Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges of Chicago Launch Student Outreach and Re-Engagement (SOAR) Center in Englewood

CHICAGO -  Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) this week opened the Englewood SOAR Center at Kennedy-King College to strengthen educational opportunities and outcomes for students, ages 15 - 21. Through the SOAR centers, a cohort of about 20 chronically truant and out-of-school youth are provided with guidance and support over six weeks to determine the best pathways for re-engagement and high school graduation. Participants are also provided access to adult education, CCC credit, and certifications. 

“Our partnership with CCC has helped to expand access to high quality programs, advising, and support for our students, particularly those most in need. We continue those efforts to reach students through the new SOAR Center located within Kennedy-King College,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “We’re excited to provide our students with increased awareness of CCC’s offerings and exposure to post- secondary opportunities, ultimately preparing them for success in college, career, and civic life.”

The Englewood location is one of four SOAR Centers in the city, strategically located in neighborhoods with the highest concentration of youth vulnerable to truancy and dropping out of school. The centers, detailed in the below table, have served more than 13,000 students since the program's inception in 2013.  The program supports students with one-on-one mentoring, workshops, transcript evaluations, and graduation planning. Stipends of $150 were made available to students who registered to join the first cohort. 

“We know education is transformative, and the SOAR program will change lives and support young people as they strive to reach their educational goals,” said Juan Salgado, City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor. “City Colleges is committed to working closely with CPS to meet young people where they are and put hope into action, through programs like SOAR. Our mission is to remove barriers to education and create access while offering affordable, academic excellence. We are thrilled that we can offer SOAR at Kennedy-King College as a service to all, but especially to South side communities.”

 To learn more about SOAR Centers, residents can email soar@cps.edu, call 773-553-5103, or the respective number provided in the table below. 

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