Almost 1,000 Sandwiches Later...

After three days of hard work assembling and delivering, Ridgewood freshmen, junior mentors, and adult mentors have combined their efforts with the Night Ministry and Salvation Army to make sack suppers to feed the hungry in Chicago.  This year, we were joined with Captain Nancy and Henry, who presented their hopes and goals for this project.  Henry, who once was on the streets himself, recounted that it was the kindness of others in the form of a sandwich that inspired him to join the Salvation Army in their work.  After hearing his story, the students and adults were driven to work together and continue the kindness shown to Henry.  Not only did students deliver the sandwich suppers, but they also passed out gloves and scarves and other supplies needed for the harsh cold and wrapped presents.  Students also worked with Ridgewood art classes to help decorate O'Hare Airport for their annual Fantasy Flight.  This program allows chronically and terminally ill children and their families to fly to the "North Pole."  This project was a great success because of the community's generous support.  Huge thank you's to Captains Nancy and Brian and Henry from the Salvation Army, United Airlines, Ridgewood High School, and junior and adult mentors, especially Helen, Rogelio, Ian, Chuck, Beth, Pat, Mike N, and John B.  Merry Christmas and have a great holiday!

 

On the Town: Mentors Meet with the Blackhawks and Salvation Army

Mentors had the opportunity on November 17th to venture downtown on the L.  First stop was meeting Mr. Steve Waight at the United Center.  Last year, Mr. Waight helped Mr. Duncan in presenting a case on the Blackhawks.  This year, he talked to the group about his role as Senior Executive Director for Corporate Sponsorships for the team as well as his path from college to finding a job with the team.  Other members of his marketing team also discussed marketing and being leaders in their field.  

Afterward, it was a quick walk to the Billy Goat Tavern for lunch.  It was a great opportunity to see a great institution in Chicago's history, inspiring a Saturday Night Live Sketch.  Pictured is the group congregating around the goat.

Last stop on the trip was the Salvation Army where Captain Nancy Davis talked about sandwich making with the Ridgewood Mentors and freshmen.  She was joined by Henry, who shared his story of being swept off the street by the Salvation Army and going through the steps to overcome a drug addiction.  He now works with community outreach to get the homeless into their care.  

Thank you to Mr. Waight and the Blackhawks and Captain Nancy and the Salvation Army for imparting their wisdom on service and leadership!

Up and At 'Em at Sarah's Circle

Most students would sleep in during a Faculty Institute Day at RHS.  But the mentoring kids were up and at 'em at 6:30 AM, driving down to Sarah's Circle Women's Shelter in Uptown.   Mentoring students made and served hot breakfast including pancakes, sausage, orange slices and fresh hot coffee.  They were also able to hand out the United Airlines personal hygiene zipper bags.  Thank you to Rotary, Pastor, Frank Ward, Charles Duncan, and the women at Sarah's circle for inspiring us to work for the greater good.  

Mentors Volunteer for Sarah's Circle! (Part 2)

Today, August 16th, we had the opportunity to make and serve breakfast at Sarah's Circle.  As the sun rose bright and early on the Chicago lakefront, we were busily preparing cups of coffee and plates of sausage links, pancakes, and watermelon to serve to the women at the shelter.  Thanks to the contributions of the junior and adult mentor partners, especially the DiPiero family and Nuccio D'Argento, we were able to serve over thirty homeless and at-risk women in the shelter and had plenty of food left over.  After breakfast was served, we passed out toiletry kits donated by United Airlines and the Rotary organizations of Rosemont and Norridge-Harwood Heights.  We would like to thank everyone involved in today's event and we wish Sarah's Circle our best wishes for the future!

Lina Hawari lays out sausage on a pan.

Alexis Roth and Mary Ennis set up cups.

Kevin Moore pours coffee.

Sabrina Krasinski and Deana Hanns flip pancakes.

Deana Hanns and Kevin Moore serve to the women.

A group picture after we finished!

Mentors Volunteer for Sarah's Circle!

Pictured: Mentors Alexis Roth and Deana Hanns assemble toiletry kits.

We would like to thank United Airlines, Rosemont Rotary, and Norridge-Harwood Heights Rotary for their generous donations to make toiletry kits.  Be on the lookout for the mentors when they come and make breakfast with Sarah's Circle on August 16th!  Sarah's Circle is a Chicago-based organization that seeks to serve homeless and at-risk women.  For more info, you can visit http://www.sarahs-circle.org.  We look forward to working with them!

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS 2014-2015

Student Mentor Application

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5o2H17IHvY2MWp5NkhoRDJBdm94RUFwa0k1NUxIeVhsQUZj/edit?usp=docslist_api

2014-2015 Calendar

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5o2H17IHvY2X0FYWjN2WHZzUGc/edit?usp=docslist_api

Program FAQs

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5o2H17IHvY2bGJuMEpKNFc0aDQ/edit?usp=docslist_api

Ridgewood Mentors Soar in 2013-2014!

     The Ridgewood Mentors had another fantastic and productive year with their growing partnership with Charles Duncan and United Airlines.  The mentoring year took off for us in September with a trip to O'Hare Airport where students were able to view the inner workings of this international transport hub.  We also had the privilege of seeing the job interview process at work with a mock interview given by a United Airlines manager.

Mentors discuss layaway problems at the airport.

Whether on the runway, atop a communication tower, or in the cockpit, we saw employees devoted to serving their customers to the best of their ability.          

     It was this very devotion to customers that Mr. Duncan also explored with us each month in case study sessions.  In a structure similar to that of classes at Harvard Business School, we discussed case studies dealing with organizations from IKEA to the Chicago Blackhawks and Trader Joe's to United Airlines itself.

Mr. Duncan talks about the Chicago Blackhawks.

 The year-long case studying culminated in May with a presentation of each individual case by groups of five students each to college professors.  With Mr. Duncan's guidance from the discussions, we were able to explore a business situation from multiple perspectives, identify a problem, and then propose solutions and evaluate their effects.

Students present their case to the professors.

     The mentors also continued their work guiding the freshmen each month.  With our respective adult mentors, we met with our groups of students to discuss executive functions like goal setting and time management.  Aside from these discussions, students and adult mentors also kept the yearly tradition of making sandwiches for the city's needy during the winter.  Community members and mentors themselves contributed the ingredients for the meals and so we joined our efforts together for a great cause.  Later as spring approached, the Ridgewood student community came together again.  With the "Cups Song" as our inspiration, Mentoring Coordinator Mrs. Barry and Mentor Mrs. McGready showed us the steps to the routine.  In turn, the mentors showed the routine to their student groups.  After some practice, the Freshman House erupted in a "Cups Song" frenzy, and then applause for our efforts.  It goes to show that a community can do wonderful things together.

Practicing the "Cups Song."

     Though the school year may be over, the Ridgewood Mentors' work surely is not!  From helping the Senior Assistance Program deliver meals across town

Delivering meals with the Senior Assistance Program.

to facilitating Ridgewood's iPad Rollout, we are hard at work during the summer to reach out to the community and make next year an even better one.  Who knows where the Ridgewood Mentors will show up in the coming year?!

Photo credits to iHigh, Ms. Barry, and Norridge-Harwood Heights News