Center on Halsted and IGLTA help local school with beautification of outdoor classroom
Fri. May 3, 2013 12:13 PM
nettelhorst school
photo credit // nettelhorst.org
International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association convention continues in Chicago
Chicago, IL -
On Saturday, May 4th 2013, Center on Halsted is teaming up with the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association during their 30th Annual Global Convention in Chicago to launch a volunteer-driven beautification project of Nettelhorst School's innovative outdoor classroom. The initiative will be an on-going effort by Center on Halsted to provide volunteers with an opportunity to advance community by supporting a local elementary school with a remarkable history of community involvement.
A team of about 60 IGLTA volunteers will be visiting the Nettelhorst School, located in the East Lakeview neighborhood, to kick-off the long-term partnership with Center on Halsted and the community school by installing nearly 100 blue and green nylon globe lanterns to spruce up the space. The IGLTA is also providing funds to help support the project.
According to Center on Halsted CEO, Modesto Tico Valle, "Nettelhorst has already made great strides toward securing health and wellness initiatives for the community, and we are proud to offer our support in further advancing the future of the school and the next generation of civic and community leadership. Both Nettelhorst and Center on Halsted are committed to empowering individuals to live in supportive and inclusive environments by advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the people of Chicagoland. This partnership is a natural fit."
Nettelhorst was established in 1892 and is one of the oldest public schools in Chicago; but the neighborhood school fell on hard times in the 1960's. It wasn't until over a decade ago that two park moms got involved by organizing an entire community to help with transforming the challenged urban school into one of Chicago's best, virtually overnight.
According to the Nettelhorst Community Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing the landmark school and is the school's principal fundraiser, Nettelhorst School consistently ranks as one of the highest performing schools in the city and it accepts every single child within their attendance zone, regardless of aptitude. The school attracts students from a diverse range of racial and socio-economic situations; their students and staff converse in over 32 different languages and 21% of their students have special needs. Since the community intervention, their enrollment has more than doubled, test scores have tripled, and the school is now a national model for how communities can join together to reinvigorate their neighborhood schools.
Besides a remarkable record of academic achievements, the school prides itself on creating a model for both physical health and wellness education in an effort to reverse the national trends toward nature deprivation for children in urban areas and alarming childhood obesity rates. The Nettelhorst School built an innovative outdoor classroom to improve childhood development. A significant body of scientific research suggests strong ties between a child's experiences in the natural world with physical, intellectual and emotional health. "Time spent in nature dramatically impacts stress levels, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, cognitive functioning, and a range of other functions," reports the Nettelhorst Community Group.
The IGLTA's Global Convention is the world's premier educational and networking event for the LGBTQ tourism industry. This year, the organization will celebrate its 30th Global Convention in Chicago to celebrate the history of LGBTQ travel and honor individuals and companies that have improved the landscape of the LGBTQ community. Center on Halsted is the host of the IGLTA Travel Expo on Friday, May 3rd and is the recipient of the IGLTA's 2013 Community Award, for its dedication to making the world a more welcoming place for LGBTQ people since it was founded in 1973 as Gay Horizons.
Center on Halsted is the largest, most comprehensive community center in the Midwest dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the LGBTQ people of Chicagoland. Center on Halsted envisions a thriving LGBTQ community, living powerfully in supportive inclusive environments. For more information, please visit centeronhalsted.org or call 773-472-6469.
From a news release
A team of about 60 IGLTA volunteers will be visiting the Nettelhorst School, located in the East Lakeview neighborhood, to kick-off the long-term partnership with Center on Halsted and the community school by installing nearly 100 blue and green nylon globe lanterns to spruce up the space. The IGLTA is also providing funds to help support the project.
According to Center on Halsted CEO, Modesto Tico Valle, "Nettelhorst has already made great strides toward securing health and wellness initiatives for the community, and we are proud to offer our support in further advancing the future of the school and the next generation of civic and community leadership. Both Nettelhorst and Center on Halsted are committed to empowering individuals to live in supportive and inclusive environments by advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the people of Chicagoland. This partnership is a natural fit."
Nettelhorst was established in 1892 and is one of the oldest public schools in Chicago; but the neighborhood school fell on hard times in the 1960's. It wasn't until over a decade ago that two park moms got involved by organizing an entire community to help with transforming the challenged urban school into one of Chicago's best, virtually overnight.
According to the Nettelhorst Community Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing the landmark school and is the school's principal fundraiser, Nettelhorst School consistently ranks as one of the highest performing schools in the city and it accepts every single child within their attendance zone, regardless of aptitude. The school attracts students from a diverse range of racial and socio-economic situations; their students and staff converse in over 32 different languages and 21% of their students have special needs. Since the community intervention, their enrollment has more than doubled, test scores have tripled, and the school is now a national model for how communities can join together to reinvigorate their neighborhood schools.
Besides a remarkable record of academic achievements, the school prides itself on creating a model for both physical health and wellness education in an effort to reverse the national trends toward nature deprivation for children in urban areas and alarming childhood obesity rates. The Nettelhorst School built an innovative outdoor classroom to improve childhood development. A significant body of scientific research suggests strong ties between a child's experiences in the natural world with physical, intellectual and emotional health. "Time spent in nature dramatically impacts stress levels, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, cognitive functioning, and a range of other functions," reports the Nettelhorst Community Group.
The IGLTA's Global Convention is the world's premier educational and networking event for the LGBTQ tourism industry. This year, the organization will celebrate its 30th Global Convention in Chicago to celebrate the history of LGBTQ travel and honor individuals and companies that have improved the landscape of the LGBTQ community. Center on Halsted is the host of the IGLTA Travel Expo on Friday, May 3rd and is the recipient of the IGLTA's 2013 Community Award, for its dedication to making the world a more welcoming place for LGBTQ people since it was founded in 1973 as Gay Horizons.
Center on Halsted is the largest, most comprehensive community center in the Midwest dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the LGBTQ people of Chicagoland. Center on Halsted envisions a thriving LGBTQ community, living powerfully in supportive inclusive environments. For more information, please visit centeronhalsted.org or call 773-472-6469.
From a news release