Meet Atticus and Elliot May

Elizabeth KristoffNovember 19, 2020Inside WITS, Programs, Student & Mentor Spotlight

We are all going through a lot of change. As adults, we are adjusting to new habits, routines, and responsibilities. It can be overwhelming, and whether you exercise, bake bread, … Read More

Empowering Readers and Cultivating Remote Relationships

Delaney EarleyJune 23, 2020Programs, Student & Mentor Spotlight

An unprecedented interruption to the school year led to countless changes for Chicago Public School (CPS) students and staff, including a shift in WITS programming. In mid-April, WITS launched Empowering … Read More

WITS Students Empowered To Grow

Jesse AltmanMay 5, 2020Outcomes, Parents, Programs, Student & Mentor Spotlight

At the center of everything WITS does are our three core values: consistency, empowerment, and community. One way that students are empowered is through the relationships they build with their … Read More

Beyond the Program: WITS Students Reach For Goals In the Real World

Ana PortaMay 4, 2020Outcomes, Programs, Student & Mentor Spotlight, Volunteers

One question the WITS community frequently asks is, how do our students’ experiences in WITS carry over to their lives outside of program? At WITS, we see students going beyond … Read More

What WITSummer Books Means To Me

Jesse AltmanMarch 24, 2020Books, Events, Student & Mentor Spotlight, Support

As we approach the end of the school year and get ready for summer, WITS looks at how to close out programs and make the transition to summer as smooth … Read More

From WITS Student to High School Scholar

Sara MartinezJanuary 16, 2020Outcomes, Programs, Student & Mentor Spotlight

Meet Diamond–a bright sophomore at De La Salle Institute who is not only conquering her studies but also the many extracurricular activities she participates in. She is in honors French, … Read More

Celebrating a Decade With the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Delaney EarleyJanuary 15, 2020Partnerships, Student & Mentor Spotlight

WITS programming is rooted in our three core values—consistency, empowerment, and community. Since 2010, volunteers at the Federal Reserve Bank have embodied these values and worked to establish an evolving … Read More

WITS Blackboard Affair 2019 – Program Video

Kellie RomanyOctober 28, 2019Events, Inside WITS, Outcomes, Partnerships, Programs, Student & Mentor Spotlight, Support, Teachers, Volunteers

Student Perspective: Growth and Confidence

Ana PortaJuly 3, 2019Outcomes, Student & Mentor Spotlight, Volunteers

WITS values student growth, which we measure through two outcomes: reading level growth and attitudes toward reading. One way that students show reading level growth is through increased confidence that … Read More

Letter From a Parent

WITSJune 3, 2019Outcomes, Student & Mentor Spotlight

I hope you are having a good morning.  I am the mother of a WITS student that participants in the WITS program through the partnership with Manuel Perez Elementary School. … Read More