NU Gives Back...To Cabrini Connections

On Saturday May 21st the Cabrini Connections' program hosted a group of 14 Northwestern University students as part of the NU Gives Back: Service Day. Hundreds of Northwestern University students spent their day in various non-profit organizations, schools, and communities throughout the Chicagoland area as way of "giving back" with a day of service.

We had a GREAT group of fellow Wildcats that selected Cabrini Connections as their service site. We started the day with introductions which was great because as staff we wanted to get to know the students better, but it was also a good idea because not all of the students knew each other before the introductions. The Cabrini Connections' staff then provided the group with more information about the history of the organization and information on the present Cabrini Connections and the Cabrini Green community so that the students could have a stronger connection to the program as they completed their responsibilities for the day.

And before it was time to get to work, we provided a preview of a "Challenge" that we were going to close the day with. We asked all of the students to write down the names of five people that they consider to be their mentors and to keep those names in mind as they complete their service projects for the day. And then they were off to work!!!

The 14 students broke up into teams and completed a variety of tasks for the day. Some cleaned and organized the storage room, some students completed a mural on the wall of the front office, while others cleaned and provided maintenance work on the desks and chairs, organized the library, cleaned the desktops on all of the computers in the computer lab, and a variety of other projects that needed attention in the center. We had the music going, there was a lot of laughter, a lot of teamwork, and more and more relationship building as we all got to know each other throughout the day.

The day started around 11am and ended around 2pm, but at 1:30pm we got back together as a group to present this "Challenge." At the start of the day we discussed the pieces to the puzzle that make programs like Cabrini Connections' work. The NU students said you need students, volunteers, a safe environment, staff, and donors. We then expanded that last piece to the puzzle that was mentioned, the donors that provide financial support. As we got back together as a group a couple of students talked about their experience that day and shared that with the group. We then asked all of the student to take out their notecard with those five names on there and posed this "Challenge:" the students have to contact their five mentors and thank them for all that they have and continue to do in their lives, share their day of service experience with them, and encourage their five mentors to support their day of service efforts by making a donation to Cabrini Connections. The student that brings in the most donations by our Annual Year End Dinner will be awarded a special invite to our Annual Golf Benefit.

I know I am biased but I feel that Cabrini Connections' is a GREAT program, but we are only GREAT because of all of those that come together to make this work. The students, volunteers, parents, staff, Board Members, community partners, and the donors! When you have all of these pieces working together, supporting each other, and working towards a common goal, success HAS to be the result. So I encourage you to become one of those pieces to the puzzle and help Cabrini Connections continue to be GREAT!

2011 Cabrini Madness Season Recap

A Look Back on the 2011 Cabrini Madness Season!!!

After a very successful 2010 Cabrini Madness debut season, the Cabrini Connections’ program was back at it and geared up to have an even better 2011 season. And a successful season it was!!! With many new and familiar faces, with some new creative ideas and concepts, and that returning competitive edge…the 2011 Cabrini Madness season served to be a great source of program advocacy and financial support for the same GREAT cause…CABRINI CONNECTIONS!!! So take some time and let look back at what was the 2011 Cabrini Madness FUNdraising Tournament

Cabrini Madness Season: February 7th-April 4th, 2011

Number of Team: 13

Number of Participants on Roster: 126

Students (39) Volunteers (46) Staff, Coordinators, Board Members (19) Outside of the Program Members (22)

Cabrini Madness FUNdraising Events:

-Team 5D’s

Game Day Event

-Boom Goes The Dynamite Teen Party/Dance at Cabrini Connections Bowling Night at Timber Lanes

-Cabrini Loyalty Bake Sale & Guessing Contest Happy Hour Event eLoyalty Donation Bin Idea Chicago Office Jean’s Day

-The Dream Team

Birthday Causes on Facebook

-The Free Agents

Happy Hour Event

-The Golden Stars Candy Sales Campaign

-The Green Team

The Wing Thing Happy Hour Basketball Viewing Event & Concert

-Team High5ive

Snack Sales Campaign

Cabrini Madness Promotional Videos: 8 total (possibly 9)

Training Days The Decision

Maybe

Lost In The Woods

Wednesday Night Lights

Cabrini Phoneathon

Bracketology with Tim Doyle

Encouragement Promo

Teams that Advanced to the Elite 8 (+ Play in Team): -Team High 5ive, Change Makers, The Green Team, Boom Goes the Dynamite, The Golden Stars, Cabrini Loyalty, The Dream Team, Cabrini AllStars, and The Kids Are All Bright

Teams that Advanced to the Final 4: -Cabrini Loyalty, Cabrini AllStars, The Dream Team, and The Kids Are All Bright

Championship Round Teams: -The Kids Are All Bright and Cabrini AllStars

2011 Cabrini Madness FUNdraising Tournament Champion: Cabrini AllStars

"The Kids Are All Bright provided some great fireworks down the stretch to make the Cabrini Madness tournament interesting, but it was Tim Minton and the Cabrini AllStars that prevailed in the end. Tim Minton called a timeout, gathered his team together, and provided what would be the game winning speech. He and the Cabrini AllStars rallied to pull out the $6,652 to $4308 victory!!!"

Approximate Number of 2011 Cabrini Madness Donors: Over 600!!!!

Total Amount Raised in the 2011 Cabrini Madness Season: $27,500(+) -more donations from Cabrini Madness has been coming in…

2011 Cabrini Madness Awards: We ended the 2011 Cabrini Madness season with our Annual Award’s ceremony to recognize all that made the 2011 season successful and to honor those that went above and beyond by presenting individuals and teams with some hardware. The names of the awards come from those that won the awards the previous year.

The Minton Rookie of the Year Award: Jason Tennenbaum Rising new star to the Cabrini Madness season

The TEMS Most Improved Team Award: The Kids Are All Bright

Team that started off low in the ranks and made continuous progress throughout the season

The Culliard 6th Man/Woman of the Year: Cabrini Loyalty (Team)

Person (or Team) that was not officially in the Cabrini Connections’ program, but contributed GREATLY to team’s success

The Martin Captain of the Year: Diana Restrepo Captain that led team to great success all season long

The Awesomes’ Most Valuable Event: Boom Goes The Dynamite (Bowling Night) Team’s event that brought in the most financial support

The Grunst Most Valuable Player: Tim Minton Person that brought in the most money that contributed to their team’s overall success

We had an amazing 2011 season of Cabrini Madness, but the support for the GREAT cause of Cabrini Connections' doesn't stop as that season ended. The Cabrini Connections' program is year around, and support for overall program needs to happen all year long as well. So if you missed out on supporting during the Cabrini Madness season and would still like to support the students, volunteers, and staff that make this program what it is...please submit your support here.

It's March...LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!!!

Monday 3/14 - Happy Hour - Please join The Free Agents http://www.giveforward.com/thefreeagents for happy hour on Monday, March 14 from 6:30-8:30 at Redmond's Ale House [http://www.redmondsalehouse.com] (3358 N Sheffield Ave.) and enjoy FREE domestic drafts for the duration. If you are so moved to make a donation in support of Cabrini Connections in return, that'd be awesome! No minimum donation required. For more info or to RSVP, visit the Facebook event page
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140528656014990

Tuesday 3/15 - Wing Eating Contest - On Tuesday, March 15th, The Green Team http://www.giveforward.com/thegreenteam is hosting a wing-eating contest at Cabrini Connections. Come as an individual or group and pay $10 for 10 wings per person. Teams compete in groups of 2 or 4 and the fastest two teams will face off in a bonus round for a chance to win the inaugural "Wing Bling" trophy! For more info or to RSVP, visit the Facebook event page
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169207923129834

Thursday 3/17 - Chili Sale - Running for Cabrini [http://www.giveforward.com/runningforcabrini] will be
selling chili for only $1/bowl during the session from 6-7:45pm.

Friday 3/18 - Midnight Bowling for Cabrini Connections Event - Boom Goes The Dynamite http://www.boomgoesthedynamite.org/ is hosting a bowling charity event at Timber Lanes [http://www.timberlanesbowl.com/] (1851 W Irving Park Rd.) on March 18, 2011 from 10pm-2am. A $30 suggested starting
donation gets you unlimited bowling, shoes and loads of fun for 4 hours. Cash bar. For more info or to RSVP, visit the Evite page http://new.evite.com/services/links/3JLBICZIKG

Ongoing
Team High5ive [http://www.giveforward.com/high5ive] is selling candy and snacks and The Golden Stars [http://www.giveforward.com/goldenstars] are selling candy bars

They Brought Their "A" Essays!!!

We officially wrapped up our Black History Month festivities in our last two sessions of the month of February on a very high note. After weeks of promoting the "Bring Your A Essay" contest for Black History Month, we were honored to announce the names of the students that received the Runner Up Prize and the Grand Prizes.

The essays that we received were very well done and definitely reflected that the students not only were focused during the documentary, but it also showed how the documentary directly affected them and those around them. And that is exactly what we were looking for in this essay, we were looking for students to observe the "Bring Your A Game" documentary and reflect on the film and how it relates to the their life.

During our Wednesday Night session we had the pleasure to present freshman student, Arden Harris, with the Grand Prize of $50 and she was also presented with an additional special prize. Wednesday Night mentors Matt and Barbara Barnes donated 2 televisions the previous week, and Arden was able to take her pick out of which tv she would like to take home as well! Before receiving her prizes, Arden shared with the group a little about her essay and said, "be sure to get your education because no matter what you want to do in life you will need an education." And that statement holds true to not only the students that were present, but the adults in the room understand her point as well.

On Thursday Night we were able to provide a runner up prize as well. Wells High School, Whitney Hemphill, received recognition and the runner up prize of the 2nd donated tv. Whitney's essay was well done also and displayed how important her education is to putting her in a position to obtain the career she is looking for and providing for her own family.

We congratulate all of the students that entered the contest this year and encourage all of the Cabrini Connections' students to take advantage of opportunities like these. Not only are there usually prizes attached to these contests, but they also provide other valuable lessons that can be utilized in and outside of the program.

Arden Harris' "A" Essay:

Many young African Americans grow up doing things they see others do. They grow up thinking that it is ok to stand on street corners all day and not want to do anything or be anything in life. According to the film Bring Your A Game, what most young people do not see is that in order to become a famous rapper, an NBA basketball player, or a politician, you have to get an education. The young African Americans who do not want to do anything in life are the same ones who taunt others who try their best in school, so that they can get ahead. What many young people do not realize is that a good work ethic and a good education will help them in the future but they have to do the rest.

No matter what profession young people choose it’s important that they stay in school. However, Bring Your A Game shows that 25% of Caucasians, 30% of Asians, and 50% of African Americans drop out of high school each year. To many young African Americans it is cool to get bad grades, act defiantly, and get into trouble. Those same young people aspire to become NBA basketball players or even rappers; what they do not realize is that education is important for success. In the movie people from different professions like rappers, authors, and mayors come together and show that no matter what they wanted to become, education came first.

Putting education first is not always easy. These young people cannot do it alone; they need guidance from people who are willing to help them achieve their short-term, as well as their lifetime goals. Young people need to learn that in order to get ahead that may have to make many sacrifices, but in the end it will be worth it. Instead of going to the biggest party of the year, they may have to be at home studying for that big physics test because that is going to get them to places that they want to be in life, but that party won’t. As a community, everyone needs to step up to help young African Americans because, just like a ripple effect, every action that a person in the community makes affects someone else around them. In the words of Robert Francis Kennedy, “It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.”

By: Arden Harris

Black History Month at Cabrini Connections

Each year in the Cabrini Connections' program we come up with some type of Black History Month project/contest that looks to bring out and/or enhance the skill set of our youth. We provide projects that cause the students to do research, work on their writing skills, test their creativity, and assist them with their public speaking skills. We feel that these skills can and will be helpful not just for the Black History Month project here at Cabrini Connections, but in everyday life in the present and in the future.

This year the project comes from a short documentary that Cabrini Connections' staff members EL Da' Sheon Nix and Bradley Troast observed last year, and we have been brainstorming ways in which we could incorporate the documentary into the Cabrini Connections' program. 'The Twenty-First Century Foundation (21CF) has partnered with actor–director Mario Van Peebles and producer Karen Williams to create BRING YOUR A GAME. The film that will use screenings accompanied by community discussions as a catalyst to transform the lives of urban youth. Using a cinematic style influenced by popular culture and employing innovative technologies, the film details strategies that have improved the lives of Black men and boys. It underscores how essential educational achievement and high school graduation are to survival and success in today’s world.'

Not only is the documentary a powerful tool that many people, both old and young, could use, but the documentary is an audio and visual example of what we try to demonstrate on a weekly basis here at Cabrini Connections. We want all of our youth to understand the pros and cons of the decisions they make, to take advantage of any and all resources made available to them, to network, and to continue to strive for all of the many goals they set even through adverse conditions.

With that being said, we used the documentary as our inspiration for the 2011 Black History Month Project here at Cabrini Connections. The project is titled "Bring Your A Essay." The students will have to first view the documentary and then take the time out to complete a one-page reflective essay. The students have the opportunity to use the documentary to reflect on their life in general, the life of someone they know, or how the documentary compares to the society as a whole. The essays will be due before the last sessions of the month, and we will take time out the very last sessions of the month to allow the participating students to showcase their essay. We will also reward the student that has the winning essay with a $50 cash prize.

The value of the students participating in this project is much more than a cash prize of $50. This project will create an opportunity for the students to observe a great documentary that they can and will hopefully share with others, will provide an opportunity to enhance their writing skills and public speaking skills, and will simply be more information they can use in their everyday lives.

In 2009 Whitney Hemphill, now a senior in the program, took home first place in the Black History Month Project contest by putting together an amazing powerpoint presentation that was directed toward President Barack Obama and his Administration. The project called for students to find creative ways to communicate to President Obama about their lives and the changes they hoped that he could provide in their lives, schools, homes, and community.

Volunteers Step Up To Organize FUNdraisers

We have had several volunteers AND students answer the call of doing what they can to get the resources needed to keep the doors of the program open. Here are a few of many ideas and efforts that are currently in place. Please make an effort to support these events and share with those in your network

Santa's Naughty or Nice Charity Pub Crawl

HO HO HO - What better way to feel the joy of the season than to fill yourself with HOLIDAY SPIRITS and give a little something back to the community? For a donation of $10 (or more), you will get the company of some very fine individuals and a big red Santa hat (first 45 attendees). http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=167904526575285

-Elena Lugo and Melanie Munsey

Beard For Kids

This holiday season I’m participating in the Beards For Kids 2010 Challenge. I’ll be growing a beard from now until the end of the holidays and have a goal of raising $10 per day for Cabrini Connections. Please help me reach my goal by donating here today: http://beardsforkids.org/

-Gabriel Chapman

Matt Golden's Fundraising Page

I have asked family and friends to help me raise $2,000 for Cabrini Connections in the month of December. I have set up a website on FirstGiving and have already raised $270! Hopefully, our contributions can help Charles Hill and other students continue to succeed at Cabrini Connections. http://www.firstgiving.com/mattgolden

-Matt Golden

Beards For Kids! Support Cabrini Connections!

Fellow Tutor/Mentors,

Along with a few friends, I created BeardsForKids.org this week to raise money for Cabrini Connections. Check out the site: http://beardsforkids.org/ (Also, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beards-For-Kids/107547929317605

I'm wondering if any of the male tutors would be interested in participating...AND if any of the female tutors might be able to get any of their male friends to participate, as well!

The idea is to try to raise $10 per day per person up until New Years. I think this is a very modest goal and that together we can build a critical mass to really make this a success!

I've included a short email below to make it easy. Please let me know if you're in by sending me a note and a picture of you sans beard!

Thank you!

Gabriel
312.804.0228
______________________________________________________________
Here’s an email you can send to friends and family:

Dear Friends,

This holiday season I’m participating in the Beards For Kids 2010 Challenge. I’ll be growing a beard from now until the end of the holidays and have a goal of raising $10 per day for Cabrini Connections http://cabriniconnections.net , a program in Chicago that helps underserved kids finish high school with the goal of moving on to complete college and have successful careers.

The program has helped countless students during its almost 20 years of existence, and I want to make sure they’re able to continue doing the good work that they do!

Please help me reach my goal by donating here today: http://www.firstgiving.com/beardsforkids

Thank you and happy holidays!

--Gabriel Chapman

Cabrini Connections' Students Are a Hit!!!

This past Tuesday 3 Cabrini Connections' students were standouts at the Red Shoe Review Silenct Auction at UIC. Victoria Rivera, Dominique Curtis, and Marquita Fisher shared their time and talents by performing some select poetry and spoken word at this event. All three of the students did an amazing job!!!

The event took place in a small intimate type of setting, but the energy from the students, the guests, and the hosts of the event was great. Jessica Grant and Namrata Shah not only did a great job with putting this silent auction together, the entire Cabrini Connections' program is thankful for these young ladies selecting Cabrini Connections as the organization where the proceeds from the event will go. There was food, beverages, art, entertainment, and an overall positive event.

The total amount that was brought in from the event has not yet been determined, but should be tallied up very soon. Whether the amount brought in is $100, $1,000, or $10,000...the entire Cabrini Connections' program is thankful and appreciative of the gesture from this group of students from UIC. Hopefully the presence and performances of the Cabrini Connections' students at this event will lead to the guests of the event becoming even more interested in the the program and will lead to further support in the future.

Student's Ready to Showcase their Talent!!!

Dominique Curtis and Marquita Fisher are posing in the photo with Alexi Giannoullias just before President Obama spoke in Hyde Park

On Tuesday November 16th from 4-8pm Cabrini Connections will be teaming up with Namrata Shah and Jessica Grant of UIC's Red Shoes Review to host a benefit event. All of the details are listed here. The actual building location has been determined and the event will take place in Room 121 of the Burnham Hall building located on the East Campus of UIC (near the Morgan and Taylor St intersection). Please call 312-996-7000, and an operator can give directions to Burnham Hall.

Below are a few of the poetic pieces that several of the Cabrini Connections' students will be showcasing at this event. Please take the time to read their work and hopefully their words and feelings will encourage you to make and effort to come out and be a part of this event or support the overall project from afar.

If you can't attend but would like to support this event, please make an online donation here



Abortion
By: Dominique Curtis

Mommy, mommy. Mommy
I call out for you but you don’t hear
Mommy, mommy, mommy
I am filled with so much fear

Mommy, mommy, mommy
I touch you but you don’t feel
Mommy, mommy, mommy
I’m telling you I need you

Where are you mommy?
I don’t know why you’re leaving me
I’m looking at you
But you pretend you don’t see

Mommy how could you do this to me
Don’t you understand I am you’re other part
Mommy you don’t understand
Mommy you have no heart

You were not ready for me
That I understand
But what about what I was ready for
Mommy what about my plans

Who will speak up for those who can’t?
Who will be the voice for those without?
Who will hear the cry’s of the baby?
Who will see the tears of the child?

I see for those that are invisible
I stay for those who everyone leaves
I stand for those who can’t walk
I talk for those with no voice

(95%), are done as a means of birth control
Number of abortions per day: Approximately 126,000

It all starts at home
By: Dominique Curtis

Killing and dying, abusing and abused, raped, hurt and fill with the pain

It all starts at home when mommy tells you, you ain’t s***
And how much she hates you and regrets you
It all starts at home when daddy hits you and beats you
When he breaks you up inside and out
It all starts when hell is the place you call home

The problem is that homes are broken and no one’s listening and no one’s learning
You see everyday we see people lost to the streets
Gun shots missing and piercing the innocence of child
But you see we don’t change because we have become immune to it
The gun shots and deaths have become common nature

See but this starts at home
It starts with the little girl who was raped and abused when she was young
So when boys only wanted her for her body she didn’t know that this was wrong
And when she ended up pregnant at 15
She raised her child while she was still a child herself
And you see she still didn’t understand right from wrong
So she raised her baby girl the same way her mother raised her
Teaching her that her biggest power is between her legs
And that if a man hit her it was ok just deal with it
And the cycle just continues of young girls abused and raped
Blind to the problem in their situation

And see this starts at home
It starts with the little boy that was raised in a home where momma smoked and daddy drank
And daddy was the man he looked up to and followed behind
And so when daddy hit momma it was fine
And he was taught the only way to be a man and be define is by clutching a nine and committing crimes
And so when he got a girlfriend he didn’t see a problem with putting his foot on her face when she didn’t do what he said
Because this is what he was taught and how he was led
And the cycle continues of little boys not knowing how to be man
Blind to the problem in their situation


So you see the problem is
The respect we are being taught is turned and spun
Boys defined by tattoos and guns
Girls walking around with babies like hand bags and accessories
We have babies raising babies
Bad parents raising kids to be bad parents
And so we see kids killing kids and then we become kids killing kids because we don’t know any other way
See when we know better we do better but all we know is our hearts and souls
Which we were taught was define by our body and how many men we slept with
And our guns and how many people we kill
And so we can not change our future until we correct our past

We were never taught that our brain is the best thing to fight with
And our true potential lies in us not with what we have
Our true talents are not material things
And our true beauty is inside

So we need examples of good parents we need teachers
And I think you should have to take a class before you can be a mother
I think you should be a man before you can be a father
Because I find it painful to see the babies beautiful faces
Being brutally beaten and disgraced

See I think it should all start at home
When mommy gives you hugs and kisses
And daddy tells you he loves you
And this makes you feel so special
When your house is finally a place you can call home

I'm From...
By: Marquita Fisher (Quita)

I’m from Chicago and Cabrini Green
Where you hear gun shots
I’m from phony and backstabbing a** friends
Wanting to love and hate

I’m from home to home
Living with my friends
I’m from kids getting raped and beat
Police not doing s***

I from going home and hearing about girl X
I know yall heard about it
How she was raped, beat, and got poisoned

All on the news and on TV
Police lying saying they gone find them

I’m from don’t do that cousin please
To shut up and don’t say s***
I’m from my so called family
Where was they when he touched me

I’m from my so called daddy
Not being there for me
I’m from my mother walking out on me
And I have no place to go

I’m from Bam! A slap to my face
Blood dripping from my lip
I’m from mother sitting there
And not saying s***.

I’m from moving in with my auntie
And Kiera being there for me
I’m from seeing Kiera on Wednesday’s
In our laughter and goofiness

I’m from a place I could call home now
My auntie staying by my side
I’m from a better life now
Sleeping very safely

I’m from get up and get ready for school
6:00 got to get to get up
I’m from “have a good day at school
And be good”

I’m from “Marquita come in the house to eat”
Grandma’s cooking on a Sunday
I’m from who I don’t know?

"I AM ORLANDO CEASAR..."

"Good evening? How are you all doing today," (in the voice of a 7 year old)? "I AM ORLANDO CEASAR!" (in the voice that could be compared to the roar of a lion. This week the Cabrini Connections' program was honored to have Motivational Speaker, Orlando Ceasar, come in to share a little of his history and his life story, but a lot of how the students, volunteers, and staff can reach their many goals in life.

Orlando Ceasar was born and raised on the West Side of Chicago and said that his mother was on the "11 by 30 plan" saying that his mother and father had 11 children by the age of 30. Mr. Ceasar did an amazing job of talking about his youth and the ways in which he used his mind, the values he learned, poetry, and determination to assist him with becoming a very successful man.

One of the activities that he used during his presentation was a decision making tool that ANYBODY can use by using the word KNOW. He asked the group to come up with words that can be produced by using the 4 letters of the word KNOW. A few of the many were the words: won, ok, on, ko, now, ow and several others. Then students shouted out some of the decisions that they will have to make in life. Some students said, picking a college, picking a career, who to date, where will they live when they get older etc... Mr. Ceasar took the words from the word KNOW and explained how these words can be used for all of the Cabrini Connections youth and anybody else that have a decision to make.

He asked how much do you KNOW about the decision you have to make? What are the pros and cons of your decision. Who do you know that is in the career you want to be in, at the college that you want to attend, or how much do you know about the girl or guy that you like. Then asked what does it look like when you WON? He encouraged the group to envision success! He told the students they have to be ON at all times, and said that "when you are ON at all times there will be people there for you, doors will be open, and good things will happen because you are ON." He asked the group what are you doing NOW to reach the goals that you have in life, "You can't say you want to be a doctor in the future, if you are not willing to take the proper steps now to reach that goal." Another word he used was the word NO. He told the group that at some point in your life you are going to have to tell your friends, your family, and even yourself NO in order to reach your goals. Lastly he told the students that life can K.O. you if you are not prepared, so make sure to take advantage of resources and prepare for life.

The entire Cabrini Connections' program would like to thank Mr. Orlando Ceasar for taking out time out of his busy week, driving a couple of hours in traffic and bad weather, and volunteering his time to share some knowledge, insight, and helpful tips so that not just the students of the program but for the entire audience can be successful in life!

Benefit Event for Cabrini Connections.

The Red Shoes Review, UIC's Undergraduate literary journal, invites you to attend its first-ever silent auction. The event will showcase local works of art both students and artists in the larger community. The night will also feature musical and spoken-word performances. All proceeds from the night will benefit Cabrini Connections, a local mentoring organization that promotes higher education and creativity to inner-city youth. Students from Cabrini Connections will attend as special guests of the night. This is a great opportunity to meet and network with other. So we hope you join us for a night of great artwork, performances, and free snacks!

This event is being presented by Namrata Shah and Jessica Grant. These young ladies visited the program last year and helped students, volunteers, and staff in various ways. They have put this event together and decided to "give back" to the program from the positive experience they had while being here at Cabrini Connections. And everyone knows that "Once in Cabrini Connections...Always in Cabrini Connections!" For more information, or to make a donation of artwork for the silent auction, contact us at uic.redshoes@gmail.com

This event will take place on Tuesday November 16th from 4-8pm on the UIC campus. Official building location will be in Room 121 of the Burnham Hall building located on the East Campus of UIC (near the Morgan and Taylor St intersection).

Prospective students that will be showcasing their talent at this event will be Cabrini Connections' senior Victoria Rivera (Lincoln Park High School), junior Marquita Fisher, and new sophomore student, Dominique "Di Di" Curtis. Both student attend the Global Citizenship Experience. Hopefully you will make an effort to attend and show your support...and bring a friend or two!!!

Cabrini Connections' was Buzzing on a Monday Night

Most people who know about Cabrini Connections, know that the tutoring/mentoring sessions take place on Wednesday and Thursday from 6-8pm. But there is so much more taking place throughout the week that may go unnoticed. On Monday and Tuesday evenings we host several Enrichment Clubs and we also provide the opportunity for mentor/mentee pairs meet due to changes in their normal schedule.

On Mondays we offer an Art Club and a Video and Filmmaker's Club from 5:30-7pm, on Tuesday we offer a Tech Club from 6-7pm, and on Wednesday before the actual session we offer a Writing Club from 5-6pm. All of our clubs have dedicated and committed volunteer (and staff) leaders that teach the youth a variety of skills that could lead to current jobs/intern opportunities, and maybe even a future career.

Last night we had a lot of activity in the center with the clubs working hard, but we also had several Wednesday and Thursday night pairs working hard on a variety of academic and career based work. There were nearly 30 people present last night all working in various ways towards similar goals. And of the goals that was and is usually always universal here in the program, and that is the goals of learning something new, learning positive habits, and expanding your network.

We are an academic based program in the sense that each student should be bringing work each and every week to the program. But we are more of a program that looks to build and enhance the soft skills and positive habits to that any student that joins are program are prepared with the skill necessary pursue any career in the future.

But whether its a buzzing Monday night, quieter Tuesday night, or a packed house on Wednesday and Thursday nights....none of this can be made possible without the necessary resources. So instead of considering making a donation, consider making an investment. Invest in the future of our students today, who can and will be the leaders of tomorrow!

PS: PLEASE...if you read this article please post a comment or just let me know we have people actually reading these blog posts. Thanks SO MUCH!

Melissa Young's 2nd Annual Cabrini Connections' Bake Sale

For the second year in a row, one of our students, Melissa Young, is hosting a Halloween Bake Sale to benefit the Cabrini Connections tutor/mentor program! She came up with this idea all on her own last year and raised over $330! This year her goal is $500. The event will take place at our center this Saturday, October 30th, from 11am-3pm. The address is 800 W Huron.

Ways to get involved:

Bake treats to be sold. You can drop them off during the week or bring them the day-of.
Donate food. Don't have time to bake? Just donate food!

Volunteer the day-of. Last year we had a lot of fun selling at the intersection of Chicago & Halsted.
Drop by, buy a few treats, and bring your friends!

If you are in the area on Saturday, please stop by. It isn't so much about how much money is raised as it is about supporting a student-led project.

This is not only a great project to support by donating treats and/or your time the day of, this is a student led project and an organization that could benefit greatly from your generous donations on a larger scale. Please show your support here if you can't attend but still want to contribute.
Contact at Cabrini Connections' staff if you are looking to get involved.
Thanks in advance!!!

~Cabrini Connections TEAM~

2010 Tutor Training Conference Success!!!

On Saturday October 9th, Cabrini Connections teamed up with the Cabrini Green Tutoring Program and the Chicago Lights program for the 5th annual Tutor Training Conference. This event was filled with a variety of workshops, group discussions, and panel discussions that was geared to provide new, veteran, and prospective volunteers with some tools, tips, and techniques on how to be the best tutor/mentor they can be for their student and their respective tutoring/mentoring program.

In a volunteer based program it is rare that we make any event or activity mandatory, but this one was a must for the volunteers in all programs. We just felt that the information was so important and beneficial to all that attend that it was just a must that all volunteers make an effort to be a part of it. And we definitely did have a positive response from volunteers with this year having more Cabrini Connections' volunteers attend than any of the previous years. Thank You!!!

Volunteers had the opportunity select which workshops they wanted to attend and many carefully selected workshops that related to their individual student or their experience in the program. There were panels led by professionals in the Chicagoland area, their were workshops led by veteran volunteers and students, and their was a panel that was even led by a students and a parent who is also a well known Cabrini Green Community Activist and resident. Overall this was just a very positive and a great opportunity to learn new skills, brush up on old skills, network, and just a opportunity to continue changing the lives of the youth in our respective programs.

Lastly, we'd like to give a very special thanks to all of our students, parents, and volunteers that led workshops this year. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, time, and services with others!

Cabrini Connections Mixes It Up

In an effort to expand the Cabrini Connections' program from within, several volunteers have taking the lead in putting together Monthly Mixers so that volunteers, staff, board members, family, and friends of the program can socialize and get to know one another. This past Saturday the second Monthly Mixer of the year took place at the Mad River Bar and Grill.

We didn't have 100+ people that came out to take advantage of the opportunity, but the group of about 20 that was present definitely enjoyed the venue, the football games that were being shown, and most of all enjoyed the opportunity to really get to know those that are in the program and friends that were interested learning more about the program. There were very little business cards being exchanged but ideas about ways in which to provide even more support to the Cabrini Connections' program were shared all throughout the night!

Hopefully the ideas that were discussed will turn into reality and everybody that were present will make an effort to attend the next big event of Cabrini Connections which is the 5th Annual Martini Madness. There are many ways to support and/or be a part of this event, you can make an effort to attend the event, purchase raffle tickets for the silent auction, donate an item for the silent auction, and/or donate to the overall event as a sponsor.

Through Adversity Comes Success!!!

There are a few phrases in the NFL that nearly every coach and player have said atleast once in their career or has gone through it as a team or individually and one of those is "dealing with adversity." In the NFL that can mean so many different things to so many different people and teams; adversity could come in the form of an injury to a player, an interception late in the 4th quarter, or an unexpected coaching change. Quite simply adversity is usually when something unexpected happens that typically goes against the goals of a individual player or coach or the entire organization. And when those adverse situations take place teams and the members that make up the entire organization have to rally together, work harder, and fight through the adversity to reach success.

On Saturday August 7th the Cabrini Connections' team and several other tutoring/mentoring teams came together for an event...a one day tournament if you will. The name of the tournament was "Back to School...Make it Cool" and the goal of the tournament was for each team to come together and successfully inform, entertain, feed, and supply those that attended the tournament.

Just like in the National Football League the players and teams prepare by practicing, communicating, and doing all of the big and small things to prepare to be successful, and we all did the same heading into the event. But adversity struck on the day of the event. There were a series of adverse situations that worked against our teams and went against the goals we were working towards. About an hour before the tournament was suppose to start the location of the tournament was changed, supplies and materials that were necessary for the tournament was not in place (tables, chairs, performance stage, etc...), the power went out at one point, and some members of teams did not or could not show up to assist with the tournament and more. This is the adversity that we had to go through this past Saturday, but through adversity comes success and triumph!

The members of the various teams kept the faith, kept the end goal as the focus, took on different roles, supported each other, and continued to fight through the adversity throughout the day. We were able to to successfully feed each and every person who wanted to eat, we provided a wide range of games and activities for all in attendance, all of the scheduled performances performed successfully and entertained the crowd, each and every youth who needed a backpack with supplies got their backpack, and we did all of that and more with more than 5 minutes to spare before the 2pm ending of our tournament!!!

We know and understand that things will not always go as planned and their will be adversity on our route to success, but this is a great example of how various teams in the tutoring/mentoring league came together and successfully hosted the 1st conference wide Back to School event (tournament)! And very similar to the NFL we will look back at our individual and team preparation for the event and take a look at the game film to make the necessary adjustments to that we are even better prepared for adversity and even with the expected and unexpected adversity we'll be even more successful next year!