11:50:00.000-08:00

Thanks to free movie passes provided by MENTOR, four members of our staff including me were able to see the new school reform documentary Waiting for "Superman" yesterday. It is a very impactful film and I encourage you to see it if you have not already. But while it has much to say about the school system, it does not address the network on non-school programs, like Cabrini Connections, which help support the overall education system.

This is something we will talk about at the Tutor/Mentor Conference next Friday where our closing keynote/panel will feature education experts discussing where tutor/mentor programs fall in reflections on Waiting for "Superman". The movie does ask people to take action, and we are listed in Top Resources on WFS's Chicago page, but what truly are the next steps?

For more information on attending the conference, click here. Thank you!

Volunteer Spotlight: Jason Tennenbaum

2010-11-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

Jason Tennenbaum was born and raised in West Los Angeles, California – and ‘West’ means he was raised close to the beach. He says he loved the outdoor lifestyle and was at the beach all the time. Overall, there were good and bad parts about living in LA, though. “It doesn’t have great city lifestyle,” he reflects. “It’s more suburban… but as a kid, you don’t know the difference.”

As he neared high school graduation, Jason knew he wanted to go to a college on the East Coast. “It was a chance to explore; to try something different,” and when he visited Boston, he fell in love. It has more colleges than any other city in the U.S. and it has the highest percentage of college-aged residents.

Jason attended Boston University and “became a more serious student as I went along.” He eventually found what he really enjoyed – business – and graduated in 1996 with a degree in business administration. He appreciated BU’s diversity of programs because it gave him a chance to truly discover his passion.

Jason’s advice for future college students: “Don’t pigeonhole yourself. Be open-minded. You never know what might interest you. Don’t be worried if you go through college and you don’t know what you want to be. It is about learning and expanding your mind. It is about the processes.”

Once out of school, Jason moved to Chicago to be closer to family. He found a job in healthcare and managed psychiatric centers for a few years. In the early 2000s, he started going to business school at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He graduated in 2002.

Shortly thereafter, he started a small real estate investment company and has been running it ever since. He is involved in all aspects of the business from start to finish. He finds a property, brings it to his investors, negotiates a contract, purchases the property, and then manages the building ongoing.

“I love what I do,” says Jason. He gets to see many areas of Chicago and how different people live. He finds it especially interesting how people who live next door to each other, who may live in identical units or pay the same rent, make different choices which affect their lives.

When Jason is not at work, he is probably attending to his second full-time job, which is raising his two kids, Noah and Sydney, who are 3 ½ years old and 8 months old respectively. He lives in the city with his wife who he met in Chicago and married in 2004.

Jason got involved with Cabrini Connections because he wants to “make sure [my son] understands the value of giving back.” He also likes our program because of its focus on education. He works with Michael Bridges on Wednesday nights. They are both in their first year at Cabrini Connections.

“It’s been great,” says Jason about the experience so far. “From where I’m sitting, it’s a home run.” Michael started high school this year and was a little overwhelmed at first, but thanks in part to Jason’s guidance, he got all As and Bs on his first report card! Jason says the key is talking to your teachers. “They only remember the kids that care… They’ll watch out for you if they know it’s important to you.”

Thank you for joining us, Jason. We wish you both continued success!

Student Spotlight: Andrion Rutledge

2010-11-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

Andrion Rutledge attends Lincoln Elementary School where he is in the 7th grade. His favorite subject is math and his least favorite subject is French, however, he does appreciate that Lincoln requires students to take foreign language classes. (I didn’t take my first foreign language class until the 9th grade.)

At school, Andrion plays shooting guard for the basketball team. Basketball is his favorite activity and he dreams of one day becoming an NBA star. His favorite team is the Chicago Bulls.

In two years, Andrion will start high school, which means next fall he will begin the high school admissions process. He would like to go to Jones College Prep, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, or Lincoln Park High School. At LPHS, he would like to be in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program or the Double Honors/Advanced Placement Program.

After high school, it will be time for college. Andrion likes Duke, USC, or Miami, but overall he isn’t too concerned about where he’ll go or what he’ll study. “I’ll figure something out,” he says calmly but confidently. I trust you will find your way.

In his spare time, Andrion likes to do what most 7th graders like to do: watch movies and television, play video games, and hang out with his friends. His favorite show is Family Guy and his favorite place to hang out is downtown Chicago. He says, “It is way better than Georgia’s downtown.”

Andrion visits his aunt in Georgia every summer. She actually took him on vacation with her one time to the Dominican Republic, which is as far away from home as he has ever been. He says the weather is nice, but the food is weird. “The only good food was the American food.”

One day Andrion hopes to visit Paris. Since he is studying French in school, he would like to see what it’s like there; and it’s a real possibility. His school goes on an 8th grade trip each year. Last year they went to Canada, but two years ago they went to Paris and Morocco.

Andrion heard about Cabrini Connections through his best friend, Nehemiah Mitchell, who, along with his two older siblings, Imann and Pat, is in the program. Ms. Mitchell has long been an advocate for Cabrini Connections (She spoke at our Year-End Dinner), so it was only natural that she invited Nehemiah to sign up. It has worked out well. Andrion works with Frank Roberts on Wednesday nights.

He says, “I’m glad I got Frank as my tutor because science was my worst subject academically.” Frank is really good at science and they have already been able to see improvements. The science fair is this week and Andrion feels very confident about his project. Good luck!

"Cookies for a Cause"

2010-11-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 30th, fourth year Cabrini Connections student Melissa Young hosted her 2nd Annual Halloween Bake Sale to benefit the tutoring program. She came up with this idea all on her own last year after wondering why we didn't have a Halloween event and, also, how we raised money. She promoted the event to mentors, mentees, and to people in her own neighborhood and school. She collected donations of baked goods from those people as well. And when it came time for the actual event last Saturday, with the help of several student and adult volunteers, she raised over $225!

Thank you, Melissa, for taking charge and giving back to Cabrini Connections. One of our former students, Isaiah Brooms, has raised over $1000 in the last week after sending a message to his network about the influence of this program in his life. He also pledged to match donations up to $600 total. It is a joy to see current and former students advocating for Cabrini Connections. They are the ones who benefit most and they are the ones who exemplify the effectiveness of this program with their successes.

The more we can get alumni (students and volunteers) involved, the better! Please continue to follow Isaiah's story and look out for an update from me soon about new forms of alumni engagement. Thank you.

Cabrini-Green gone? Cabrini Connections gone?

2010-11-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

My boss Daniel Bassill wrote last week about the false perception that some have that Cabrini-Green is almost "gone." He linked to a Chicago Sun-Times article which includes maps, statistics, and details about plans for the area moving forth. If you do the math, as Dan does, you will realize that hundreds of low-income kids still live in the area. Cabrini Connections has the capacity for 80 students and we are always full. These students continue to grow, continue to learn, and they need your support (in spirit and in dollars).

Cabrini-Green's historical markers - namely, the high-rise towers - may be gone, but many of the families who lived in them still call the area "home." It is a community like any other and our students are proud of their roots there. As we write-off the negative memories of Cabrini-Green which made it infamous, please insert stories of our students' hopes and dreams from this time forward. You can read their profiles here. Thank you.

Student Spotlight: Melissa Young

2010-11-02T19:26:00.000-07:00

Melissa Young (left) is a junior at Josephinum Academy. Since grammar school, she had always been a C student, but now she has a B average. She tells me, “I found a way to make it easier… by studying more, doing my homework, and going up to teachers before school, during lunch, and after school.” Melissa’s tip for 7th & 8th graders who will soon be in high school is: “Make sure your teachers know your name. Be the outside student instead of falling in the crowd.”

She says she was inspired to improve her grades after learning about how colleges look closely at your junior year. As long as she can show improvement over her four years, Melissa believes she can get into a good college or university. Her dream schools are Columbia College, Northwestern University, and DePaul University.

Despite the rise in grades, Melissa is still nervous about the ACT test, which she will take next year. She does plan to take part in ACT prep sessions to be offered at Cabrini Connections next quarter and she and her mentor, Elena Lugo, are already practicing a bit each Thursday. Melissa and Elena are in their fourth year together. Melissa likes Elena because she provides a good balance between seriousness and fun. “She plays around, but she also expects me to do well.”

As a career, Melissa hopes to work with videos and graphics. She likes the feeling of being able to take a camera, shoot anything, and make it into a story. To foster this interest, Melissa joined the upstart Video & Filmmakers Club in August 2009. Since then she has created several videos including a recap of the 2010 Art Festival and a music video for the song “Lip Gloss.”

Melissa’s favorite parts of the filmmaking process are shooting and editing. She likes shooting because it is a challenge to get everything in place and she likes editing, similarly, because it is a challenge to figure out where the pieces go. Her dream is to make a movie that blends all genres into one – “different than any other movie.”

In addition to being a part of the Video Club, Melissa also organized the Halloween Bake Sale for the second year in a row and is a recently elected member of the Youth Leadership Council. Last year she asked EL, jokingly, “Why don’t we have an event for Halloween?” He told her anyone can start an event, and she did! In two years she has raised more than $500.

As for the Youth Leadership Council, because of her track record of good ideas and her recognition that people on the council can change things, Melissa saw fit to run and was indeed elected. Congratulations! Melissa admits that she was “super shy” when she first started at Cabrini Connections, but after coming on field trips, to events, and joining a club, she has gotten to know more people and feels very comfortable. We are glad. Thank you, Melissa!

Volunteer Spotlight: Shannon Murphy

2010-11-01T23:01:00.001-07:00

Shannon Murphy was born in Phoenix, Arizona before moving to the suburbs of Chicago at a young age. She began in Villa Park, Illinois but moved to Lombard in the fourth grade. Interesting fact: she lived in the same subdivision (Butterfield East) as the Iwami family. You may remember Melissa Iwami from the spotlight two weeks ago… she and Shannon went to grade school together and saw each other for the first time in 15 years at this year’s golf benefit!

That is not how Shannon discovered Cabrini Connections, though. It is just a major coincidence. She found out about our program through her old boss whose coworker, Julie Hamilton, is on our Advisory Council… with Melissa’s dad, Bill Iwami. (My mind is blown.) Shannon has been a volunteer for two years now and says it has been “a really good experience.” She works with Crane 11th grader Breonca Hyles on Thursday nights. “Breonca is really, really, really smart,” she says. “I think she has a good future ahead of her.”

As for Shannon’s future, it recently took on a different course as she started a new job last week. She works in brand strategy and product innovation. Previously she worked for Jack Morton Worldwide for six years in marketing and events for brands.

Thinking back to the college admissions process, Shannon says she thought she wanted to be in advertising. “It was the cool thing to be in at the time.” Ultimately, though, she preferred a more general line of study and ended up graduating from Illinois State in 2005 with majors in Public Relations and Mass Communications and minors in Communication Studies and Sociology.

“I knew I wanted to be in some sort of business,” she says, “so I did as much as I could in different fields and I accepted every opportunity that came my way.” She took a job while in college in the advertising and sales department of the school newspaper. She had to sell ads to the local community, talk to people, get her point of view across, and manage a $1 million budget, all of which was good real life experience… and she got paid… and she got class credit. “Become friends with your counselor,” says Shannon.

In her senior year, she got another job, but this time she didn’t like it as much. However, coincidentally, she had to plan a few events, and when it came time to find a job, her event planning experience stood out to Jack Morton, which is where she ended up working with big clients like Allstate and McDonald’s.

When she’s not hard at work, Shannon loves to run. She has run two marathons. She also loves to help Cabrini Connections! She used her event planning experience to help get people involved with and donate to this year’s golf benefit and she is currently working on one-page “cheat sheets” to help simplify our needs for donors. Thanks for all that you do, Shannon! We very much appreciate it!

Volunteer Spotlight: Charles Wynn

2010-10-26T11:20:00.000-07:00

First year mentor Charles Wynn was born in Syracuse, New York, but his family moved to Toledo, Ohio when he was in sixth grade and he had to make all new friends. He was also subject to culture shock because he moved from an all-black neighborhood to one which is predominately white. He says, “It helped me out in life,” though. “It taught me that the world is bigger than your community.”

Charles describes himself as a friendly kid who loved to play sports. He is the youngest of four siblings, which he says was always a pro. “I got everything I needed… [and] there were a lot of mistakes I didn’t have to go through.” But, like most kids, Charles wanted to grow up, and having three older siblings only made the urge stronger.

Out of high school, Charles received a full athletic scholarship to play football for Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He says college is a place where you meet lifelong friends and “you really find out more about yourself.” He graduated with a degree in general studies, which for him encompassed multicultural education, physical education, religious education, and criminal justice.

Charles played well enough for the football team to make himself an NFL prospect in 2005. He had an agent and worked out with several teams. But as he was focused on that, he didn’t take school as serious. He failed to graduate on time and ended up finishing with online courses in 2007. So, for all you athletes out there, Charles is here to remind you that it doesn’t always work out. “The only guarantee and the only thing you control is your degree,” he says. Take care of that first.

Since college, Charles has been working on and off for universities and colleges in an admissions role. He helps high school students and older adults enroll in post-secondary schools. Charles wants to stay in the education field and right now he is trying to get into juvenile justice. He would like to work in a youth group home or a detention center for youth.

Charles found out about Cabrini Connections like so many others do: through a Google search. He was looking to get involved as a volunteer because, “I don’t like seeing the world the way it is,” he says plainly. “It’s important for people to care more,” and so far Charles has cared a lot! He works with Marvin Burks on Thursday nights who continues to open up more and more each week.

Marvin said up front that he wanted to work on his reading, so Charles has been putting together weekly reading assignments about Black history. “I feel like, in school, black kids never learn about themselves,” he says. “I want him to know, ‘Your history is 12 months of the year, not just one.’

Charles likes that we promote unity among the students, allowing them to make new friends, and he likes our workplace analogies. For the 2010-2011 tutoring and mentoring year, we began referring to Cabrini Connections as a job. 6-8pm is your shift, signing in is like clocking in, SVHATS is like clocking out, and so on. Charles recognizes this as a good parallel because, “There’s a lot to life that isn’t plain as day.” There are a lot of soft skills which go into being a successful adult.

Charles’s advice for the youth is to take advantage of all resources and be vocal. He says there are no dumb questions and, “Don’t be ashamed to voice your opinion.” Perhaps someone will have some questions for you, Charles. Congratulations on being in the spotlight!

Student Spotlight: Breonca Hyles

2010-10-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

Thursday night mentee Breonca “Bebe” Hyles is from the Cabrini Green neighborhood of Chicago. She has enjoyed the start of her junior year at Crane High School, but says it has been challenging with the added pressure of the ACT test. Her favorite subject is history, mainly because she has a good teacher, while her toughest subject is science, though she still enjoys it.

Her tip for 7th & 8th graders who will soon be freshman in high school is: “stay on track”/”don’t fall off.” It’s important to get off to a good start so you can maintain a good record throughout high school. The first class you take and the last class you take effect your GPA in the same way.

For college, Bebe knows one thing: “I want to go out-of-state.” She has always lived in Chicago and has not traveled much. She dreams of attending Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. Ultimately she wants to go to medical school to become a pediatrician.

Bebe loves to work with kids and says the key to it is patience. She has five sisters (no brothers), three of whom are younger than her, which means she has learned a lot from helping to raise them.

Another place where Bebe is in many respects an elder is Cabrini Connections. Bebe is in her fifth year with the program after graduating from the old YMCA program as a 6th grader. “It doesn’t seem like so long,” she says with a laugh. Bebe likes Cabrini Connections because it allows her to meet new people and go places. She has taken advantage of many field trip opportunities such as last year’s trip to Northwestern University.

Bebe is now in her third year with mentor Shannon Murphy. “She’s like my best friend,” says Bebe. “I tell her everything.” One thing Shannon knows well is that Bebe likes to do hair. She has been doing it for eight years now and specializes in braiding. So if you need your hair done, you know who to go to! Thanks, Bebe! Good luck with the ACT!

Four weeks from today

2010-10-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

Tutor/Mentor Connection will host its 32nd biannual Tutor/Mentor Leadership & Networking Conference on Friday, November 19th at U.S. Cellular Field where the Chicago White Sox play. We expect about 100 program leaders, volunteers, and stakeholders at the conference, but the average White Sox game draws 27,000 people!

Though we won't have that many attendees at the conference, I know we have that many fans. Thousands of youth in this city benefit directly from tutor/mentor programs and all 2.9 million of us benefit indirectly from a more educated, healthy, and prepared workforce. Tutor/mentor programs teach academic skills which lead to educational success, but they also teach intangible skills which create better human beings. To view Cabrini Connections' 2009-2010 Student Character Report, click here. It shows some of these outcomes I speak of.

Some of the topics we plan to cover at the conference include marketing & branding, evaluation, volunteer recruitment & retention, university partnerships, and fund raising. We plan to close the conference with a panel discussing the documentary Waiting for 'Superman' and how non-school programs fit into the discussion about public schools and education reform.

For up-to-date information about the conference, please visit our web site and check this blog as well as Karina Walker's blog for regular previews of what is to be offered. If you are in the Chicago area, we hope you will consider attending (register here), but even if you cannot, you can always join the conversation on our Ning forum. We physically come together at the conference twice a year, but our goal is to remain connected online throughout the year.

Thanks for reading. Have a good weekend!

Volunteer Spotlight: Melissa Iwami

2010-10-19T10:15:00.001-07:00

Thursday night Volunteer Coordinator Melissa Iwami (seen here with EL at Martini Madness) was born and raised in Lombard, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. She is an only child and admits, “I always got a lot of my parents’ attention.” She says it was “good and bad,” but she thinks she has a much better relationship with her parents because of it. She loved growing up near a big city and has always been outgoing and talkative. She has relatives in different neighborhoods of the city who exposed her to a lot at a young age.

Melissa lived in a district which has open enrollment, meaning she could choose which of four high schools she would like to attend. Rather than go to the largest school with most of her friends, she chose a smaller one in order to get more one-on-one attention. She ended up loving high school and working really, really hard. “My parents made me pretty driven,” she says. She worked for the yearbook and the newspaper and she was a member of the orchestra.

Oddly, after experiencing small classes in high school, Melissa chose to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where the student-to-faculty ratio is much higher. She didn’t go back after her freshman year, but she says, “Everything happens for a reason.” She met her best friend there who she now lives with in Andersonville. In fact, she lives with her whole family! In one house reside her friend’s parents, grandfather, and uncle. Melissa likes this ‘home away from home’ because it means she’s not just ‘a little fish in a big city.’

Melissa has had many jobs. She worked at a retirement home as a dining room supervisor and, later, as an administrator. After that, she worked in retail at Bed Bath & Beyond as a department manager in the bridal section. Presently she works at Whole Foods Market in Evanston. Melissa’s tips for starting a new job: “Learn as much as you can… The more you know the more valuable you are to the company… Always ask questions.”

Melissa wondered for a long time, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Her dad said in order for work to be your career, you have to make it something you’re passionate about, and Melissa has recently discovered she is passionate about the environment and making a difference. “I want to have a positive influence on the planet and other people, too,” she says. She is considering going back to school for environmental studies.

Cabrini Connections has been a part of Melissa’s life for as long as she can remember. “I feel like Cabrini Connections is in my blood in a sense.” Her dad, Bill Iwami, who is on our Advisory Council, used to be a tutor a long time ago at Montgomery Ward. This is also where he met his wife. Melissa says, growing up, her dad would come home from tutoring and say, “You have so many opportunities that you don’t take advantage of.” “He tried to instill that in me,” she says. “I have the ability and I should try to take advantage of it.”

For many years, Melissa has volunteered with her parents at our annual Golf Benefit. She was a tutor a few years ago and now she returns as a Volunteer Coordinator. Thanks for joining the team, Melissa!

Student Spotlight: Alexis Spears

2010-10-18T22:39:00.001-07:00

14-year-old Alexis Spears is an 8th grader at Franklin Fine Arts Center. Her favorite subject is science because she enjoys working in the lab. She is also good at math, but isn’t quite ready to say she likes it. At school she is part of the music and dance clubs. She is also on the volleyball team.

For high school, Alexis would like to attend UIC College Prep, a campus of Noble Street Charter School. Long term, she is interested in working with kids as a pediatric nurse. She babysits a lot and is the oldest of many siblings, which means she has been informally training for her dream job for years.

As for college, Alexis would like to stay in Chicago. She has been to Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, and a few other states, but she is most comfortable here and would rather not have to get used to another city.

Outside of school, Alexis simply loves to hang out with friends, preferably downtown at Water Tower Place. She also likes to attend Cabrini Connections! She came to us last year from Cabrini Green Tutoring Program after hearing one of our most outspoken parents, Norine Rhodes, speak about Cabrini Connections at CGTP’s graduation.

Alexis now attends tutoring on Wednesday nights and gets all her work done with first year mentor Natalie Durda. “She’s fun,” says Alexis. “I can connect with her. We have a lot in common.” Alexis’s tip for new mentors is to not always be hard on your student. “Be a tutor, but also be a friend,” she says. “Let them know you trust them and that they can trust you.”

Thanks for the advice, Alexis. Good luck with getting into UIC College Prep!

Northwestern University College Visit

2010-10-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, on a day off from school (Columbus Day), 23 students from Cabrini Connections visited Northwestern Un iversity in Evanston. Myself, EL Da' Sheon, and Karina, all alumni of Northwestern, chaperoned the trip. We were also joined by former volunteer, and forever an advocate for the program, Stephanie Rogers.

This was the largest group we've ever had for a college visit, which I believe is a result of a renewed commitment to the program in 2010-2011 and is a testament to the success of our College Zone. Our vision is that every child who joins a tutor/mentor program in 7th or 8th grade is starting a job and career of his or her choice by age 25, and trips like this fit directly in with that. In order for our youth to fulfill this year's theme, "My Dreams are My Reality!", they need to see themselves on a campus, eating lunch, walking through a dorm, acting like any other student. This is the reality they some day hope to achieve.

Our host for the day at NU was Promote 360: A Cycle of Minority Empowerment and Support, a student organization that aims to enhance the social, academic and professional well-being of minority and under-represented students in the School of Education and Social Policy. They welcomed us at 11am with an icebreaker called "Big Wind Blows," which resulted in a much needed energy boost after a long train ride in the morning. After that, it was time for lunch at Allison Hall.

For the second year in a row, Sodexo food services was kind enough to allow our students free entry into Allison's dining hall, one of the best on campus. We were treated to made-to-order burgers and sandwiches, Asian food, pasta, and more. The space is also complete with a salad bar and, everyone's favorite, a soft serve ice cream machine. I'm sure our students appreciated this upgrade from their regular cafeteria lunch, but the real value lies in its indirect message. The more positive associations with college we can give our students - even if it's eating two bowls of ice cream before noon - the better. Special thanks to Doris Timmen, General Manager of Resident Dining, for arranging our visit. We truly appreciate it.

Lunch is also a great time for our students to hang out with current NU students. Nine members of Promote 360 joined us for lunch, many of whom are friends of mine. As it was last year, it was very humbling to have the support of my friends on this day. Thank you for coming out! And special thanks to Amy, Brittany, Miles, and Rosey for leading tours - our next activity for the day.

Tours left Allison at 12:30pm and ran for about an hour. We walked through The Arch and past The Rock and major academics buildings like University Hall and Harris Hall. Each group also went inside a dorm and the Norris University Center where we saw Video & Filmmakers Club Co-leader Shuling Yong and Stewie and Brian from Family Guy. We ended near Annenberg Hall with a Q&A session outside. (The weather was beautiful!) Again, our tour guides were great in sharing their perspectives, not only about what it's like in college, but what it was like to apply to college. Our students got some great advice!

As we left campus, I began to interview Kanah Bradley for this week's spotlight. She is a senior who is currently working on applications to college. She said, "I wasn't sure about [Northwestern] before today, but I really like it. I could see myself going here." That really summarizes what these trips are about: planting seeds for the future.

Thank you all for your continued support of Cabrini Connections. Without your gracious donations, we would not be able to go on trips like this which expand our students' realm of possibilities. Our budget is really tight right now, but a few dollars from a lot of people can go a long way. Please consider donating here. Thank you!

Student Spotlight: Kanah Bradley

2010-10-11T23:14:00.000-07:00

Kanah Bradley grew up on the south side of Chicago before moving to the north side, where she lives now, when she was 10. She has two siblings: one sister (28) and one brother (26). As much as she loves the city, Kanah, who is a senior at Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center, wants to move out of state for college. Her dream school is Duke University, but she is also interested in Cornell, Howard, Stanford, and, after this week’s college visit, Northwestern.

Her parting advice for 7th and 8th graders who are approaching high school is, “be more involved,” because, in life, sometimes, ‘it’s who you know;’ and “take it seriously,” because she went into her freshman year thinking, “it’s going to be a breeze,” and she quickly realized it wasn’t.

Kanah’s favorite subject in school is science. She is currently enrolled in forensics (which is used in crime scene investigations) and anatomy (studying the structure of the body and how it works). This will come in handy next year as Kanah plans to be on a pre-medical school track in college. She has been interested in medicine every since she was a little girl playing with doctor sets; checking people’s vitals. “I just like helping people,” she says flatly. “And I want to get rich,” she says with a smile.

She already has her future car picked out (an Audi) and she wants a condo on South Beach in Miami. She also plans to travel a lot. Recently, she toured Europe for 19 days as part of a People to People Student Ambassadors Program. When asked what Europeans said about America, she says #1 was, ‘Oh, that Bush!’ referring to former President George W. Bush. They also said, ‘Americans are spoiled,’ which she concedes is true.

Kanah heard about Cabrini Connections through her friend Cierria Tharpe. They both attend on Thursdays now, which is when Kanah meets with her mentor, Autumn Sharp. “I love Autumn,” she exclaims. They are in their second year together, which, as a senior, Kanah says is better because she gets a lot out of the sessions when it comes to college preparation.

Good luck with your applications, Kanah! We hope your dreams become your reality.

Volunteer Spotlight: Matt Golden

2010-10-11T23:03:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night mentor Matt Golden grew up on the North side of Chicago in the Old Irving neighborhood. He is an only child and his parents still live on the northwest side. Matt says it was great growing up in Chicago because he enjoys the hustle and bustle of a big city. His favorite time of the year is the summer: “Seeing everyone out… going to the beach; to Cubs games… it makes the winters tolerable.”

Matt attended Saint Ignatius College Prep near the University of Illinois at Chicago. He didn’t go to high school with a lot of his friends from grade school, but it was okay because he could ‘make new friends but keep the old.’ After high school, it was time for college in Nashville, Tennessee at Vanderbilt University.

One of his priorities when choosing a school was: he wanted an urban environment, but a campus at the same time. He also wanted to attend a liberal arts school because he was unsure of what to study. Vanderbilt fit both criteria and he went on to love his time there. He majored in economics and Spanish, joined a fraternity, played on the rugby team, and studied abroad in Madrid, Spain!

Since graduating from Vanderbilt in 2007, Matt has worked for Northern Trust financial services company. He works in the equity research department where he analyzes stocks and produces recommendations for clients. He covers technology stocks like Apple and Google and the first thing he does every morning is read the news to see what may affect the stock market.

Speaking of Google, Matt discovered Cabrini Connections through a simple search online for ‘mentoring opportunities in Chicago.’ Since joining the program in April, he has worked with third year student Charles Hill. “I couldn’t be more fortunate to have Charles,” says Matt. “He is incredibly motivated every single Wednesday.”

Matt and Charles have met several times outside of tutoring. Matt has visited Charles in Tech Club and they have gone out to dinner. Matt’s #1 tip for mentors is to find out what your student is interested in, and meeting outside of tutoring is a good way to do that.

Another outside activity Matt is involved in… he is on the Monthly Mixer Planning Committee. He chose to get involved because it “provides an opportunity to network and get to know people.” The next monthly mixer will be on Thursday, October 28th, at 7:30pm at the Motel Bar, which is just across the river from Cabrini Connections. Hopefully Thursday night mentors can head over after their session, and Wednesday night mentors can come, too! We know at least one person will be there. Thanks, Matt!

Student Spotlight: Cantrell Strauther

2010-10-04T23:17:00.001-07:00

13-year-old Cantrell Strauther (seen above in Video & Filmmakers Club) is in the 8th grade at Lincoln School. His favorite subject is science because of the labs and projects. His most recent experiment involved making gas burn. (Be careful!) Cantrell’s least favorite subject is math, but he cites his mentor, Jeremy Brown, for helping him get better. They meet together on Thursday nights and have done so since March 2010.

What do Cantrell and Jeremy have in common? Sports! The first thing they talk about each week is what’s happening in the world of sports. Cantrell is (was?) a big LeBron James fan, which spurred a lot of speculative debate in June. His prediction for the upcoming season is that the Miami Heat will have the best record, but that the Boston Celtics might win it all. Only time will tell.

In his spare time, Cantrell does love to play basketball, which is says is “fun” and “addicting,” but he also likes to jerk. Jerking is a form of dancing with lots of kicking and movement. He learns new moves from videos on YouTube and even records his own with a camera.

In the future, Cantrell would like to attend Alcott High School and Michigan State University. He dreams of being an NBA star, so MSU may be a good choice since it is the alma mater of NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson. And though math is his most challenging subject, he says he would like to study it in college. Way to tackle things head on!

Eventually, Cantrell dreams of moving to Florida. His choice stems from a fun time he had in Orlando, not just because of the weather! In fact, his favorite thing about Chicago is the weather, all seasons included. Take that, critics!

Cantrell, we wish you the best as you continue through school. Thank you for being a part of the Cabrini Connections family!

Volunteer Spotlight: Jeremy Brown

2010-10-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

Second year volunteer Jeremy Brown (right, at 2010 Art Festival) grew up in Peoria, Illinois; the sixth largest city in Illinois with a population of over 110,000. He spent the first 23 years of his life there, which means he went to college in the area. Jeremy graduated from Bradley University in 2002 with a degree in Manufacturing Engineering. Bradley is an “awesome, smaller school” with about 5300 undergraduate students. He appreciated its low teacher-to-student ratio because it allowed for more discussion in classes and for him to ask questions.

Before transferring to Bradley, Jeremy attended a junior college for two years. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he stayed for one year of graduate school. So Jeremy has experienced a wide array of postsecondary education options. His tip for college: “Get to know the people in your classes.” He says, “You may develop a friendship or a colleague-type relationship, working on projects or forming a study group together.” Another good way to meet people is to join clubs. Jeremy was a member of engineering societies and played intramural sports.

Jeremy has worked for Schnieder Electric since graduating from Bradley. He got the job out of the blue through a random call he received through Bradley’s career center. (Tip #2: Use your school’s career center!) Usually it’s prospective employees making cold calls, but not in this case! He took an interview thinking it would be good practice at the least, however, in the end, he ended up really liking the company and their offer.

Schnieder finds energy savings in buildings; mostly school and government buildings. They update different systems to make buildings more energy efficient, and usually the savings pay for the project! Working on green projects has made Jeremy very self-aware of his own carbon footprint. “I try to be as green as possible,” he says. “It is really important to me.” If you want to learn more about the green industry, talk to Jeremy. He says, “Companies are desperate to hire people in this industry. It’s a competitive market with job security, and you get a good feeling.”

As for Cabrini Connections, Jeremy discovered us through Twitter! He follows @TimeOutChicago which tweeted a link to volunteer opportunities in Chicago. We were listed, he checked out our web site, and soon enough he was paired with 8th grader Cantrell Strauther on Thursday nights. Two things that have worked well for Jeremy: “asking questions that are fairly open-ended” and “finding something in common,” which, for him and Cantrell, is sports.

Jeremy says his experience has been great so far and he looks forward to getting more involved, which could be hard to do. In the past six months, he has been to most of our events, he checked our utility bills for energy savings, and he recruited his wife to be a mentor. Wow! Thanks for everything, Jeremy.

Martini Madness 2010

2010-09-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Held in October each year, Martini Madness is a celebration of the fall and the start of a new tutoring and mentoring year. This fundraiser, now in its fifth year, takes place at The Store on North Halsted Street (map). This year it will be on Friday, October 1st, from 6:30-9:30pm. $40 per person includes open martini bar, soda, and appetizers.

If you are unable to attend or you are not in Chicago, you can still participate by purchasing (or selling!) raffle tickets. They are $20 each or 3/$50 and prizes include overnight hotel stays and tickets to sporting events (click here for a full list). You do not have to be present to win, so anyone can enter!

You can use our online donation page to register for the event and/or purchase raffle tickets. You may also send a check to Cabrini Connections, 800 W. Huron, Chicago, IL 60642. If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 312-492-9614.

Thank you so much for your continued support. I hope the stories and pictures in this blog convey the great work we are doing. I would love for each and every one of you to visit our center some day. It would be a pleasure to welcome you.

Volunteer Spotlight: Shuling Yong

2010-09-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

Shuling Yong was born and raised on the island nation of Singapore in Southeast Asia. She describes it as “a bustling little city about the size of Chicago,” and since it is near the equator, it feels like summer all year long. Shuling came to the United States three years ago after graduating at the top of her class. She received a scholarship to study anywhere in the world and she chose Northwestern University.

At NU, Shuling majored in Radio/Television/Film. She was inspired to study film after a screening of Terra Incognita by Maria Finitzo. It is a documentary about stem cell research produced by Kartemquin Films. This, coupled with her experience in a class on social entrepreneurship, made her realize she could use her videography skills for social change.

She applied for specific internships in order to tell the mission and history of organizations through video. After an internship in early 2010, Shuling herself now works at Kartemquin Films, on a project due out in 2012 about gender inequality in sports. It is called Invisible Seasons.

Shuling also works with Innovations For Learning, a non-profit organization utilizing technology for early elementary school education. The videos she does for them help showcase the impact of the TeacherMate and their Online Tutoring Program, and how it's been helping students in hundreds of schools learn to read and do math more easily.

Her dream is to direct her own feature length documentary. It will probably be about youth empowerment or an analysis of human behavior. Some of her favorite documentaries, which she recommends, are Food, Inc. and Hoop Dreams. She also wants to start a social issue media firm, like Kartemquin Films, in Singapore where there is currently no such group.

Cabrini Connections came into Shuling’s life via a student consultancy project with campusCATALYST. She met with CC President Daniel Bassill about how the organization can run more efficiently and utilize Mike Trakan’s maps to generate revenue.

Cabrini Connections came back into her life when 2009 Video & Filmmakers Club Leader Michael Alexander invited her to co-teach a class about editing. At the time, she was interning for Michael at his company, Conscious Planet Media. Shuling had a great time with her visit, began attending more regularly, and eventually became one of the club’s co-leaders along with Drew Hall.

Video & Filmmakers Club meets on Mondays from 5:30-7. They work on a big project each quarter which is relevant to life and the industry of film. This summer they made music videos and this fall they will be making spec commercials. Shuling’s favorite part of the club is “the energy the kids give me… I love seeing their happy faces at the end of the quarter when we showcase their work.”

Thank you for your hard work and dedication to Cabrini Connections, Shuling! We appreciate it!

Student Spotlight: Jordan Stephens

2010-09-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

First year (first month!) student Jordan Stephens has already established himself as an excellent addition to the Cabrini Connections family. Jordan, who attends tutoring on Wednesday nights after switching from Thursday, has joined two clubs (Art and Tech), is on time to all activities, and has not missed an SVHATS entry (5-for-5). His mentor, Sundi Brewer-Griffin, who Jordan met last week, is a graduate of Northwestern University who intends to help him with math and reading.

Jordan’s favorite subject is science because of its breadth. “There are lots of things you can do,” he says. “You can dissect a frog, or you can learn how the earth warms.” Jordan is in the 7th grade at Walt Disney Magnet School. He is working hard to get into a good high school like Whitney Young, Lane Tech, or Walter Payton. Though, he does acknowledge being nervous about the transition. “It won’t be the same,” he says. “New friends, new hours, new everything!”

While Jordan has intrinsic motivation to do well in school, he also knows he will get a reward if he makes the honor roll this fall. What will he get with his prize money? A new video game! Jordan loves to play Xbox 360 and he has his eyes set on BioShock: Infinite. He loves all technology, especially computers, which is why he joined the Tech Club. They are currently programming a video game about Cabrini Connections. Meanwhile, in Art Club, he made a silkscreen t-shirt this week (see picture)! Special thanks to Candie Cooper for donating supplies.

When Jordan grows up, he would like to be a chef, a football player, or a writer. He hopes to experience all of these fields in college. He has a good example in Sundi who played defensive back for the Northwestern Wildcats. And for cooking, he has his mom. “I look at my mom in the kitchen and I just want to learn it,” he says. “My mom is everything,” he continues. “She is very special to me.”

Jordan has seven older siblings – four sisters and three brothers – and he will turn 13 in January. Welcome to Cabrini Connections! Have a good year!

In Their Own Words

2010-09-26T13:18:00.001-07:00

At Cabrini Connections, we have an online communications portal (SVHATS) which is used by students and volunteers to record every session. Students are asked, "What did you work on today?," "What are your goals for this week?,"What is your biggest challenge?," "What is your most recent accomplishment?," and, lastly, for students and volunteers, there is an open feedback field for questions or concerns. Two weeks into the 2010-2011 tutoring season, we have received many great comments. This is a sampling.

Volunteers

I had a great time with her. From the one evening that I had spent with her, I could tell that she is a wonderful person. She knows what she wants to do and is very goal oriented.
Really organized tonight, so much more so than last year. Seemed like all the speakers knew what was going on. Great start!
She seems really motivated to stay on track and I think this will be a great year!
I really enjoyed the session and am glad to be back. He was extra talkative tonight.
She is a great student and has a great head on her shoulders.
My mentee is dedicated and I am impressed with her effort to work on her assignments.
She seems like a great girl and I am looking forward to working with her!

Students

Things are very well with my mentor he's really cool and have a lot of connections.
she's really great i like her!!!!!
THINGS ARE GOING AWESOME!!!!!!MY TUTOR IS THE COOOOOOLESSSSTTTTTTT
I think that every thing is going great with my mentor. It could not get better.
Nate is the best. He is actually king Nate.. He is always there when i need him. i pretty much love nate.
shes listen to me i listen to her and shes gives me great advice i love my mentor
I really like my tutor. THE BEST.
I LOVE MY TUTOR.! :)

Volunteer Spotlight: Ankit Vadher

2010-09-22T00:06:00.000-07:00

Second year volunteer Ankit Vadher (pictured in the thumbnail above) was born and raised in Chicago – the Rogers Park/Ravenswood area – before moving to a northwestern suburb (Wheeling) at age 9. He lives back in the city now, and when asked why he loves Chicago, is almost at a loss for words. “The different neighborhoods… the culture… the people… that friendly Midwestern attitude… there is so much to explore.”

Ankit breezed through high school, graduating in just three years. He regrets the decision now, saying that a full four years of high school helps you truly appreciate what is expected in college. He was not mentally prepared and thus did not take college as seriously as he should have early on.

Nonetheless, Ankit says college was “one of the best experiences of my life.” He graduated from University of Chicago at Illinois (UIC) in 2003 with a double major in finance and information decision systems (IDS). His first job upon graduation was as a bond trader at a proprietary shop.

He traded with partners’ money, so there were no customers per se, and he was able to make trades based on his discretion. All this was done electronically, so he was not on a trading floor, but he was moving plenty of money (millions!). There’s much more to it, so if you are at all interested in stocks and bonds, talk to Ankit!

Now, Ankit works on the other side, for a company that makes trading platforms for traders. He has worked there for five years in three different positions. Currently, he is a relationship manager for all clients in the Midwest.

In his spare time, Ankit likes to work out (especially running), hang out with friends (hosting parties), and cook (“experimentally”). He also loves traveling. “Next stop: Eastern Europe.”

Ankit is South Asian and culture is a big part of his life. He says, from a young age, “it was all about education and schooling.” The expected trajectory for kids is to become a doctor or engineer, get married, and have a family. Job security is very important, which is partly why he is no longer a trader (a job he loved).

At Cabrini Connections, Ankit co-leads Art Club, which meets on Monday nights from 5:30-7pm. They work with pastels, watercolor, pencil… whatever you want! This year they plan to screen-print t-shirts, collaborate with Video Club on a photo project, and more. How do you join? Just show up!

Ankit’s advice for students is, “Try to live outside your comfort zone and you will experience a lot more in life.” He also says, “Don’t have expectations. Expectations take the joy out of life.” You are a wise man, Ankit. We appreciate your service.

Student Spotlight: Avery Harris-Russell

2010-09-21T22:48:00.000-07:00

First year student Avery Harris-Russell is a 9th grader at Ogden International High School. His favorite subject is social studies because, “I love talking about what happened in the past,” and, “I want to know what my ancestors went through.” This reminds me of a famous quote from James Baldwin: "If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go."

This is Avery’s first year in high school and he says it is going pretty well. The hardest things to get used to are using a locker and all the work. He says it’s easy, though, if you study a lot. He averages three hours of homework per night!

Avery’s most challenging subject is math, which is partly why he chose to attend Cabrini Connections. His new mentor, veteran volunteer John "Ryan" Kracaw, is a math wiz who intends to help Avery do well. Avery has been on the Honor Roll and his goal is to maintain at least a 3.5 GPA in high school.

After high school, he would like to study architecture or engineering in college. Though Avery has always lived in Chicago, he has traveled many places and is always amazed by structures. He has been to New York, California, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Jamaica, and, his favorite, Mexico, where he went ATV riding in the mountains. If he could go anywhere in the world, Avery would go to London because, “I hear the architecture is amazing!” You’ll get there, in due time.

As hobbies, Avery loves sports and working with technology. He plays any sports he can get a hold of and he predicts the Bears will play the Ravens in the Super Bowl. (You’ll have to ask him to pick a winner.) He joined Tech Club this summer to hone his computers skills. Tech Club meets on Tuesdays from 6-7pm and is currently designing a video game. Anyone can join. Just show up!

Avery has two siblings – one brother, one sister – and two nieces. He celebrated his 15th birthday on September 9th. Welcome to Cabrini Connections, Avery!

Training Camp, Preseason lead to Week 1 Win

2010-09-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a September to remember at Cabrini Connections. I apologize for my lack of posts recently, but I assure you, I have been keeping busy with the start of the 2010-2011 tutoring season. I am very excited to be returning for a second year as Assistant Coach, during which time I can build on existing relationships and ideas while also meeting new people and exploring new possibilities. Cabrini Connections began its 18th year last week, and EL Da' Sheon ("Coach Nix") and I are determined to make it the best yet.

At the end of last year, we made a commitment to meet over the summer with every student and volunteer who wishes to return to the team. We did this 1) to check-in with matches during what is usually a three month off-season, 2) to receive further feedback about the program and its resources, and 3) to assess all players (students, volunteers, and coordinators). These meetings were tremendously productive and gave us the opportunity to address issues - positive and negative - face-to-face.

Of 62 students currently in the program, we met with 58 (93.5%) this summer. Of 61 volunteers currently in the program, we met with 59 (96.7%) this summer. We also met with volunteer coordinators (4), club leaders (6), and College Zone coordinators (4). Combined, including meetings with volunteers who left the program, Coach Nix and I have met with approximately 150 people since the Year-End Dinner in June.

Two weeks ago, with the start of the season fast approaching, we held preseason orientations as final preparations for our players. Approximately 3/4 of our volunteers and 2/3 of our students were able to attend. We went over the purpose of the program, basic rules and expectations, and we ended each night with a huddle. We broke to the theme for 2010-2011: "My Dreams are My Reality!" On the final night, Norrine Rhodes, parent of 2010 graduate De'Sean Hale and current student De'Jour Stewart, led us out. Watch below.

Huddle Up from Cabrini Connections on Vimeo.

And then it was time for Week 1. First games of the season. What you wait all summer for. And it was a blowout! (Nearly a shutout!) We had matches - new and old- connecting for touchdowns all night. I will let the stats speak for themselves...

Wednesday
Students: 35 out of 37 (94.6%) expected (Two who were absent may not be returning to the program.)
Volunteers: 35 out of 36 (97.2%) expected

Thursday
Students: 27 out of 31 (87.1%) expected (Phone contact has been made with the four who forgot. They intend to be here next week.)
Volunteers: 29 out of 29 (100%) expected

We are most definitely 1-0 after this performance. Coach Nix and I had high expectations going in and our players met the challenge. Thank you, students and volunteers, for your commitment to the team. I trust that this is going to be a fantastic year. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's take it one week at a time, and hopefully we'll find ourselves hosting the championship trophy at the Year-End Dinner.

*This post was based on EL Da' Sheon's Sports Concepts blog posts.

Drumroll, please

2010-09-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection held its 1st Annual Tutor/Mentor Jam at darkroom on West Chicago Avenue. Nearly 150 people attended and over $2,000 was raised as five bands performed, a comic MCed, and food was served by Man B Que. Above, listen to Veteran Volunteer Brea Adams speak at the Jam about her experience as a tutor/mentor for Crystal Townsend.

I would like to thank everyone who came out in support of this event, especially my friends, some of whom are pictured below. Tutor/Mentor Jam is strategically timed to take place at the start of the school year when many out-of-school time programs are looking for volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer tutor/mentor, please contact me directly or use our program locator to find a program near you. Thank you!

Game Day & Buffet

2010-08-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

As part of the Cabrini Connections program, we offer various incentives throughout the year to encourage and reward students for doing well and fulfilling expectations. We strive to offer rewards to those with the greatest attendance each quarter, and after third quarter, the end of the year, rewards become extra-special because we have more time to plan.

In June, Ana Tate was awarded a bicycle for being the only student with perfect attendance for the entire year; earlier this month, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders with 75% or better attendance in third quarter were invited to Dave & Buster's; and, last but not least, 7th, 8th, and 9th graders with 75% or better attendance in third quarter were invited to a "Game Day & Buffet" here at Cabrini Connections.

This past Saturday, Chuck "Diesal" Seaton of Concepts by Design hooked us up with four 42" flat-screen televisions with Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360 video game systems. We also provided sandwiches from Subway and wings from Hooters. We started the day off with group "get to know you" games like Catchphrase and a fun worksheet called "The Number Game," and then kids were free to roam the center and play video games.

Thank you and congratulations to all of the following students who were able to attend: Savon Clark, NyShanell Freeman, Kierre Halbert, Arden Harris, Dionte Herron, Charles Hill, Charles Kilpatrick, Sean Mayfield, Brittany Murphy, Reggie Murphy, Amari Roby, Ana Tate, Malina Tate, Crystal Townsend, Olivia Williams, and Patricia Williams.

University Partnerships

2010-08-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

In my 14 months at Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection, I have seen a host of university students contribute to our successes. In May, I spotlighted many of our interns here. Since then we have welcomed two interns from Hong Kong Baptist University and two summer volunteers from DePaul University. Jenny and Willow (above) reached out to the Chinese community and helped promote the Tutor/Mentor Jam. Chris (below) and Damien have been streamlining our computer lab in preparation for the 2010-2011 tutoring year. (I should also note that they have gone above and beyond in helping staff and students with tech-related issues. Thanks, guys!)

All of this gets me thinking... What would a full-fledged university partnership look like? What if a college or university - not just one department or one program - "adopted" a tutor/mentor program? Their alumni association could be responsible for recruiting a certain number of volunteers each year. Departments of the school could develop resources for core subjects like math, reading, and writing. Facilities of the school could be provided for programming and special events. Fundraisers could be sponsored by the university and supported by the development office. A scholarship could be awarded to the top senior in the program each year. The possibilities are endless!

At CC, T/MC, we appreciate of all the work interns have done for us. We are better off as an organization because of it. But I hope universities will start to think critically about what more they can do, either in their surrounding communities or with organizations that they already have ties to. My alma mater, Northwestern University, has connected four graduates to us for staff positions over the last four years through its Public Interest Program. Cabrini Connections had 10 volunteer tutor/mentors last year who are alumni of NU. The Freshman Urban Program, a pre-orientation activity for incoming freshman at NU, visits our center each September to work on a project. Could all of this be part of an official partnership which expands and excels and is beneficial for both parties over time? I think so.

Here is a reflection from our president, Dan Bassill, about this very idea. My predecessor, Chris Warren, wrote about this topic, too. I also suggest you skim through our ABC University presentation which outlines many parts of this vision. Colleges and universities do seem to be taking a greater interest in community service and engagement in the 21st century. Well, we are taking a greater interest in them as well. Let's get together and make it happen!

Quick hits

2010-08-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

My blog updates have been intermittent lately, which I plan to remedy, but briefly I wanted to catch you all up on recent happenings at Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection.

Today I was asked by my friend Kathy Engelken to join Illinois Campus Compact's Executive Advisory Council. I was happy to accept and I look forward to reconnecting with this organization that I interned for in 2009. Expect a "university partnerships" blog post from me early next week.
GIS Mapping Coordinator Mike Trakan was on Outside the Loop Radio this week to talk about the upcoming Tutor/Mentor Jam. You can check out the interview here. Mike comes on at about 4:30.
2010-2011 NUPIP Fellow Karina Walker has begun networking with tutor/mentor programs in her position as Research and Collaboration Coordinator for T/MC. I joined her recently for visits to Chicago Lights and BUILD which are recapped on her blog here.
Last Saturday, Cabrini Connections, in partnership with other organizations from Region 2, hosted "Back to School - Make It Cool." We had lots of games and performances for entertainment and lots of backpacks and school supplies to give away. You can view great pictures from the event here and recaps by staff here and here.
Going into this summer, EL Da' Sheon and I set out to meet with every student and volunteer looking to return to the program in 2010-2011. So far we have met with 75 people! As part of his sports concepts series, EL Da' Sheon talks about these meetings as conditioning tests here on Cabriniblog.
Follow me on Twitter! I may not be blogging as often, but I am tweeting!
It's Friday the 13th. Be careful!

It's who YOU know

2010-08-06T12:22:00.000-07:00

I hear it a lot... "It's who you know." Whether it be a close friend, a family member, or a fraternity brother, your network has the potential to guide you to new heights. A lot of opportunities in life are inspired by those personal connections, and that is why at Cabrini Connections our mission is to engage workplace adults in structured activities that make a life-changing difference for youth in economically and educationally disadvantaged neighborhoods. It takes a village to raise a child, but many inner-city youth start with a deplenished village due to poverty, violence, low performing schools, and other risk factors. What can YOU do to help?

Take a look at this network chart created by our president Dan Bassill. In each box, think of one or two people who you can tell about Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection. Send them e-mails, Facebook messages, tweets, letters, whatever you prefer, asking them to visit our web sites and get involved with our work or with a local tutor/mentor program. People from all over the world have a stake in this. Please be a part of our village. Thank you!

Jammin'

2010-08-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

We're jammin
I wanna jam it with you,
We're jammin, jammin
And I hope you like jammin too
-Bob Marley

Tutor/Mentor Jam is a benefit concert for Tutor/Mentor Connection to be held on Sunday, August 29th, at Darkroom on West Chicago Avenue (map). This coming-together of bands, entertainers, and the local business community represents a village, coming together to draw public attention and support toward volunteer-based, non-school tutor/mentor programs in high-poverty neighborhoods throughout the Chicago region.

Co-Producer of the event is our very own GIS Mapping Coordinator Mike Trakan, who will also perform with his band Trakan. At Tutor/Mentor Connection, Mike creates maps that look at the relationship among poverty, community resources, school performance, and locations of non-school tutoring/mentoring facilities for K-12 students.

In order to fulfill our mission, T/MC uses a four-part strategy which includes the raising of public awareness. An event like Tutor/Mentor Jam is meant to bring attention and dollars to tutor/mentor programs in this critical volunteer recruitment period just before the start of the academic year. Thus, I hope you see this not just as an opportunity to enjoy great music (check out the bands!), but as an opportunity to make a long-term commitment to support tutoring and mentoring as a volunteer or donor.

If you would like to attend Tutor/Mentor Jam, please click here to purchase tickets. They are $10 through August 10th, $15 till August 29th, and $20 at the door.

If you cannot attend Tutor/Mentor Jam, please spread the word and considering making a donation to our GiveForward page here. Thank you!

Hole in One Hundred

2010-07-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

More than 100 golfers, volunteers, students and dinner guests attended last week's 15th Annual Cabrini Connections Golf Benefit. You can read about staff members' experiences here. It was a wonderful day by all accounts.

The bulk of my day was spent with 2006 CC alumnus Jonathan Summers (left). In the morning, Jonathan and I rode around in a cart taking pictures and chatting up the golfers. Later in the day, we were assigned to keep an eye out for holes in one on hole #11. If you enter the hole in one contest and are miraculously successful, you win one of several trip packages. There would be no lucky strokes this year, though.

I am very thankful for the opportunity to get to know Jonathan better. He and I spent about four hours together on the course and we were talking almost the whole time. He's 22 and I'm 23, so it turns out we're a lot alike. And to hear him reminisce about Cabrini Connections with such joy really brought the event full circle for me.

Good spirits continued into the evening as a full course dinner was served and guests surveyed an array of silent auction items. Being that this was my second golf benefit, I saw a lot of familiar faces throughout the day, but I met a lot of new people, too. I had lunch with Mike Schuba, Chris Schuba, Mike McNicholas, and Sean McNicholas. I had dinner with Andrew Giordano, Andrew Krantz, Dennis Nevinski, and Jim Flood. From our program, we had three mentors, Mike Jozwik, Jen Jozwik, and Mike Hayes, play together, and Thursday night mentor Shannon Murphy (pictured below, left, with her team of friends and family) was on hand as a volunteer.

Shannon's impact goes far beyond the day of the event, though. She volunteered to be on the planning committee several months ago and, with her event planning experience, became an integral part of the process. I really hope she continues this service in 2011 and beyond. It was her first year in this role, but I already don't know what we would do without her. Her actions are a great example of the "above and beyond" mentality we hope to find in volunteers. Thank you, Shannon!

Thank you to everyone who had a part in this year's golf benefit, from the $5,000 event sponsor Northbrook Bank & Trust Company, all the way down to you reading about the golf benefit here and mentioning it to a friend. We are all one big network and I am happy to count you as part of the Cabrini Connections family. As always, best wishes and thanks for reading!

P.S. I won an authentic Chicago Blackhawks "Antti Niemi" Stanley Cup jersey at the silent auction! Here is Walt Vincent, the man who donated it, showing me the fight strap which is unique to authentic jerseys.

One year later

2010-07-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

Today, we kicked off our 12th annual Edgewood College Experience, a three day mini-camp during which youth from our program work with graduate students in education from Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin, on fun activities, brain games, and more. Last year, this was my first day on the job. You can read my introduction here and my Edgewood recap here.

It's hard to believe all that has transpired in the last 365 days. When I read my predecessor's "One year later" post last summer, I could sense his love for this work, but I couldn't feel it yet. I couldn't comprehend it. One year later, I know exactly what he was talking about. I am so happy with my position here and I am so grateful to be surrounded by more than 70 young people, almost 100 adult volunteers, and five invaluable staff members.

In the nonprofit sector, we talk a lot about disadvantages and lack of resources. We talk a lot about poverty and violence. Much of this exists and much of this is true, and it is important to understand. But on the ground here at Cabrini Connections, we are in the business of facilitating positive mentoring relationships to combat those negative circumstances. Despite what you may hear about certain neighborhoods or schools, our kids are kids like any others. They laugh, they listen, and they have dreams. Diamond wants to be a doctor. Israel wants to be an architect. Mylana wants to be a singer.

As I enter Year 2 in this position, those dreams are what keep me going. I want to see our 8th graders get into high school. I want to see our 12th graders get into college. I want to hear parents talk about how much this program means to them. Though we are a one-on-one tutoring and mentoring program, we are all on the same team. (See EL's sports concepts.) We are all assets to each other and with this many adults volunteering their time in one space, our youth are in a position to take advantage of some great opportunities.

The more I value the work of Cabrini Connections, the more I understand the necessity of Tutor/Mentor Connection. While we do great work at 800 W Huron, there need to be facilities like this all across Chicago; all across the nation. After-school hours are a vulnerable time for youth and if we can engage them in positive, academic- and career-oriented activities, we will all be better off. We are training the next generation.

I can see this on the ground, but I need others to see it, too. I would love to have more people in power such as businessmen, politicians, or athletes reading this blog and Dan's blog, visiting our web sites, or visiting our tutoring site, in order to recognize the value of our program. Our students are developing close bonds with adult role models. They are also creating and navigating formal and informal networks which will serve them for life. Think about all of the people who have helped you achieve your dreams along the way. Now think about how things would have turned out without them.

Our newest employee, 2010-2011 Northwestern University Public Interest Program Fellow Karina Walker, has already started this way of thinking. After writing a Day 1 introduction just like I did, she proceeded to create a great "launching pad" map which effectively illustrates what I was just talking about. I hope that you will follow and support Karina during her first year as you did mine. My blog was a great source of storytelling and connecting. I had 4,000 site visits in 12 months and each person averaged 2 minutes on my site. Incredible!

Please continue to share these stories with your network. We can make those numbers even bigger next year! This form is great for thinking about who you know and who might support our work. Every person you connect with is another node on my network. Thanks so much for the assist! Much love to all.

One week away

2010-07-08T09:09:00.001-07:00

From Golf Benefit

Cabrini Connections' 15th annual Golf Benefit will take place next Thursday, July 15th, at Highland Park Country Club in Chicago. Last year, we had 97 golfers play in the afternoon and over 120 present for dinner and a silent auction in the evening. If you or someone you know would like to golf with us this year, you can register on the Golf Benefit web site. Dinner tickets are also available... and you do not have to golf to attend the dinner! So even if you have to work all day, you can still join us for dinner (fully catered) and drinks (open bar) in the evening.

Lastly, for those of you who are not in Chicago, you can always make a general donation in any amount (very much appreciated) OR you can pre-bid on some of our silent auction items until 12am on July 15th. The highest pre-bids will become starting bids at the actual silent auction. For more details on this new opportunity, visit Cabrini Connections home page.

Thanks for reading and thank you for the support. Good luck, golfers!

LeBron to Chicago

2010-07-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Today is July 1st, 2010. It is a day which has been anticipated for years in the NBA. Free agency officially began last night at 12:01am and teams are scramblinfg to acquire players from the greatest free agent pool in history: LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzski, Amar'e Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce... These eight players alone have been selected to the All-Star Game a combined 44 times!

University of Illinois at Chicago economist John Skorburg estimates James' impact on the city of Chicago could be worth as much as 2.7 billion if he chooses to sign with the Chicago Bulls. Bars will be full, TVs will be on, jerseys will be sold, but what about the charitable impact? This article nicely summarizes the charitable side of the NBA's top free agents. The Bulls are all but guaranteed to acquire at least one if not two "big names" this summer. What impact can these players' foundations have on Chicago?

My colleague Dan Bassill wrote an article last week about Chris Bosh and the potential of athletes to use their star power to draw more consistent attention to tutor/mentor programs in Chicago. Tutor/Mentor Connection already has ties to the Bulls. They donated a team autographed pennant to be auctioned off at our Golf Benefit on July 15th.

What will it take to assign athletes ownership of our mission? What will it take to get LeBron James or Chris Bosh or whoever comes to Chicago to give a shout-out to Tutor/Mentor Connection or host a volunteer recruitment fair?

I don't know the answers to these questions, but I do know that we must demand this type of action from professional athletes who are role models to our kids. In the same way that we expect 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists a game from LeBron, we should expect charitable giving and community activism. Enjoy the drama of free agency, and hopefully by the 4th of July we'll have even more to celebrate.

2010 Year-End Dinner

2010-06-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

Words can hardly describe what an uplifting and inspiring time was had by me at Cabrini Connections annual Year-End Dinner on Thursday, June 10th, at Cornerstone Center. Luckily, I have videos to share with you that convey some of what took place. Thank you to each and every person who supported the dinner either by attended or promoting or donating or just reading this post. We are all about connections and one is being made right now. I hope you enjoy these videos (especially the ones created by students) and share them with people in your network. The more eyes we can get on our work, the more support we can find to continue doing it. Thank you for your help!

First up is a four-minute video and picture montage which recaps the entire night. It was produced by one of our interns from Illinois Institute of Technology, Minsang Lee.

Second is a video of alumni speaker Tangela Marlowe who participated in Cabrini Connections from 1993 to 1997. It was shot by Reggie Murphy and Shaquille Strauther and edited by me.

Last is all four of the Video & Filmmakers Club's short films. Two are fiction, two are documentary, and all were produced entirely by students in grades 7-11. These are a must watch! Click on the club's picture to be taken to their video showcase.

It's a celebration!

2010-06-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

Our annual Year-End Dinner is tomorrow! I am very excited to see over 200 students, parents, volunteers, staff, board members, donors, and others come together in celebration of yet another fantastic year of tutoring and mentoring at Cabrini Connections. It is hard to put into words how much this year has meant to me, but I guess I've been doing that all along here on my blog. Thank you so much for reading!

Whether this is your first time or you're subscribed via e-mail (special shout-out to you guys!), I really appreciate your attention. Through me, you are giving our students attention and that is a tremendous blessing. In describing the impact of our program, I often try to have people imagine a 12-year-old in 7th grade, who may live in poverty or have other hardships, being instantly connected to almost 100 caring adults (our volunteers) as soon as he or she walks in our doors.

We provide networks for youth who otherwise may not have them. It is a service which so many other people take for granted. As soon as you begin to imagine your life without connections, you begin to understand the impact of a program like Cabrini Connections.

By reading this blog, you are part of our kids' networks, and when the time comes, I hope you will answer the call. If anything I write ever resonates with you in a special way, or you see a possible connection elsewhere, please leave a comment and let me know. And if you would be so generous as to consider making a donation, either one-time or ongoing, 1) you will be supporting a program recognized by the City of Chicago for Outstanding Performance in Youth Development for 2008-2009, and 2) I will thank you endlessly!

If our doors close, they close on 64 kids and countless future participants with great potential. We can't let that happen. Thank you for the support!

A glimpse of May's Conference

2010-06-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Last week, Tutor/Mentor Connection hosted its 31st biannual Tutor/Mentor Leadership & Networking Conference at Loyola University Chicago. Welcoming 140 attendees over two days to 29 workshops and four keynote speeches, the conference brought together leaders from programs throughout Chicago, the Midwest, and beyond. Personally, it my third conference, and I seem to recognize more and more faces each time. (I learn more and more each time, too!)

Above and below, you can watch short video recaps of two workshops. The first is "Non-Profits: Time to Get Mobile" presented by Brian Banks of AdvaTEXT, and the second is "How to Help Your Students Finance College" presented by Maria Bucio of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).

Twice a year we receive great feedback from attendees who value this leadership & network opportunity. If you, too, see value in this service, please consider making a donation to support the Tutor/Mentor Connection. And if you're around in November, we would love to see you at our next conference. It's bound to be even better! Thank you!

Student Spotlight: Seniors!

2010-06-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

We have nine seniors graduating from Cabrini Connections this year; some who have been with us for the maximum six years like De'Sean, Gregory, and Vontesha, and some who have been with us for just one year like Brittany, Diamond, and Megan. On Thursday, June 10th, we will join them in celebration at our Year-End Dinner as they are each presented with graduation dollars for their hard work and dedication to the program.

For this our last week of tutoring for the 2009-10 season, we would like to put all of our seniors in the spotlight! We wish you the best of luck in college and we hope to see you again soon as we continually say, "Once in Cabrini Connections, Always in Cabrini Connections."

Lawrence Brown
Megan Caradine
Diamond Clark-McQueen

Brittany Delaney
De'Sean Hale
Gregory Hatchett

Alexis Montgomery
Dijana Smith
Vontesha Stanfield

Volunteer Spotlight: Kiera Kelly

2010-05-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

Kiera Kelly has been mentoring Marquita Fisher for six years! – first at Cabrini Green Tutoring Program, and, for the last four years, at Cabrini Connections. She is originally from Evanston, Illinois, so she has lived in the Chicagoland area for most of her life. She likes Evanston because it is economically and racially diverse which provided her with a “real-life snapshot” growing up. In Evanston, there is only one public high school – it’s good and it’s huge – but it brings lots of different people together.

Kiera went on to attend University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied political science and international relations. She took advantage of many opportunities including an internship with future U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, an internship with global public relations (PR) firm Edelman, and she was an exchange student in France for a year. And so began her love affair with world travel…

Kiera took a year off after school to travel around South America and Europe. She has lived in Argentina; she went to Peru, the Amazon; she stayed with shamans (spiritual messengers); she is going to Paris next week; and (my favorite) she studied endangered monkeys in Panama and lived in the jungle for a month and a half. She has really done it all!

Why does she like to travel so much? “I love to go to places that are most different from my normal life… Some places you feel like you’re on Mars… You’re really out of your element… It forces you to take a different perspective… to turn your perspective on its head.”

Things calmed down for Kiera, though, as she started her own business and family. She started her own PR firm which was “intimidating at first, but at the same time liberating, and at the same time a lot of work.” She describes good PR as “the ability to position a story, study, or product into a newsworthy package for the media.” She helps her clients get into the news, get credibility in a third party article, and sometimes obtain advertising. With all of her expertise, perhaps Kiera can help disseminate a newsworthy package about Cabrini Connections! As for the family, Kiera has a 2 ½-year-old child and an 8-month-old baby. “I am loving every minute of it!”

One could argue that Kiera actually has three kids, the third being her mentee Marquita. “We have a deep bond,” she says. “We have done everything together.” They have been to every part of Chicago, late night places doing homework, running around town getting supplies for school projects, museums, shopping, the beach, you name it! In fact, her tip for new mentors is to meet off-site. She says the different types of environments inspire different types of conversations an provide and opportunity to laugh and have fun.

Kiera says Marquita is “so full of life and just sparkles” and “she’s really challenged herself in the last couple years… I admire and respect her for that.” Thank you, Kiera, for establishing a deep bond with Marquita. We look forward to watching her graduate from high school and head to college!

Student Spotlight: LaKeithia Davis

2010-05-25T11:13:00.001-07:00

LaKeithia Davis is in just her third month at Cabrini Connections, but she already stands out as a marvelous mentee. She has great attendance; she communicates well; and she always does her SVHATS. Even though her first visit to our program was kind of a setup (Her mom told her it was something else), she loves it. Her mentor is three-year-veteran Frances Kwee who she works with on Thursday nights. She says Francis gives good advice and knows when she needs help, even when she’s afraid to ask for it.

Unfortunately for us (good for her!), Frances has accepted a new job on the West coast and will be moving out of Chicago soon. Hopefully she and LaKeithia will stay connected for years to come, but for now the search is on for a new mentor. LaKeithia is looking for someone who is nice, outgoing, and older.

At North Lawndale College Prep, where LaKeithia is in 10th grade, her favorite subject is math (Honors Algebra 2 with Trigonometry to be specific). She does not struggle in one area in particular. She says if she puts her mind to it, she can do anything, so she just needs a mentor who is an all-around good student.

When LaKeithia grows up, she wants to be an obstetrician (a doctor who delivers babies) because she loves kids and, “the best part is, you get to give them back.” She would like to attend University of California, Berkeley or Brown University to begin a pre-medical school track. Another college goal for LaKeithia is to study abroad. She wants to go in Paris.

LaKeithia has always lived in Chicago but she looks forward to moving one day; either down South or to the East coast. Currently, she lives on the west side and she has three big brothers. She says it is great to be the youngest, but because she is the only girl, her brothers can be very protective.

Lastly, LaKeithia’s tips for incoming high school students are: keep your head up, try your best, and don’t give up. Those are good maxims to live by. Thank you for sharing!

Conference Capacity

2010-05-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

Listen to what Tutor/Mentor Program Leaders say about the work they do and why they come to the Tutor/Mentor Conference. The next conference will be held this Thursday and Friday, May 27th & 28th, at Loyola University Chicago's Lake Shore Campus. For complete information, including an agenda, a list of speakers, instructions for registration, and more, visit http://www.tutormentorconference.org/. Thank you!

P.S. I spent a lot of time on this video so I would love it if you can watch any amount, even if it's just a minute. Also, there's a surprise at the end if you want a guaranteed smile :)

Volunteer Spotlight: Robert Herrick

2010-05-19T13:16:00.001-07:00

Thursday night mentor Robert Herrick was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but he is essentially a native Chicagoan since he moved here at the age of 3. He attended LaSalle Language Academy for grade school and Saint Ignatius College Prep for high school. Rob enjoyed growing up in a big city because “you get more naturally exposed to some variety,” and, especially in Chicago, “there is a diversity of people and cultures that intermesh.”

Rob did eventually leave Chicago to study theater at Skidmore College in upstate New York, however, in his second year he switched majors to government and international studies. Rob says Skidmore is a good liberal arts college which “helps you with critical thinking and problem solving that one could apply to everyday situations.” His tip for high school seniors who are entering college: though it is important to try a lot of new things, he says, “Find something you know you like to do and focus on doing the best you can at that.” In other words – follow your passion!

After college, Rob moved to Chile in South America to teach English and assist with translation services. While he was there, he applied to Peace Corps and soon he was on his way to Thailand in Southeast Asia. There he trained teachers in a school and helped out with HIV/AIDS services at a health clinic. Rob says world travel has taught him to try to be humble. He has gained great respect for other cultures through learning languages – Spanish and Thai – which he says is “like learning a whole new psychology.”

At present, Rob is back in Chicago working for a market research firm which does business research on product industries. For example, they might be able to tell you how many cola products are consumed in every country in the world. Then, based on consumer trends, they advise companies on strategies to take.

It is through a coworker at this company that Rob heard about Cabrini Connections. He has volunteered with us for three years, first as a volunteer coordinator and now as a mentor. He says the biggest difference between the two roles is that as a volunteer coordinator “you really do get to know a lot of people and understand the program from a broader perspective,” whereas, as a mentor, it is one-on-one and much more personal. Overall, Rob likes the program and appreciates its long-term goals for students.

Sadly for us, Rob is leaving this fall to get his master’s in business administration at Indiana University, but we wish him great success in school and beyond! Rob’s lasting tip for new mentors is: “Take it step-by-step. If one can avoid it, don’t necessarily take things too personally. Take them in stride.” That is good advice, Rob. We will miss you, but like we always say, “Once in Cabrini Connections, Always in Cabrini Connections.”

Student Spotlight: Patricia Williams

2010-05-17T21:52:00.001-07:00

Wednesday night mentee Patricia Williams is a 7th grader at Jenner Elementary Academy of the Arts. She comes to Cabrini Connections to get help with her schoolwork, improve her grades, and make friends. She heard about our program through her older sister, Dominique Dobbs, who graduated last year. Her younger sister, Olivia Williams, attends now, also on Wednesday nights.

Patricia’s mentor is Christine Nielsen, who used to work with Dominique. She says Christine likes talking to her and helping her with reading. In fact, reading has become one of Patricia’s favorite subjects in school, along with art. She likes to draw and create and she looks forward to taking more art classes in high school – hopefully Lincoln Park High School.

Her least favorite subject is math, but she plans to get better with the help of flashcards. Eventually, she wants to study science in college and become a teacher when she grows up. She wants to teach pre-school because she likes little kids. She says, “They are nice [and] they always talk to you.”

Patricia has lived in Chicago all her life and she doesn’t plan to move any time soon. She may go to Las Vegas to visit her older sister, but ultimately she is happy here. “It doesn’t rain much,” she says simply (and ironically as the day’s forecast shows rain). In her free time she likes to play outside and hang out with friends, and she loves her family members because they are nice and funny.

Patricia is a happy girl with a bright future who we hope to watch learn and grow and mature over the next five years. Good luck to you!

Rhymefest gives back

2010-05-13T21:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Grammy Award-winning hip hop artist Rhymefest was in Hawaii working on Kanye West's new album. Last night, he was at Cabrini Connections speaking to youth about his life, the music industry, fear vs. love, and more. The above video includes:

0:13 Speaks about radio
1:48 Performs "The City is Fallen"
3:47 Students read their freewrite poems
4:56 Interview

Rhymefest spoke for almost an hour and a half, capturing the attention of about 25 students and their mentors. At one point, he said fellow hip hop artist Rick Ross recently asked him, "Would you rather be loved or would you rather be feared?" Rhymefest solicited responses from the students before providing his own. Using the example of Martin Luther King, Jr., he said, "True love sometimes inspires the greatest fear." He went on to discuss radio and say, "Music is constantly telling us not to love ourselves."

He also asked the students, "If you could have any power, what would it be?" Someone said, "The ability to fly;" he said, "You could become a pilot." Someone said "superstrength;" he said you could become a fitness instructor or a bodybuilder. The point being: you can be whatever you want to be, you just have to ask yourself, "What is my power?"

Additional words of wisdom from Rhymefest:

Most people suffer, not from lack of ideas, but lack of resources.

I would die to help people become individual thinkers.

Everything you need to be successful is right around you.

I told myself, 'I'm gonna be bigger than this.' You have to know.

When I wake up in the morning, I think, 'How can I fight ignorance in the world and within myself?'

Money does not bring value or worth.

Don't be in a rush to respond... Don't make anyone think you have to do something immediately.

You can take care of your business or your business will take care of you.

[speaking on Frederick Douglass meeting with Abraham Lincoln] If this person can do it in a time of slavery, why can't we do it in 2010?

Kanye and I always think, if 20 million people are listening... what can we say to effect their lives?

Thank you, Rhymefest, for such an inspiring visit! Our students will remember it forever.

You can support Cabrini Connections by making an online donation here. You can support Rhymefest by pre-ordering his new album, El Che, here.

Bonus footage:

Two weeks until the Conference

2010-05-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Our 31st biannual Tutor/Mentor Leadership & Networking Conference will be held at Loyola University Chicago's Lake Shore Campus on Thursday and Friday, May 27th and 28th. Each spring and fall I am continuously impressed by the lineup of workshops and speakers, and this year is no exception. Please visit our web site for a complete rundown of events and how to register. Whether you are directly involved with tutoring and mentoring, or academia, or if you just like to listen and learn and discuss, you are bound to have a great time. Thank you!

Volunteer Spotlight: Frank Roberts

2010-05-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night volunteer Frank Roberts has always lived in the Chicago area. He grew up in the Lincoln Park neighborhood before moving to Glencoe, Illinois, after his kindergarten year. Frank says that living close to Chicago for so long “leaves you with the idea that Chicago is the best city in the world.” He has been to New York and Los Angeles, but he says Chicago stands out because “it still feels like a small city, yet you have the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and The Art Institute and all the neighborhoods…”

For college, Frank attended University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He started off as a German major but he graduated with a degree in chemistry. He likes science because he has always been into experimenting and building things and messing around with computers. Though he admits, “I was kind of a dork in college,” Frank enjoyed the shared experience and “Central Park atmosphere.” When studying at a local coffee shop, it was not uncommon for friends of his to continuously pass by.

Right now, Frank is in graduate school at The University of Chicago studying organic chemistry. He has two years left, so he’s keeping everything on the table for his next step, but his options include continuing in academics as a professor, going to law school, or going to business school.

In his spare time, Frank is a DJ known as Young Sharpless. He spins at fundraisers and parties and he specializes in electronic and nu-disco music. When I ask him whether he does it for the money or the music, he says, “It’s all about the music… People are just kind of fed music with the Top 40, but there’s a lot else out there. [DJing] is an opportunity to find good music that people don’t come across, find the order, and make sense of it.” When he first started, he would come prepared with a set list, but now he just comes in with three songs to start. He sees what the crowd likes and goes from there. Pretty cool!

This is Frank’s third year as a mentor with Cabrini Connections. He worked with one of our seniors, De’Sean Hale, in the fall, but now he works with 7th grader Kaylin Patton. He appreciates that Kaylin almost always brings in homework and he wants to do it. Even when he doesn’t have homework, they find constructive ways to spend their time. For example, they have flipped through an atlas to learn about countries of the world.

Frank started volunteering at Cabrini Connections for two reasons. First, “It’s easy to become trapped in grad school and I wanted to make sure I was doing something else,” and, second, “I was fortunate growing up, and other kids had the same capabilities I had, but just weren’t given the opportunities.” Hopefully Kaylin will be able to see and realize his potential. Thanks for helping out, Frank!

Student Spotlight: Mylana Williams

2010-05-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

15-year-old Mylana Williams is the middle child of 27 siblings! She has 17 brothers and nine sisters. She says her family likes to talk, have fun, and fight in a playful way. Her mom’s side is from Birmingham, Alabama, and her dad’s side is from Atlanta, Georgia. Mylana has always lived in Chicago which she loves because of its diverse population and easy transportation. She enjoys meeting different kinds of people and not being restricted without a car. When she’s older she wants to move to California, New York, or Atlanta to pursue a career in acting. She says the key to acting is, “Find out who you are first before you try to be someone else.” That’s great insight!

Mylana attends Providence St. Mel School on Chicago’s west side where she is in the ninth grade. She says it is an excellent school that will get her into college, but she wishes it had more of a performing arts focus. One of Mylana’s dreams is to open a network of performing arts schools. Each school would be “a safe haven for kids to escape from issues” and admittance would be free.

Mylana loves plays, especially Shakespeare, because “they give you a deeper connection with the world.” One of her favorite subjects is English because “it actually makes you think” and “grammar comes easy.” She is also good at math. Maintaining excellence in those two subjects will prove very helpful when the ACT comes around. Good luck!

In addition to acting, Mylana is interested in studying criminal psychology and working as a correctional officer in a prison or jail. She has known family members who have been incarcerated who come back different and tell stories about what is wrong with the prison system. Mylana wants to start programs in these facilities to give inmates something to do and raise their confidence. She looks forward to researching more about this topic and learning from her mom who is a social worker.

Mylana was introduced to Cabrini Connections by her best friend, Ashaunti Roby, who is a three year veteran of the program. Her mentor is Jessica Cooper. They each came to the program for the first time on the same night and they hit it off from the start. “She’s not just a mentor,” says Mylana. “She’s my friend, too. I love Jessica!” Mylana appreciates Jessica’s style as a mentor. “She’s not hovering over me treating me like I’m dumb, but she’s there when I need her.” Mylana is also a fan of the program overall. “I like what it’s doing for the kids,” she says. “If it wasn’t for Cabrini Connections, I would probably be outside doing something I have no business doing.”

We’re glad you have chosen to spend Thursday nights with us, Mylana. I hope this year is your first of many in the program! Mylana will be one of the student MCs at the Year-End Dinner, so everyone can look forward to meeting her there.