OWLS LACROSSE Impact Report Using Lacrosse to Change 2016-17 School Year the Lives of At-Risk Youth OWLS Lacrosse 1772 W. Ainslie St. Chicago, IL 60613 [email protected] From Our Founder Outreach With Lacrosse & Schools or OWLS uses the sport of lacrosse to improve the quality of life for Chicago’s most at-risk When we started OWLS in 2011 the mission was clear: use lacrosse to create opportunities for Chicago’s most youth through a holistic intervention model. Using inner-city at-risk youth. What was not clear was how opportunity would manifest itself through our programs. The success stories of schools and community centers as our access point, we provide OWLers on and off the field are countless. Just this past year this service through a unique blending of: we completed another interscholastic season for over 150 youth, sent athletes to overnight camps in four states, certified trainees for paid positions as lacrosse officials, and designated over $100,000 in academic scholarships for OWLS participants. We’ve come a long way from a pile of used gear in 2011, but developmentally positive options are increasingly limited for the students we serve. In some cases, our program is the most powerful guiding force available. Last May, a group of our “Academy” participants travelled to South Bend to watch Notre Dame play Marquette in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It was a tremendous experience for our students to see the highest level of play within the sport while gaining valuable exposure to an elite college campus. Upon returning to the West Side, the last student we dropped off in Academic Team-based sport Service-learning Garfield Park said something that I’ll never forget. “It’s very violent here.” This student will remain Support & development & enrichment anonymous, but I can tell you he lives in a project tower, he has lost two parents, and he has to Mentoring programming opportunities navigate one of the most violent stretches of the city on a daily basis. I don’t believe he was informing me of the presence of gun-related activity, but rather communicating the darkness of his reality in contrast to the “light of the golden dome” we experienced just hours earlier. I realized then that OWLS may be the only truly enriching option available to him. If we do not continue expanding on that experience, he is in danger of folding into his surroundings. Although we can control our organizational culture, every child is different. Our programs need to accommodate students’ individual situations, strengths, and idiosyncrasies. We will continue to provide outlets for our highest performing student-athletes, while increasing focus on our most distressed participants We address our participants’ unique circumstances through trauma-sensitive program design. Whether it is providing a pathway to secondary educa- tion, a job, or simply a nurturing presence, our goal is to support every OWLS participants‘ transition and individual short-term needs within a structured into a healthy quality of life. We hope you’ll continue supporting us in order to continue making this team environment while providing the long-term ambition a reality. resources needed for their continued transition Yours in Lacrosse, Sam Angelotta, OWLS Founder to a sustainable healthy quality of life. OUR RESPONSE: A Redefined Direct Model “Being part of OWLS has made my daughter Jillian more disci- OWLS Sport-based Youth Intervention Model plined outside of the game. She has learned how to be a team player and how to persevere in her school studies as well. Jillian was introverted and quiet, but OWLS has provided her with self confidence. I am so grateful to the organization for helping her develop an “I can do it” attitude.“ Jeanette Tolbert OWLS Parent LEVEL 1 Introducing an option Learns to love the sport at an early age through engaging and exciting programming LEVEL 2 Expanding on the option Student begins to understand the connection between athletics and life components (scholarship, teamwork, career readiness, and emotional stability) Participates in all available lacrosse programming, service projects, and baseline academic monitoring LEVEL 3 Adopting the option Year-round participation in athletics, service-projects, and academic programming (steady educational, social-emotional, and economic track) Participates through HS/college graduation as a player or service learning volunteer Our Community In 2016, Chicago was home to more shootings than New York and Los Angeles combined (750+ homicides, 4500+ shooting victims). The above map represents shooting occurrences from January-May of 2017. OWLS was launched in 2011 to provide a trauma-sensitive option for at-risk youth within the most impacted areas on the West and South Sides. Where Shootings Occur In Chicago Since Jan 1, 2017 Our Impact Our Students 2016-17 School Year “I had never heard or seen lacrosse a day in my life until the OWLS program came to St. Malachy when I was in 8th grade. I was always a quiet kid but lacrosse gave me a voice. As a defenseman I had to communicate slides with my teammates, and over time I really gained confidence. After college I plan on using my knowledge of lacrosse to give back and teach kids like me.” Marcus Williams The Ohio State University ‘19 Student-Athletes Served 166 Black/Hispanic/Multi-Racial Participants 99.4% Low-Income Participants 90% Academic Scholarships Earned $104,000 “Officiating OWLS League games are like the Super Bowl to me. The Total Programming Hours (5 Program Sites) 934 training program was intense and required me to study in my free time, which I will continue to do in order to get better. Preparation is key for Total Volunteers 157 the best on-field results, and this approach wil help me in life.” Student Official’s Training Hours 88 Sherrod OWLS Official DRW College Prep ‘19 OWLS currently serves over 150 youths at four school sites and two park district locations in Chicago. Our impact can be measured through increased participation in our programs, scholarships earned, work hours, and volunteer projects for both students and staff. We do not simply focus on top performing students. Our Academy program helps our most active OWLS participants identify paid jobs and academic opportunities beyond those in their local neighborhoods. “OWLS has taught me how to take healthy risks while providing me with strength on and off the field. It taught me how to persevere through tough times even when I wanted to give up. The OWLS program has molded me to be the driven, ambitious, and determined person I am today.” Jillian Tolbert De La Salle Institute ‘21 Our Coaches & Volunteer Staff Our Partners St. Malachy School Chicago Jesuit Academy “OWLS has introduced our students to a sport that was unfamiliar to them, Dionte Mandeldove, Program Site Manager/Coach Terese Hagerty, Program Site Manager/Coach provided an alternative to traditional sports, and overall had a very positive Patrick Rodgers, After-School Coach Jitim Young, After-School Coach impact on them. They’ve been able to work with college teams and are Robert Lemein, After School Coach beginning to understand how lacrosse is played at a higher level. I love seeing OWLS Academy at Garfield Park Clay Garrison, After-School Coach our students prepared for practice and showing a true commitment to the team. Taylor Harris, OWLS League Director I think a lot has to do with the ongoing coaching and mentoring they receive Willa Cather Public School Timothy Hall, Program Site Manager from OWLS. This relationship can not be underestimated. They believe in them Varita Williams, Program Site Manager Sam Angelotta, HS Academy Manager/Coach and in return they believe in themselves.” James Depaul, After-School Coach Jordan Grimes, HS Academy Coach Barbara Relerford Jon Kelman, After-School Coach Greg Manista, HS Academy Coach Vice-Principal Taylor Hanken, After-School Coach Hillary Darragh, Junior Box League Director Willia Cather Elementary (CPS) Andrew Ritchie, After-School Coach Zach Arlia, Junior Box League Coach John Hogan, Junior Box League Coach St. Ann School Nolan Chow, Junior Box League Coach Benny Morten, Program Site Manager Joe Hrusovsky, After-School Coach Up2Us Sports Oakland Lacrosse Jordan Kirshner, After-School Coach Chicago Park District Parisi Speed School St. Malachy School East Ave Lacrosse Willa Cather Elementary (CPS) Evanston Youth Lacrosse Association St. Ann School Mount Carmel High School Chicago Jesuit Academy Make a Difference Fund “Having an opportunity to work with inner city kids who live on the West University of Notre Dame Men’s Lacrosse Linked-In Chicago Side of Chicago playing the game of lacrosse has been amazing. The way Lofty Ventures St. Ignatius College Prep these student athletes have embraced the lacrosse program in which OWLS BDC Sports Chicago Police Department 11th District has provided is wonderful, and they are extremely excited every year to Garfield Park Gators Youth Football Chicago Blackhawks participate during the season. Watching these kids perform on the field, DRW College Prep Great Lakes Lacrosse Officials Association seeing the love and respect each team shows one another, and having a DePaul University ZS Associates league with different races/ cultures is one of the best programs Chicago Bridge Lacrosse Glenbrook South Men’s Lacrosse could've provided for our youth.“ Jitim Young Harlem Lacrosse Los Angeles New Wave Lacrosse OWLS CJA Coach Denver CityLax Whitney Young Men’s Lacrosse Former Northwestern Athlete of the Year Sponsors, Foundations, Our Scholar Athletes and In-Kind Support Last fall, OWLS was honored by receiving an organizational grant from the Bill Belichick Foundation. BBF was established in 2013 to provide coaching, mentorship “I want to keep participating throughout my life and and financial support to individuals, communities and organizations.