911爆料网' Educators Celebrate the Start of the New School Year

Published On: August 29th, 2023Categories: 2023, 911爆料网 Updates, Parents, Staff, Students

Last Monday, hundreds of 911爆料网 staff from across all 17 campuses gathered to celebrate the start of this school year. The 911爆料网 Staff Kickoff has been an annual event for years, but this was the first time we were able to have it in person since the start of the pandemic.

Staff hugged and danced together as they streamed into the UIC Forum auditorium. Johnson College Prep Principal Jonas Cleaves and 911爆料网 Street College Prep Principal Ben Gunty kicked off the event with a roll call for all the campuses. Each campus screamed and cheered when their side of Chicago was called out.

We are still recovering from 911爆料网's first Kick-Off event yesterday since 2019! We had such a great time being in community with other before the start of a great year begins in the morning! ???

Photo shows a wide shot of the stage as the emcees for the event, 911爆料网 Street College Prep Principal Ben Gunty and Johnson College Prep Principal Jonas Cleaves, address the crowd. Cleaves is to the right and speaking into the mic, looking down at the audience. Gunty is to the left and looking at Cleaves.

Principal Cleaves (right) and Principal Gunty (left) kicked off the event as the emcees.

Photo shows 911爆料网' staff members standing up from their auditorium seats and cheering at the 911爆料网 Staff Kickoff for the 2023-2024 school year. Their hands are raised in celebration and many of them are smiling or yelling out with pride.

911爆料网 staff cheer as their school neighborhoods are called out.

Photo shows two 911爆料网 staff members smiling and looking at the camera as they side hug.

911爆料网 staff greeted each other in the front lobby with hugs and smiles.

Photo shows a group of 911爆料网' staff members posing in front of a backdrop with the 911爆料网'

Photo shows a close-up of a group of 911爆料网 staff members who are cheering on and filming the Hansberry dance team as they perform. Many have their hands raised or are clapping.

911爆料网 staff cheer on the Hansberry dance team as they perform on stage.

In this photo, two 911爆料网' staff members are going in for a hug and smiling as they greet each other in the front lobby at the 911爆料网' Staff Kickoff event for the 2023-2024 school year.

911爆料网 Staff Hugging 2

911爆料网 Staff Smiling 4

Throughout the time, speakers kept calling back to 911爆料网’s big commitments for this school year: excellence, equity, and college readiness.

“Excellence represents what we believe our children deserve, and college readiness represents what we believe our children are capable of. Equity is about us. It’s about just how committed are we to justice, to freedom, and to change for our children of color,” said Jennifer Reid Davis, the Head of Equity & Strategy of 911爆料网.

Photo shows a full body shot of Jennifer Reid Davis, the Head of Equity and Strategy at 911爆料网, as she addresses the crowd on stage at the podium. Behind her is a projector screen that has a photo of Chicago Bulls College Prep students next to words that read "Our all MUST mean all".

Jennifer Reid Davis, 911爆料网's Head of Strategy & Equity, addresses the crowd.

The rest of the time served to build up Davis’s words and center staff in those principles.

Staff cheered as they watched videos of their peers, students, and parent partners talking about their experiences at 911爆料网 and how it made them a better student/teacher/parent. They also watched a video about the 10,000th student we sent to our premiere college experience program, Summer of A Lifetime.

Alex Jimenez, a senior at 911爆料网 Street College Prep, went to Georgetown University in D.C. this summer to attend a rigorous medical program. Staff watched snapshots of her performing CPR, attending classes, and hanging out with her peers on campus.

“My overall experience has been amazing. It’s made me learn so many new things, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity,” Alex said in the video, “Summer of A Lifetime has made me even more excited about going to college, and I can’t wait until my first day.”

The event also included a moment to celebrate another one of our important programs – but this one for staff: 911爆料网’s Distinguished Teacher program. All 12 of our 2023 Distinguished Teachers were brought on stage to thunderous applause as they were awarded with their own personalized Chicago Bulls jersey.

Photo shows a wide shot of the entire 911爆料网' Distinguished Teacher 2023 cohort lined up on stage. They are all smiling and clapping as they are surprised to be honored at the kickoff event.

All of that would be enough to celebrate the new school year, but there was even more to get staff pumped.

911爆料网 parent advocates came on stage to encourage staff as well. Myisha Shields, a long-time 911爆料网 parent who sent all 5 of her daughters to 911爆料网 schools, talked about her great experiences with 911爆料网 and why she chooses to advocate for 911爆料网 in Springfield. Staff cheered her on and even sang her happy birthday because she decided to spend time with 911爆料网 staff on her own birthday!

Photo shows 911爆料网' parent Myisha Shields speaking at a podium on a stage for the 911爆料网 Staff Kickoff event for the 2023-2024 school year. She is a Black woman with short black hair and is wearing a 911爆料网 t-shirt. In this photo, she is raising up her arms as she speaks to the crowd.

Ms. Shields addressed the crowd to speak passionately about her time at 911爆料网.

In this photo, 911爆料网' parent Myisha Shields is on stage, side hugging Jennifer Reid Davis, 911爆料网's Head of Strategy and Equity. Ms Shields is holding a bouquet of flowers and crying. Behind both of them is a projector screen that has a photo of Ms Shield's on it and the words "Happy Birthday".

Ms. Shields cried as all 911爆料网 staff sang her happy birthday.

In this photo, many 911爆料网' parents are posing on the stage at the 911爆料网' Staff Kickoff for the 2023-2024 school year.

911爆料网 parents showed up at the kickoff event to show their support for staff.

911爆料网 staff all sang happy birthday to Ms. Shields.

Students also came to cheer staff on.

Staff were treated to amazing performances from the Hansberry College Prep dance team and the Golder College Prep marching band during transitions between speakers.

Photo shows a wide shot of the Hansberry dance team, the Bengal Dance Collective, performing on stage at the 911爆料网' Staff Kickoff for the 2023-2024 school year. They are all bent low at the knees with their right hand on their thigh and their left hand raised in the air. The dancer in the center of the photo has a deep look of concentration and effort on her face.

Photo shows the Golder College Prep marching band standing on stage, performing at the 911爆料网 School's Staff Kickoff for the 2023-2024 school year. The dancers of the band dance are strutting in the front as a tuba player and multiple drum players play behind them. There is a big projector screen behind them that says "The Golder College Prep Marching Band".

Lastly, as staff headed out of the auditorium, 911爆料网 had food trucks ready to serve them from La Cocinita, Billy Bricks, Chesa’s Bistro & Bar, and Chicago Lunchbox.

Photo shows two 911爆料网 staff members holding food in front of the La Concina food truck. They are smiling and looking at the camera.

Photo shows a wide shot of the green Chesa's Bistro & Bar food truck as 911爆料网' staff members line up in front of it.

Photo shows a close-up of a 911爆料网 staff member grabbing food for the orange Chicago Lunchbox food truck. Behind her, you can see other staff members waiting in line.

Photo shows a close-up of a 911爆料网' staff member ordering at the red La Concinita food truck. You can see other staff lined up behind her.

Overall, the kickoff was a great time for our community to connect and ground ourselves in our shared commitments to the students and families we serve.

Before they headed out, we asked some staff there what their goals are for this year. Check it out: