Chicago Runners
Achieving fitness and fun, 15 minutes at a time.
In partnership with the Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Runners, our first program, is "up and running" in 30 public schools around the city, inspiring children in largely underserved communities to improve their fitness and self-esteem through 15-minute organized runs, three times per week.
How it Works
Designed for elementary school, Chicago Runners is organized at each school by a Site Coordinator. He or she selects a safe, appropriate running course on the school grounds, recruits teachers for participation, and supervises the runs, which take place during recess, lunch hour or a designated "fitness break."
School staff logs each child's mileage into the Chicago Runners database. The runners are rewarded in reaching their incremental mileage goals by incentives, events, and other surprises, often donated by our generous sponsors. In exchange for their help, Site Coordinators receive a small stipend, free running gear, and can attend a curriculum of professional development activities related to physical fitness and exercise.
Building Bridges One Step At A Time
What's unique about our program is that, though the running happens at each child's school, our database helps "build a bridge" for the Runners to learn about the diverse neighborhoods throughout the city. For each classroom, Site Coordinators can select a route to virtually travel for each classroom. As the kids run their miles, they will also be virtually running a marathon throughout the Chicago Run schools and neighborhoods. While they run, the kids learn about the geography, history, and rich ethnic and cultural heritage of Chicago's diverse communities.
By becoming actively involved in schools throughout the underserved areas in the south, west, and north sides of the city, Chicago Run's program celebrates the ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity that make our neighborhoods unique. Through Chicago Run events, children have the opportunity to interact with runners from other areas of the city, sharing their experiences and learning from each other. In addition, our database provides an opportunity for our runners to track themselves as they virtually run from one community to the next!
Bringing Communities Together
The success of Chicago Runners has inspired several schools to begin parent/teacher walking clubs, friendly inter-classroom competitions, and end-of-year awards ceremonies. With each mile run, Chicago Run students, teachers, and families learn together how exciting running for fitness and fun can truly be!
Chicago Running Mates
Accomplishing goals and achieving fitness, mile after mile.
In partnership with the Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Running Mates, our second program, is currently in 2 public schools, inspiring children in underserved communities to accomplish goals and improve their fitness by training for local road races.
How it Works
Designed for middle school, Chicago Running Mates is an after-school based program that meets 3 times a week utilizing school staff and volunteer coaches to manage the program and provide a positive, active and healthy training environment.
The coaches lead practices and implement the training and nutritional program which is provided by Chicago Run. Each hour-long session includes team-building exercises, a running workout, nutritional informational, and motivational discussions to promote leadership and cross-community collaboration. Coaches track each child's mileage and progress by monitoring the training and making adjustments when needed. The runners are rewarded throughout their participation in the program with events, running gear, snacks, and other surprises, often donated by our generous sponsors. In exchange for their help, coaches receive a small stipend, free running gear, and can attend a curriculum of professional development activities related to physical fitness and exercise.
Building Bridges One Step At A Time
What's unique about this middle school program is that participants not only learn about the health benefits of running and fitness, but they begin breaking down racial and cultural stereotypes by forging friendships and relationships that often times cannot exist due to the economic, social, and geographical barriers that exist between neighborhoods. In addition to the running and training portion of this program, this program is designed to bring schools together that otherwise might never cross the "running path" and begin building bridges across community lines.
  |