Edgewood College Experience...2011

The Cabrini Connections' program strives to connect people to resources; students, volunteers, parents, and even donors who are looking for a program like ours to donate...we explain to them why our program is a great selection. But for us to be able to connect people to resources we need to understand the needs of students and volunteers and also the needs of the program; but we also have to be able to collaborate with others and access those needed resources.

Dr. Tom Holub a professor at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin has been one of the many sources of resources to the Cabrini Connections' program for 13 years now! Each summer Dr. Holub and a number of his graduate students visit the program for 3 days for what we call "The Edgewood College Experience!"

This was another successful installment of that experience. We had a great group of Edgewood visitors, an outstanding group of Cabrini Connections' students, and just an overall great activity for the Cabrini Connections' program. What made this year different was the leadership that three of our most recent student alumni provided. Imann Mitchell, Cierria Tharpe, and Kanah Bradley are three of our 2011 graduates and not only signed up to participate in the experience this year, but they also served as student leaders assisting the Edgewood guests and working with the younger Cabrini Connections' students. These student leaders did a GREAT job!

Hopefully this opportunity will be the start of a lifelong relationship between the students of Cabrini Connections and the group from Edgewood. We hope that not only does the Edgewood students aim to remain connected to the students, but we also hope they will continue to try to assist the overall program by connecting us to resources they may know of. This could come in the form of new volunteers in the program, funding that our program could use, or as simple as more and more people reading and becoming a fan of the work that we do so they can possibly connect us to future resources. With our biggest FUNdraisor of the year taking place on Thursday of next week, annual golf benefit, the Edgewood College visitors could possibly participate as golfers, attend the dinner, or take advantage of the online bidding opportunity! Again, connecting people to resources is what we aim to do and we definitely want to thank Tom Holub and the 2011 Edgewood College visitors for being one of those resources for our students of the Cabrini Connections' program!

2010 Edgewood College Experience Wraps Up

Tom Holub and the Edgewood visitors successfully completed another great year here with the Cabrini Connections' students and staff. On Wednesday the group remained on-site, but used the entire morning to complete activities, provide prizes, exchange contact information, and say goodbyes!

Here is where you can view the complete Day 3 of the Edgewood College Experience!

2010 Edgewood College Experience

For those who may be unfamiliar with all that takes place in the Cabrini Connections' program, they may not realize that we are so much more than just tutoring and mentoring. The Cabrini Connections' program strives to connect people to resources; students, volunteers, parents, and even donors who are looking for a program like ours to donate...we explain to them why our program is a great selection. But for us to be able to connect people to resources we need to understand the needs of students and volunteers and also the needs of the program; but we also have to be able to collaborate with others and access those needed resources.


Dr. Tom Holub a professor at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin has been one of the many sources of resources to the Cabrini Connections' program for over a decade. Each summer Dr. Holub and a number of his graduate students visit the program for 3 days for what we call "The Edgewood College Experience!"

The newest Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection's staff member, Karina Walker, takes part in her 1st Edgewood College Experience and recaps Day 1 and Day 2! Wednesday will be the 3rd and final day for 2010 and the group will celebrate a great week of the opportunity.

Hopefully this opportunity will be the start of a lifelong relationship between the students of Cabrini Connections and the group from Edgewood. We hope that not only does the Edgewood students aim to remain connected to the students, but we also hope they will continue to try to assist the overall program by connecting us to resources they may know of. This could come in the form of new volunteers in the program, funding that our program could use, or as simple as more and more people reading and becoming a fan of the work that we do so they can possibly connect us to future resources. With our biggest FUNdraisor of the year taking place on Thursday of this week, annual golf benefit, the Edgewood College visitors could possibly participate as golfers, attend the dinner, or take advantage of the online bidding opportunity! Again, connecting people to resources is what we aim to do and we definitely want to thank Tom Holub and the 2010 Edgewood College visitors for being one of those resources for our students of the Cabrini Connections' program!

Meet new NU PIP Fellow, Bradley Troast

A new member has joined the Cabrini Connections team. He is Bradley Troast, a June 2009 graduate at Northwestern University. Bradley is introducing himself here, and has written about the July Edgewood College visit, here.


While Chris Warren will be spending the next year in Guatamala, I encourage you to keep visiting the blog he wrote during the past year. The articles are timeless and provide an inspiring view of Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection.

Changing of the Guards...Cabrini Connections' Style!

The Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection organization is blessed every year with obtaining a recent Northwestern University graduate from the Public Interest Program (PIP). For the 2008-2009 year we were able to get a outstanding addition to our program. Mr. Chris Warren entered the program last July and has been a star on the team every since. Chris was and still is not only a huge hit with the volunteers and students in our program, Chris simply did great work for the organization and for tutoring/mentoring throughout Chicago and beyond. For any and all who met and interacted with Chris can say that with his cool, layed back style, and infection smile...he was a pleasure to be around.

During his tenure here at CC, T/MC he was able to get recycling started in the program and in the building, he organized numerous college and university visits, he got the Cabrini Connections' Youth Leadership Council up and running, Chris used his musical talents to lead a benefit concert for the program in December of 2008. And besides the day to day and week to week work that Chris put together, and among the many other accomplishments that Mr. Warren completed over the past year...Chris provided a FREE bike giveaway to students and the creation of the College Zone have been huge hits in the program. Chris, and team, were able to turn a junk corner in the program into a complete College Assistance Program (College Zone) where students and their mentors have the opportunity to receive assistance and information on how to help the high school students get on track to college and the middle school students to get and stay on track to be successful in high school. Chris will truly be missed and we hope that he will remain in the Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection family! Thank You Chris Warren!!!

With BIG shoes to fill, new Assistant Program Coordinator, Bradley Troast officially joined the team this past Monday as he assistant with the annual Edgewood College Experience. Bradley will continue where Chris left off and work towards enhancing the Cabrini Connections program and bringing attention, resources, and dollars to tutor/mentor programs throughout Chicago through the Tutor/Mentor Connection's side of the organization. In less than one week, Mr. Troast has already began building relationships with several mentors and mentees in the program, completed the 3-day Edgewood College Experience, is working on ways to show our program's impact, and he was able to come out and support several of our students who performed in the Music Theatre Workshop performance at St. Mathews Church last evening. As we can see Bradley is hitting the ground running and can and will be a great addition to the Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection organization. Please make an effort to WELCOME Mr. Bradley Troast to our TEAM!

LaJuan Garcia: Reflections of a Volunteer (entry 2)

Friday February 13, 2009 (Wrap up Day)

There isn’t a job at Cabrini Connections that doesn’t mean something. I spent my Friday afternoon making sure every student and volunteer had a file. It’s definitely important in keeping track of the students and volunteers because every student and volunteer in the program is worth that attention. I also took the time to water some plants; a job that seems simple, but actually has great meaning at Cabrini Connections. The plants I watered were planted by some of the students who took part in the annual EdgeWood College 'Experience' and maintaining them is just one way to show the kids that what they do at Cabrini Connections is special and meaningful. I look forward in learning more about the students in the program.

Here is a video of the students, volunteers, and our special guests from Edgewood College. The Edgewood College 'Experience' is a 3 day adventure where Tom Holub and his graduate students from Edgewood College provides small and big group activities, a scavenger hunt, special field trips, and GREAT food for the youth here at Cabrini Connections.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR0Vy52D6rs

Edgewood College "Experience" (Day 3)

Our third and final day with the Edgewood crew began with some arts and crafts to get the kids fully into gear. They finished painting the flowerpots they began yesterday, filled them with soil and planted seeds which they will each soon watch sprout into flowers, which they will either keep for themselves or give as a gift to a friend or loved one. A breakfast, complete with the 3 C's: croissants, cheese and... candles!? gave the kids a bit of nourishment to finish the morning's activities. After breakfast, the kids heard from 2 college admissions counselors at Edgewood, who spoke about the importance of college and how to begin deciding which type of college might be the best fit. This was followed by a closing ceremony wherein each student shared something kind and encouraging about another student. There were smiles all around as the kids and students shared stories and observations from the past few days. The ceremony culminated with the placing of paper hands on a poster (with career goals on the back) reflecting the solidarity between the kids at Cabrini Connections and the students and volunteers at Edgewood College after which, the children happily ran out into the summer breeze through a gauntlet of positive energy and high hopes.