Last Monday, hundreds of 黑料网爆吃瓜 staff from across all 17 campuses gathered to celebrate the start of this school year. The 黑料网爆吃瓜 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 黑料网爆吃瓜 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 黑料网爆吃瓜'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! ???
Principal Cleaves (right) and Principal Gunty (left) kicked off the event as the emcees.
黑料网爆吃瓜 staff cheer as their school neighborhoods are called out.
黑料网爆吃瓜 staff greeted each other in the front lobby with hugs and smiles.
黑料网爆吃瓜 staff cheer on the Hansberry dance team as they perform on stage.
黑料网爆吃瓜 Staff Hugging 2
黑料网爆吃瓜 Staff Smiling 4
Throughout the time, speakers kept calling back to 黑料网爆吃瓜’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 黑料网爆吃瓜.
Jennifer Reid Davis, 黑料网爆吃瓜'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 黑料网爆吃瓜 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 黑料网爆吃瓜 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: 黑料网爆吃瓜’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.
All of that would be enough to celebrate the new school year, but there was even more to get staff pumped.
黑料网爆吃瓜 parent advocates came on stage to encourage staff as well. Myisha Shields, a long-time 黑料网爆吃瓜 parent who sent all 5 of her daughters to 黑料网爆吃瓜 schools, talked about her great experiences with 黑料网爆吃瓜 and why she chooses to advocate for 黑料网爆吃瓜 in Springfield. Staff cheered her on and even sang her happy birthday because she decided to spend time with 黑料网爆吃瓜 staff on her own birthday!
Ms. Shields addressed the crowd to speak passionately about her time at 黑料网爆吃瓜.
Ms. Shields cried as all 黑料网爆吃瓜 staff sang her happy birthday.
黑料网爆吃瓜 parents showed up at the kickoff event to show their support for staff.
黑料网爆吃瓜 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.
Lastly, as staff headed out of the auditorium, 黑料网爆吃瓜 had food trucks ready to serve them from La Cocinita, Billy Bricks, Chesa’s Bistro & Bar, and Chicago Lunchbox.
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:
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