CYC helps make community voices heard

CYC-Crown helps to make voter registration more accessible to South Shore community members.

CYC-Crown is making sure everyone’s voice is heard in this election. CYC joined forces with Blocks 2 Cities and the NAACP to set up a voter registration table outside our South Shore Center on September 29. First-time voters as well as individuals needing to update their records had the opportunity to register to vote.

Crown Child Care Director Monique King who helped organize the event shared, “Everyone who is of age should understand how important it is to vote. It's a good way for everyone to voice their opinion."

CYC’s programs instill the importance of community engagement in our young people and one important form of making a difference is exercising the right to vote. Providing a registration table outside of our Center was a safe way to make voter registration more accessible to community members. At least two CYC parents registered at the event, as well as additional South Shore community members.

Congratulations to the newly registered voters! Don’t forget to make your voice heard by voting in the election on November 3.

CYC teaches advocacy and service

Two students at CYC-Crown work on the WE curriculum with a CYC intern.

Throughout the year, CYC Centers participate in WE Schools, a year-long service learning program that works to teach compassion and civic engagement to students. Last year, youth helped provide clean water for families in Tanzania, raised money for a local homeless shelter, and more. Students in the program are required to pick a local and global issue to focus on.

 This year’s WE Schools curriculum has already kicked off at CYC-Rebecca K. Crown Youth Center in South Shore. Takara Rose, an intern at the Center who is studying social work, is helping to guide the student-led program.

 “WE is about service learning and teaching kids about being more aware of the world outside of yourself, and why it is important to be aware of more than just your immediate circle,” Takara said.

 Angel, 9, said she learned a new word in this process: “Advocacy.”

 “Advocacy is about speaking up for people,” Angel said. “You can help out the community, and you can help out people who do not have the same things as you.”

 We are so excited to see where the WE programs take CYC kids this year and what projects they come up with!

CYC participates in another fun year of Lights on Afterschool

A CYC-Fellowship House student works with his dad on a project during Lights on Afterschool.

CYC was proud to participate in the 20th Lights on Afterschool this year! Lights on Afterschool is an annual nationwide event, organized by The Afterschool Alliance, that celebrates afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families, and communities.

Officer Friendly poses with a group of CYC-Epstein teens during Lights on Afterschool.

At CYC-Rebecca K. Crown Youth Center in South Shore and CYC-Fellowship House in Bridgeport, youth made playdough, got crafty, decorated bags for Halloween, dressed up in costumes, and got their faces painted.

At CYC-Sidney Epstein Youth Center in North Lawndale, youth painted pumpkins, did crafts, played games, and received an "Officer Friendly" visit from the Chicago Police Department. Center Director Clarence Hogan said that he appreciates how Lights on Afterschool shines the light on the importance of afterschool programming.

“Learning does not stop after the school bell rings,” Clarence said.

Motorola magic in North Lawndale

A before and after image of the garden at CYC-Epstein.

Last month, Motorola Solutions Foundation created CYC’s very own “Miracle on 13th Place,” – that’s what Clarence Hogan, the Center Director at CYC-Sidney Epstein Youth Center in North Lawndale, calls the incredible transformation at the Center.

As one of 40 projects around the globe during Motorola Solutions’ Global Months of Service, Motorola employees refreshed and reimagined several key spaces at CYC-Epstein. The volunteers repainted and upgraded two teen rooms with new furniture, cleaned up and revitalized the garden, organized multiple storage spaces, and are in the process of painting a vibrant new mural. Additionally, Motorola Solutions donated 20 new laptops for student and staff use.

More than 60 volunteers and a donation of $20,000 to fund the project made this amazing transformation possible. Click here for a video depicting the before and after of several of these spaces.

“I was excited to participate in Motorola Solutions’ Day of Service at the Sidney Epstein Youth

Center,” said Andrea Bell, the Volunteer Program Coordinator at Motorola Solutions Foundation. “My hope is that the renovations and donations from Motorola Solutions Foundation will encourage youth to continue visiting the Center by providing them with a welcoming and modern space to learn, hang-out and ultimately, encourage their success.”

Clarence said he was shocked not just by the generosity of Motorola Solutions’ financial gift, but also the support and consideration they provided while undertaking this project. Local teen interest in the spaces have had an uptick with the changes.

“At the end of the day, I hope that our students can see how important it is to give back,” Clarence said. “We might not have $20,000, but we do have shovels to help seniors during the winter months and so on. This should be a reciprocated process.”

Damarcus, 15, loves the new teen spaces.

“I like it because you could not focus in the old room,” he said. “Everyone used to fight over chairs, and it’s more enjoyable now.”

Tanya Staggers, Childcare Director at the Center, said she is very enthusiastic for the mural, which will be installed in the Center’s Early Learning outdoor play area.

“I’m excited about the mural because it brings so many smiles to the kids’ faces,” Tanya said.

Thank you so much for your generosity, Motorola Solutions Foundation! We are incredibly excited for the memories that our kids and families will make in the gorgeous new spaces.

Put your best pedal forward

CYC teens work on assembling a bike.

What do you do when your CPS-sponsored Ventra card is deactivated for the summer and you don’t have a car? CYC-Fellowship House teens are putting their best pedal forward and hopping on bicycles!

This summer, CYC partnered with West Town Bikes to bring an immersive hands-on lesson on how bikes work and biker safety to CYC teens. CYC youth worker Chance Brown said the club came about as they were looking for healthy activities for teens that would impact their daily lives.

First, West Town Bikes donated eight bikes for the club. Then the teens learned about how the bike functions and all of the various components that make up a bicycle. Finally, the teens learned about biker safety such as how a helmet should fit and how to make sure your bike is in a safe condition to ride.

A CYC TEEN SPRAY PAINTS HER BIKE.

Having been in two bike accidents himself, Chance was able to share his personal story with them.

“They were shocked,” Chance said. “They thought bikers always have the right of way, and can’t be touched. It was good to show them what can happen even if you’re being safe and how you can be prepared.”

After, the teens disassembled the bikes and learned how to put them back together, spray painting them to their tastes in the process.

A CYC-Fellowship House child rides his new tricycle donated by West Monroe Partners.

Biking is a cost-efficient and healthy activity, Chance said. The club also pushed the teens to work on their critical thinking skills as they were mainly left to their own devices, aside from general coaching, when reassembling the bikes.

“It’s also a good way to get emotional control,” Chance said. “It can be a release, and a new form of coping with stressors in their life.”

At the end of it all, the teens got to take the bikes home. We can’t wait to hear about the adventures they’ll go on!

The biking fun does not stop there… West Monroe Partners donated more than 20 tricycles to our Early Childhood students! We are so excited that they can grow their biking skills so early. Thank you so much for your support.