A SAHY Day

(Top) Students of Morton playing musical chairs at last
years Holiday Party. (Bottom) Students with their crafts.

         "There are about 25,000 homeless youths in Illinois ranging in ages from 13 to 24, and that that number does not include children under the age of 13, said Megan Wickman of Teen Living Programs, a Chicago-based social services agency for homeless youth." These numbers are exactly what drive a not-for-profit organization I am apart of, Student Alliance for Homeless Youth a.k.a. SAHY. Today, we had our annual Winter Holiday Party. We went to the West side of Chicago to Morton School of Excellence, an elementary turnaround school. For clarity, a Chicago turnaround school is an elementary school structured using a specific model to change the culture of the school in order to help the students become higher achievers. Morton has also been very lucky to have the support of the Chicago Bulls! This has impacted the students tremendously --there are countless drawings by students of the Bulls players all over the walls. The Bulls actually built a new gym in the school! Clearly, the Bulls players are role models for many of the kids at Morton - how great is that!? I wonder if these kids have a lot of positive role models in their lives. Shouldn't all kids have a chance to have a good education, good food, fun, and to feel safe?
           Today, we set up a fun day for the kids including gym games, arts and crafts, bingo or "Jingo" as in jingle bells, and lunch. The day provides 30 to 50 elementary school kids with fun activities they would not usually have the opportunity to do. It also gives their parents a break and the security of knowing their kids are safe and well taken care of.Our partnership with Morton is special for me and my friends at SAHY because we feel like we get as much out of the day as the kids we are mentoring and playing with. Seeing the smiles on the kids faces makes all of us smile and want to be there. As we handed out goody bags at the end of the day, we were embraced in hugs from the kids, showing their thanks. In fact, some kids even remembered our names from last year! I can't wait until our next event at Morton, the Valentine's Day Party! To read a little about SAHY, check out this article from our Candlelight Vigil in which representatives from the other organizations we partner with spoke.