The expansion of the Illinois Grow Your Own Teachers Initiative means that a large percentage of Illinois low- and moderate-income communities currently have or will soon begin programs. These programs, unlike many education grant-funded efforts, belong to their communities and depend on your support. Here are some of the ways you can help:
- Identify prospective candidates among your friends, associates, and neighbors.
- Work with your local schools to make sure thay are supporting the program.
- Provide community facilities, inkind contributions, child care, etc. for special project celebrations and other events
- Join a community-advisory council, if your program has one.
- Help raise funds for special needs - for example, computers for the candidates
- Let your public officials know you support the program.
Here are the programs: (or get this list in PDF format) Click on the name of the program for an informative summary of its work.
ALTON
Community Organization: Alton NAACP Four-Year Institution: Greenville College
School District: Alton Community Unit School District #11
Community College: Lewis and Clark Community College
Contact: Teresa Holden (Greenville College) 618-567-7929 (v) 618-664-1461 (f)
AUBURN-GRESHAM:
Serving the southside Chicago community of that name.
Community Organization: TARGET Area DevCorp University: Chicago State
School District: Chicago Public Schools
Contact: Marianna Boyd (TARGET) 773-651-0285 (v) 773-651-5491 (f)
CHICAGO-LAWN
Serving the Southwest Side Chicago community of that name.
Community Organization: Southwest Organizing Project University: Northeastern Illinois University
Community College: Richard Daley College School District: Chicago Public Schools
Contact: Imelda Salazar, (SWOP) 773-471-8208 x 20(v) 773-471-9008 (f)
EAST ST. LOUIS
Community Organization: East St. Louis NAACP University: Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Community College: Southwest Illinois College (SWIC) School District: East St Louis District 189
Contact: Latoya Greenwood, District 189 618-646-3058(v) 618-583-8427(f)
KENWOOD/OAKLAND/LITTLE VILLAGE
Serving the south lakefront Chicago communities of North Kenwood and Oakland and the Westside community of Little Village.
Community Organizations: Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization, Little Village Community Development Corporation University: Illinois State University Community College: Malcolm X College, School District: Chicago Public Schools
Contact: Rod Wilson, KOCO, 773-437-2112 (c) (773) 548-9264 (f)
Fanny Diego-Alvarez , LVCDC, 773-418-5629 (c) 773-542-9241 (f)
LOGAN SQUARE
Two cohorts are currently in operation in the northside Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Nueva Generacìon, the prototype Grow Your Own project in Illinois, and Maestros sin Fronteras, a new cohort creted under the FY07 grant competition.
Community Organization: Logan Square Neighborhood Association University: Chicago State University School District: Chicago Public Schools
Contact: Bridget Murphy, Coordinator, LSNA 520-429-1544(c) 773-384-0624 (f)
NORTH LAWDALE
Serving the Westside Chicago community of that name.
Community Organization: Action Now University: Northeastern Illinois University
Community College: Richard Daley College School District: Chicago Public Schools
Contact: Michael Gardner , 312-676-4275 (v) 312-676-4276 (f)
PEORIA *
Community Organizations: Peoria Citizens Comm. for Econ. Development, Tri-County Urban League
School District: Peoria School District 150 School Emp. Union: Peoria Federation of Support Staff
University: Bradley University Community College: Illinois Central College
Contact: Ruthie Hamer, SD 150, 309 672 6729(v)
ROCKFORD
Community Organization: Hands that Help University: National Louis University School District: Rockford Public Schools Community College: Rock Valley College
Contact: Kristin Wilson , Hands that Help, 815 964-0546(v) 815 964-3766(f)
ROGERS PARK/UPTOWN (Chicago) *
Community Organization: Organization of the Northeast School District: Chicago Public Schools, University: Northeastern Illinois University , Community College: Truman College
Contact: Hina Mahmood, O.N.E., 773-769-3232
SPRINGFIELD
Community Organization: Springfield Urban League University: University of Illinois Springfield Other Colleges: Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield College in Illinois/Benedictine
School District: Springfield Public Schools School Employee Union: Springfield Education Association
Contact: Doris Woolery , Springfield Public Schools, 217-525-3010 (v)
QUAD CITIES/WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS
Community Organization: Community Caring Conference University: Western Illinois University
Community College: Black Hawk College
School Districts: Moline Public Schools, Rock Island/Milan District #41
Contact: Angela Richardson , Community Caring Conference, 309-786-0345(v), 309 786 4357(f)
SOUTHERNMOST ILLINOIS *
Community Organization: FoCUS of Southern Illinois, Inc.
University: Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Community College: Shawnee Comm.College
School Districts: Seven districts in ISBE Region 2
Contact: Janet Maggio, FoCUS/ROE 2, 618-634-2292 (v), 618-634-2294 (f)
SOUTH SUBURBS of CHICAGO
Community Organization: Action Now University: Governors State University
Community College: Prairie State College School Districts: District 201 U – Crete-Monee, Harvey SD 152, Dolton SD 148, Patton SD 133, Prairie Hill SD144, and Cook County SD130
Contact: Kimberly Collier , Coordinator, 708-870-2074(v)
YOUTH CONNECTION CHARTER SCHOOL
YCCS has 23 campus locations in all areas of Chicago (mostly in conjunction with community-based organizations) providing education to former school dropouts.
Community Organization: YCCS Central Office University: Chicago State University
School District: Chicago Public Schools
Contact: Lillie Evins , Coordinator, 312-328-0799(v) 312-328-0971(f)
