This past May, Chicago Bank of America WITS (Working in the Schools) mentors celebrated the end of an amazing year of Mid-Day Mentoring at Walsh Elementary School. Each elementary student … 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
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
Mentor Reflections: Amisha Ray
In honor of National Volunteer Week, we talked to mentor and Associates Board (AB) member Amisha Ray about her time at WITS. Amisha’s service runs the gamut; from mentoring in-person … Read More
Reading Isn’t Just Fundamental; It’s Grounds For A Solid Education (A Note From Our CEO)
The lead picture on the front page of this Sunday’s New York Times is a group of kindergartners sitting on the floor of their classroom holding up tiny dry-erase boards … Read More
WITS Summer Books Highlights 2023
An essential part of the WITS mission is to help students build at-home libraries and foster a love of reading outside of the classroom. Through the WITS Summer Books initiative, … Read More
Mentor Reflections: Fran Borrayo
Working in the Schools works with over twenty-five program partners to provide literacy support and mentorship. Fran Borrayo, a longtime mentor, has worked for two of them. He started his … Read More
Back in the Classroom: How to Honor Student Experience
It’s that time of year again; the smell of fresh marble composition notebooks, unaware of their temporary pristine condition. Fingers delicately configuring locker combinations and brains taking on the daunting … Read More
