Youth Impact Program | DAY 1: Northwestern University

Dear Dream Makers, Friends, and Supporters,

In the backdrop and direct aftermath of one of the worst weekends for gun violence in Chicago, we have embarked on our second year of pulling close to 100 “at-risk” middle school boys from these same neighborhoods out into the safe haven of Northwestern University, under the guidance, care and support of the Marines, Navy Corpsman and Northwestern University Student-Athletes. The Northwestern Youth Impact Program started on Monday, and will for the next two weeks take the boys daily from 8 am to 5 pm to Northwestern and educate them academically, provide them critical life skills, develop their leadership skills, and give them the joy of consistent structure in their lives and of course playing football on a team, competing every day.

This year, the academic portion of our program is focused on the areas of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, English Comprehension, Science/Physics, and Brain Training to enhance focus. We have continued the life skill development that reflects the pyramid of winning values for Northwestern University Football. Sitting in on all of the classes, I was inspired by and saw some exceptionally gifted boys in mathematics as well as a few with strong vocabulary and clarity in articulation of English and English comprehension that our teachers were able to bring out.

We are very thankful for the support that has enabled us to provide continuous healthy snacks during the entire day for the participants as many are below the poverty line and don’t have access to proper nutrition.

We are also grateful for the overall support of Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald and the outstanding leadership of our program director Dan Hernandez for his detailed orchestration and management.

The support of the program from within its own Chicago community is outstanding and we are much appreciative to those from this community that believes in this program. That core belief makes impact happen and makes it last.

If you have not yet done so, please consider contributing to the Northwestern Youth Impact Program today, we still greatly need your support!