Launched in 1982, Banned Books Week is an annual event that champions the freedom to read. Over the past 40 years, the number of banned and challenged books in libraries … Read More
CPS Strategic Plan & WITS Mission: How They Align
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) recently unveiled its five-year strategic plan, Together We Rise. Over the past year, members of the WITS staff provided input through surveys, town halls, and focus … Read More
A Passion for Literacy: New Board Members Spotlight
WITS culminated its 2023-2024 school year on June 30 with our Annual Board of Directors meeting, which Board member Craig Close and our partners at PPM Jackson hosted. As the … Read More
Mentoring Students in Chicago: Interview with Alex Van Tiem
“Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr. Volunteering represents a social commitment where individuals generously contribute their time and resources toward a specific objective. In … Read More
Mentoring Students in Chicago: Insights from Mentor Madison Johnson
Prior to working for an investment management firm, Madison Johnson was a school program director at a thriving nonprofit in Iowa City. Upon moving to Chicago and joining corporate America, … Read More
Reading with Students in Chicago: A WITS Program Year in Photos
Time flies when you’re reading with students in Chicago! It’s hard to believe that this school year has come to a close. As we wrap up the 2023-2024 program year, … Read More
What Keeps Employees Happy: Erica Keswin & WITS
In the summer of 2023, at the peak of the “Quiet Quitting” and the “Great Resignation” movements, I was connected to Wall Street Journal best-selling author Erica Keswin while she … Read More
WITS School Coordinator: Mary “Mighty M” Miller
The WITS Workplace Mentoring program, is an afterschool literacy mentoring program for 4th-8th grade Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students. After school students are bussed to a downtown corporate office to … Read More
Why Poetry Matters and Five Recommendations
Poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence. –Audrey Lorde The WITS mission is to empower Chicago elementary students to discover themselves through reading while … Read More
Four Books about Home and Belonging
Throughout the year, WITS students and mentors build relationships together through books and the power of sharing stories. At the end of each program year, to celebrate the time students … Read More
