CHICAGO YOUTH CENTER CALUMET HEIGHTS IS READY FOR THE COMMUNITY

CHICAGO YOUTH CENTER CALUMET HEIGHTS IS
READY FOR THE COMMUNITY

BY TIA CAROL JONES

For years Buckingham School stood vacant. Seventh
Ward Alderman Greg Mitchell had a vision to bring
the site back to life as a community center.

He reached out to Illinois State Representative Curtis Tarver and Chicago Youth Centers President and CEO Kevin Cherep and shared his vision with them. On Wednesday, June 14th, Chicago Youth Centers Calumet Heights hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate Mitchell’s vision coming to fruition.

The Calumet Heights location, which includes an outdoor
space and technology hub, is the first new Chicago Youth Center location in 30 years. Chicago Youth Centers was founded in 1956. The organization’s mission is to invest in youth in underserved communities, with the aim to help them discover and realize their full potential. The organization provides early learning, out-of-school
time and family engagement programs, as well as its education support initiative.

Cherep remembered the first conversations he had with people from the community about the location. “To be here today and to see the smiles on everybody’s faces
and all the people who had an effect on making this happen here, is a little surreal,” he said, adding that
he wanted to pause, be really present and appreciate what everybody accomplished. “It’s really exciting.”

Cherep said what he was most proud of with the opening of the Calumet Heights location is the partnerships with the community and the opportunity to enter into a new community. Also, to take the work that Chicago Youth Centers has been doing for almost 70 years and apply it to a new community that welcomed and embraced the organization, and the work it does.

Cherep recognized the local advisory board members for
their contributions. He also acknowledged the Chicago Youth Centers Board of Directors and the organization’s staff. “This place where we’re standing is here because everybody put their egos aside, everybody put politics aside and did what was best for the community. As a city, if we would just replicate that, so many of the challenges we face everyday, we would start to solve,” he said.

Tarver said as a State Representative he couldn’t go to
Springfield and advocate for his District without the support of the Aldermen in his District, with special acknowledgement of Mitchell for his vision that brought Chicago Youth Centers to Calumet Heights.

“One of the things I think was particularly unique about this project is that from the absolute beginning, Greg wanted to make sure from the youngest to the most senior, everybody had an opportunity to be in this space,” Tarver said.

Airickia Atwater-Potter has been working for Chicago Youth Center for nine years as a family service associate. She will serve as the family service associate at the Calumet Heights location. It was amazing for her
to see the completion of the site, after seeing it as an abandoned school.

“I’m excited for us to open and start getting kids in here,”
she said.

Mitchell said it was his obligation to the senior and youth
in the community to do something meaningful for them.

“It’s always going to be my obligation to look at buildings
and properties like this, but to make sure your streets and
quality of life is the way you left it. That’s my promise and
that’s always my commitment. Today, I build this bridge
for you,” he said.

For more information about Chicago Youth Centers,
visit chicagoyouthcenters.org.

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