Summer Camp, Playground Donation, Mental Health Supports, & More!

On May 11, the Carole Robertson Center for Learning came together to celebrate our staff -- the Workforce Behind the Workforce -- at our first in-person Annual Celebration in three years! Check out the event recap  to watch videos about our inspiring staff and to view photos from the event.

And watch for the FY 2021 Annual Report – coming soon!

Early Childhood Education (Ages 0-5):

Home Visitors Earn the Child Development Associate Credential

Eight home visitors, many of whom are from Chicago's Rohingya refugee community, were awarded a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential as part of a cohort program. Through the cohort, our home visitors, sometimes referred to as traveling teachers, receive professional development supports via training, technical assistance and coaching to ensure they effectively implement best practices in home visiting education services. 

New Infant-Toddler Playground Donated to North Lawndale Site by Play Mart

The youngest learners in North Lawndale have access to state-of-the-art playground experiences, thanks to equipment donated to the Center by Play Mart, Inc., and Next Generation Play. The Play Mart playground equipment, officially unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 15, helps the Center to provide the rich play environments that all children deserve. Read More

Out-of-School-Time (Ages 5-17):

Summer Camp, June - August 

The Center’s Summer Camp offers a calendar chock full of fun and educational experiences in an environment of social-emotional learning and mental health supports. The 247 youth participating at all three flagship sites are enjoying endless possibilities for enriching, creative activities and exciting outings in a series of themed weeks, such as Culture Appreciation Week, Learn a New Skill Week, Wild Waters Week, Sports & Health Week, and Nature Week.

Did you know?

Our OST youth benefited this program year by having access to a reading specialist. As a result of our literacy initiatives: 

95% of kindergartners improved in at least 4 of 7 assessment areas, which include alphabet recognition, story listening, phonemic awareness, one-to-one matching, letter sounds, developmental spelling and word recognition.

Program-Wide:

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: The Center’s Mental Health Program 

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month recognizes the unique struggles and disparities that racial and ethnic minorities face regarding mental illness. Senior Director of Mental Health David Walker and his team work to promote the mental and emotional wellness of children and families in our programs, as well as our workforce, through workshops, mindfulness sessions, and calm corners, all while supporting families with access to mental health resources. Read more.

Children’s International Film Festival – Albany Park

In early July, children and youth at our Albany Park site participated in the 10th Annual International Children's Film Fest in partnership with the International Children's Media Center. Children and youth watched a dozen age-appropriate international short films before voting on this year's "Best of the Fest" winner. The votes are in and "Belly Flop" by South African Directors Jeremy Collins & Kelly Dillon is the winner!

Books, Wonderful Books

The Lake Shore (IL) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, made a generous donation of books to the Little Village site in June as part of their national initiative to donate 7500 books to Head Start programs across the country that month. The donation was part of a partnership between The Links, Incorporated, and Colgate, which included distribution of the Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures Toolkit.  

Community-Based Advocacy: Take Action! See Below. 

Potential Funding for Albany Park Site Included in Federal Appropriations Bill

The Carole Robertson Center may soon receive federal dollars to begin much-needed capital improvements at our Albany Park location. Congressman Mike Quigley included a request for capital support for the Albany Park building in his Community Project Funding request for Fiscal Year 2023, and the bill was passed by the House Appropriations Committee earlier this month. This is an important step in securing these funds, and the Center expects to hear more as the bill advances through Congress over the next several months. We are grateful for Rep. Quigley's support of our children and families.

Center Hosts Illinois State Senator Ram Villivalam 

On May 23, Senator Ram Villivalam had a chance to visit the Center’s Albany Park location, where he learned about the supports offered to children and families, and spent time visiting early childhood classrooms. We look forward to his continued partnership and support during the next legislative session!  

Take Action!

Please take a moment and contact our U.S. Senators to urge them to include child care in the federal reconciliation bill that is currently being discussed in Congress. The current reconciliation bill does not include funding for child care, and federal resources are imperative to improving the lives of working families. Take action today!

In The Media:

Vaccinations for Children Under 5  

On June 17, Meg Helder, senior director of monitoring and support, and Sangeeta Solshe, senior health manager, were quoted in a Chalkbeat story about approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5 years old. Read the story.  

Upcoming Events & Opportunities:

2nd Annual Lawndale Peace Part | Saturday, July 23 | 11 am – 2pm

You’re invited to the Lawndale Peace Party at Douglass Park this Saturday, July 23! Bring your grill for a cookout and gather with the communities from North and South Lawndale as we promote peace, love, and unity together. It’ll be an afternoon full of music, activities, and resources from families, friends, and neighbors, hosted by Center partner Marshall Square Resource Network (MSRN) and North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council. Stop by and say hello to Center staff at tables outside of our Little Village site at 2929 W. 19th St.!

Looking for the perfect volunteer opportunity?

If you’d like to learn more about the Carole Robertson Center for Learning and how you can help support our work, consider volunteering! We have a need for group and individual volunteers for offsite projects, virtual opportunities, and a limited number of on-site opportunities. Volunteer today!

Give Today. Empower Tomorrow!

For every dollar you invest in us, you will see the return on your investment in the stories and impact on our children, youth, and families. 

An Honor & Responsibility

Since its inception, the Center has worked to honor the life and memory of Carole Robertson who, together with her friends Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, and Denise McNair, was killed in the 1963 bombing of the 16^th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.