Ombudsman Chicago celebrated more than 100 class of 2015 graduates during a commencement ceremony held on June 9. A CPS Options School Program, Ombudsman Chicago offers teens a second chance at achieving academic success and building a bright future as they work toward earning a CPS diploma. Ombudsman offers open enrollment throughout the school year
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Members of the CPS Ombudsman Option School planted flower seedlings in honor of Violence Prevention Week at the Police Department. Then some of the students read anti-violence poems, while Interim-Chief of Police Dennis McEnerney, Deputy Chief Joseph Penze, Deputy Chief Vincenzo Genualdi, and Detective Roy Balsamo help out. Violence in Chicago is a complex, often
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Determination to overcome life’s obstacles is echoed by 20-year-old West Side native, Destiny Wright. When Destiny came to Ombudsman in September 2014, she had only 4.5 of the 24 credits needed to earn a CPS high school diploma. Losing her father and two other family members within a very short time frame was more than
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A good old friend of mine brought me to Ombudsman. His name is Tommy Hack, and it all happened by fate as it seemed that I talked to him about school. It started on a snowy winter day right after New Year. My parents were on vacation in Mexico and they left me all alone
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For many Ombudsman students, the journey to receiving their diploma has been complicated. West Side native, 18-year-old Elijah Hamilton, stopped going to school twice and attributes a large portion of his success in overcoming life’s obstacles to the support system he found at Ombudsman. “I initially dropped out because I was tired of all the
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Empowering the next generation of female leaders According to a 2014 report on the state of self-esteem, the majority of teen girls (seven in ten) believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way. Reinforcing a healthy self-image within educational settings can be crucial to the growth and development for
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Financing a college education has become a critical component in making higher education a possibility for most families. Through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), colleges around the country determine the amount of financial aid they will award to students. To assist students through the application process Ombudsman Chicago, in conjunction with Ladder
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TBTNEWS REPORT Tips from a Chicago Parent: The first semester is complete for most high school students across the country. Now that the school year has hit the halfway mark and report cards have been sent out, more than a few parents might find themselves coming to the realization that their child is failing high
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In 2012 Chicagoans got some harsh news: there were 56,000 high school dropouts under 21 –enough to fill Soldier Field. “At the time, we had 5,300 seats to serve them,” said Jennifer Vidis, the head of alternative schools for Chicago Public Schools. Over the last two years, the district brought that number up to 12,000.
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