 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||
"Tutoring at the school is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Not a visit goes by without at least one child saying, in effect, 'Oh yes! I get it! I can do that!' And there is nothing more satisfying than meeting a former student (from as long as five years before) in the hall and getting a big hug!"
-- Peter Dickinson, Yale University alumnus and volunteer at Yale Elementary
Recent Activities |
|
Posted 4 November 2008
> Stewart Playground Unveiling Posted 4 November 2008
> Reavis 50th Anniversary Beautification Event Posted 4 November 2008
> Science Project Tutoring Posted 4 November 2008
> Adopt-A-School Kick-Off Posted 4 November 2008
|
About Us
Mission | Board of Directors | Staff | Supporters
Our Mission
The mission of Alumni for Public Schools is to promote and support volunteer partnerships between the Chicago chapters of college and university alumni associations and individual Chicago public schools in order to enhance student learning and increase students' awareness of and readiness for postsecondary options.
APS provides a link and a means of communication between three primary stakeholders: the Chicago Public Schools central office, participating schools, and volunteers from participating alumni associations. We seek to encourage public schools to view alumni associations as valuable resources for their students, and to encourage alumni clubs to imagine new and effective possibilities for their partnerships.
Board of Directors
Chris Callahan is the Board President and chairman of the Special Events and Communication Committee. Chris oversees the partnership between Taft H.S. and the University of Michigan Club of Greater Chicago. His past volunteer work includes coaching baseball in the Near North Little League in Cabrini Green and coaching basketball at St. Joseph’s Grade School in Cabrini Green. Chris has a B.A. from the University of Michigan, a J.D. from the University of Detroit School of Law, and an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from Georgetown University. He is the owner of the Law Office of Christopher J. Callahan in Chicago, Illinois. .
NEW MEMBER!
Cameron Croft serves as Treasurer and Chairman of the Finance Committee. His strong belief that education is the solution to the world's challenges has led him to APS. Cameron's professional focus is connecting major donors with charities through his company, the C2 Group. In the process of developing these relationships, he has helped start a few non-profits in addition to several of his own personal ventures that all have a common theme of "connecting people". A career connections agency is his newest successful venture. Mr. Croft studied engineering at the University of Illinois and is the President of the Chicago Illini Club. When he isn't pursuing philanthropic interests, he stays very active with waterskiing, beach volleyball, soccer, golf, rock climbing and his newest interest, running. Cameron finished his second marathon last fall, and is now training for his next challenge. .
John Fish is a Princeton University alumnus..
Albert Gaston was born and reared in Arkansas during the Great Depression, and he later graduated from Morehouse College and received a postgraduate degree from Northern Illinois University. During his career as an educator he worked as a teacher, administrator, vice principal and principal in several Chicago Public Schools. Albert is a member of several organizations, including the Chicago Inter-Alumni Council, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Morehouse College Alumni Association, Chicago Chapter and St. John Church - Baptist, where he serves on the Diaconate. He is married and has three sons and five grandchildren..
Saya Hillman serves as Board Vice President. She owns a digital editing business, Mac 'n Cheese Productions, producing films, teaching media to underserved youth, and creating special event DVDs for occasions such as weddings, bat/bar mitzvahs, band promos, and family reunions. Her first film won Best Short Documentary at the Illinois International Film Festival and she is currently working on her dream project, a documentary on a group of children from a low-income neighborhood. Saya graduated cum laude from Boston College with a BA in English and Sociology. She has volunteered at an Englewood elementary school for the past four years and heads the Boston College Service Committee of Chicago..
Katie McClay is an Account Supervisor at Leo Burnett, where she develops holistic campaigns for a global Procter and Gamble brand, with expertise in national TV and print. Katie earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University in North Carolina in May 2001, majoring in Art History and English. While in Chicago, Katie has found time to pursue her hobbies, which include painting and watching Duke Basketball. She has served on board for Alumni for Public Schools since 2005 and is also involved with several other volunteer and nonprofit organizations, including tutoring with Partners in Education and membership on the High Jump Auxiliary Board..
Bernard McCune is a Knox College alumnus and the GEAR UP Manager for the Department of Postsecondary Education at the Chicago Public Schools..
Chandra Papudesu is the Board Secretary and an MIT alumnus..
Oren Pollock is the Chairman of the Outreach and Membership Committee and an alumnus of Williams College, Princeton University and Northwestern University. Oren served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy and worked as assistant treasurer for Sears, Roebuck and Co., teacher at Park Heights Street Academy and executive director and president of the Senior Executive Retirement Volunteers. He has served on several boards, including Lawrence Hall Youth Services and Business and Industry for Arts in Education..
Sheldon Ross is a Williams College alumnus and president of the Williams College Alumni Association of Chicago. He owns a printing company in Chicago and a hospitality company in Florida..
Alexander "Sandy" Weissent, a Harvard University alumnus, is a member of the original, 2001, founding board of APS. Prior to that, starting in 1990, he volunteered in the Harvard Club of Chicago's "Adopt-a-School" Program at Forman High School. He then started the Harvard Club's second program, in 2000, at Walter Payton College Prep, which grew to have almost 250 volunteers involved over his first 4 years. In 2005, The Harvard Alumni Association in Cambridge recognized Sandy as the individual "distinguished service award winner" at its annual, international conference of alumni leaders. Sandy is a Harvard and University of Chicago Graduate School of Business graduate and works as a general management and corporate turnaround consultant. He is originally from Walpole, Massachusetts. .
Lisa Wiersma is the Interim Director of Partnerships for the Chicago Public Schools and serves as an ex officio member of the board..
Staff
Julie Braeutigam was born in Evanston, Illinois and stayed around Chicago for college and now for her new role with APS. She graduated from Northwestern University in 2007 with honors in Communication Studies and a minor in Business Institutions. Her primary activities leading up to APS have been volunteering at animal shelters and working for Northwestern’s Dance Marathon. She wants to continue working in the non-profit world in either education or animal care which is why she is thrilled to work for APS. Julie can be reached by phone at 773-553-1549 or .Supporters
APS receives generous support from the Gorter Family Foundation that allows us to maintain our support of alumni volunteers' work in the schools. APS also receives support from the Chicago Public Schools, the Maurice R. and Meta G. Gross Foundation and the Peter Willmott Foundation. Past support has come from Harris Bank of Chicago, The Alumni Network, Ariel Capital Management, the Keller Family Foundation, Nuveen Investments, the Harvard Club of Chicago and Princeton Project 55. Thank you to all our donors for your valuable support!
Page updated 22 October 2008
