The Leap Learning Systems Newsletter

Words Are Tools

Winter 2013

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

- Nelson Mandela

Leap Learning Systems 180 N Wabash Ave, Suite 604, Chicago, IL 60601 T: 312-578-1255 www.leaplearningsystems.org

Our sincere thanks to the many contributors to this production including:

Nyela Wells, Aja Johnson, John Lybolt, Greg Moses, and Michael E. Levesque

Happy Holidays

This has been a wonderful year and we at Leap have many reasons to be thankful. Our team of employees, interns, volunteers and board members have worked hard to bring high quality language pro-grams to our partners and students all year long.

The results of these efforts have been amaz-ing. We have worked with more middle school stu-dents than ever before, our high school students are competing in a variety of competitions and activities (using their Speech Goals as a competitive advan-tage) and past program participants are achieving ca-reer milestones and attributing some of their success to time spent in a Leap program.

Thank you for valuing what we do to serve stu-dents and impact education. Enclosed in this news-letter are a few highlights from the year.

Enjoy and thank you for your continued support!

Sincerely,

Catherine H. Gottfred & Michael Levesque

In This Issue

In The Spotlight

Partnerships Matter

Language for Scholars

Tools for a

Lifetime

Thank you from the Board of Directors Josh Aldort, J.D. Richard Gottfred Chris Hillcoat Lindsey Holton Catherine Gottfred, Ph. D. Russ Campion Pamela Daniels-Halisi Scott Kilrea Charlie Burt Lorraine Cole, Ph.D. Jeri Logemann, Ph.D. David Starr Cynthia Elkins Loida Rosario Michael Levesque

In The Spotlight

Rush University — Student dedication and service is

priceless

Jamie Schmidt, Graduate Clinician Rush University, 2014, started volunteering at Leap two summers ago. Her dedi-cation and drive proved to be invaluable for Leap. And, according to Jamie the time she spent with Leap was a worthwhile investment.

“My time both volunteering and working for Leap have been foundational to my training and education as a future speech-language pathologist. Through Leap’s model of “speech-wellness,” I spent my days as part of the interdisciplinary Language for Scholars team emphasizing the impor-tance of dialectal code-switching in different environments and coaching a diverse group of Chicago students on how to convey power and authority through verbal and non-verbal communication. Although I have since com-pleted clinical internships in very different settings, I continue to reflect on and apply the coaching and motivational principles I learned during my time at Leap,” said Jamie in a recent email exchange with Executive Direc-tor, Michael Levesque.

Over the past several years, more than a dozen Rush students have vol-unteered or completed clinical internships with Leap. “We are so pleased with this outstanding affiliation,” says Karen Tessler, Ph.D. Assistant Pro-fessor and Manager, Clinical Education Rush University Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences.

Please update your records: Leap Learning Systems has moved to

180 N. Wabash Ave. Suite 604 Chicago, IL 60601

312-578-1255 and fax 312-578-1280

U.S. Bancorp has supported various Leap programs since 2008. Funding has helped the organiza-tion develop innovative language and literacy programs for thousands of students, teachers, and families. Because most of Leap’s outreach is geared toward underserved communities in the Chi-cago area, help from companies like U.S. Bancorp is essential. It allows Leap to provide programs in communities and schools that need them most.

Recent funding from U.S. Bancorp has helped to support LASER and Language for Scholars pro-grams at Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory High School, Chicago State University, Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation, and North Lawndale College Preparatory High School.

Leap Board Member, David Starr, Vice President US Bank - Commercial Real Estate Group

Robert McGhee, Vice President

US Bank—Community Development

“Partnering with nonprofit organizations like Leap Learning Systems allows us to amplify the impact of our volunteer time or charitable contributions. Leap is a leader in its field and provides tools that allow young people to learn and gain self-confidence. I am proud to have been involved with Leap since 2006, during which time I have been able to experience firsthand the impact that it has had on students,” commented David Starr.

“U.S. Bank is actively involved in supporting partners in the Austin community, such as Christ the King's Corporate Work Study program, Catalyst Charter School, Westside Health Authority, Bethel New Life and of course Leap Learning Systems. Our support for these, and other organizations, ranges from providing funding for the acquisition and rehabilitation of abandoned or foreclosed sin-gle-family properties, to conducting ongoing financial literacy seminars and foreclosure prevention workshops for residents in the community, “ commented Robert McGhee.

Partnerships Matter

Thank you to our many individual donors, of which there are too many to list here. And thank you to our many organizational partners and foundations, of which a few are listed below.

After School Matters CPS:Office of Specialized Services Burt Family Foundation By The Hand

CPS:Career & Technical Education CTE

Chicago State University - Upward Bound Glenview Community Church Chpt #9

Chicago International Charter Schools

Edelman Community Investment Grant

Harry F. & Elaine Chaddick Foundation

Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Assoc.

Cesaroni Design Associates, INC

Chicago Semester Christ The King College Prep HS Gottfred Speech Associates, Ltd Lancaster Family Foundation

Chicago Community Trust Chicago Public Schools Intrinsic Schools Gottfred Family Foundation

McMaster-Carr Supply Company

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)

North Lawndale College Preparatory HS

Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund

Modestus Bauer Foundation Evanston Township High School Target Corporation The Northern Trust Company

Truettner Foundation University of Chicago Charter School Donoghue Campus

Robert And Rebecca McLennan Foundation

The Oberheide Family Foundation

Tutoring Chicago, Chicago Lights and Cabrini Connections.

Women's Association of Glenview Church

Rush University Medical Center Community Affairs - Science and Math Excellence (SAME) Network

Richard & Elizabeth Ross Foundation

U.S. BANK FOUNDATION The Private Bank William Blair and Company, LLC The Tobey Foundation

Leap programs are made possible through the generous support of a

wide variety of foundation, public, corporate and individual giving.

Thank you to our funders and partners who have made it possible over the years

for thousands of students to gain access to high quality reading materials and

literacy support, for teachers to have intense classroom coaching support, and

for students to gain critical 21st century skills that help make them more

competitive in the classroom.

Please make a donation to Leap Learning Systems.

It is an investment in education; a gift of any amount can help.

$50

Program materials

and supplies.

$500

General Operating

Expenses

$1,000

Staff time for middle or

high school

programs

Mail to:

Leap Learning Systems

180 N. Wabash Ave, Suite 604

Chicago, IL 60601

Consider donating

Leap is in need of the following items:

Desktop

Computers/ Laptops/

Fax Machine

Multifunction

Printer

If you have equipment for us to consider

Call 312-578-1255 or send an email to

Michael@leaplearningsystems.org

Giving and Sharing

Intrinsic Schools focuses on students being able to learn in

an environment similar to the real world with real world experiences. Under the leadership of Melissa Zaikos, Founder & CEO and Susan Velasquez-Sheehy, Principal, the team at Intrinsic is committed to developing students that will change the world and knows the impor-tance of developing Academic/Business English.

Language for Scholars (LFS) was introduced in Fall 2013 to stu-dents and teachers. Through a series of fun workshops, students are getting the opportu-nity to practice building higher functioning language and communication skills.

This academic year under the guidance of Dr. John Lybolt, Program Director and Aja Johnson, Professional Development Coach, Leap will provide LFS training to approxi-mately 190 Intrinsic freshman. “This new program is off to a wonderful start. The stu-dents are highly motivated and very receptive to the content of the LFS program,” says Aja Johnson.

“It made me

feel confident

that I can talk

in front of

many people.”

— Erik P.

Intrinsic

Student

Language for Scholars

Tools for a Lifetime Aisha Smith, past LFS participant shares how LFS has helped her

I was first introduced to Leap and Speech Goals the summer before my freshman year of high school. An opportunity afforded me through the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund. I realized that oral communication skills were going to be important very soon after I started high school.

Now, as a lawyer, I am always careful to speak slowly and focus on articulation. I also try to say what I'm going to say, say it, and then summarize what I just said. This helps communicate complex and important information, often for the first time, with my clients.

A word of advice that I would give to high school students about developing their Aca-demic English skills is to be patient and know that developing and strengthen-ing Academic English skills is an ongoing process. And that the benefits of your effort will be invaluable.

Aisha completed University of Wisconsin Law School in 2013 and is currently employed by Great Lakes Educational Loan Services, Inc.

Leap Program Students - “Making Big Moves”

Leap has always worked with students that excel and are truly interested to glean useful information from our programs. Rickheal is one of those students. She first applied to Leap through After School Matters two years ago. Initially, she was quiet and lacked confidence in speaking to large groups of people. However, by the time her first program was completed, Rickheal was well on her way to overcoming her fears.

Rickheal, now a Junior at Westinghouse College Prep, says that she continues to be in-volved with Leap and After School Matters programs because they provide her with skills and tools that she can use for college life and the business world. Rickheal was recog-nized as the December 2013 Teen of the Month by After School Matters.

“Thanks to t

he Leap staff,

I have learned

an abundance

of skills that

will benefit

my future.”

—. Rickheal R.

Westinghouse

College Prep

“I remember

being able to

see differences

in how I com-

municated

compared to

others who

never had the

opportunity

to identify and

practice speech

goals .”

— Aisha

2014 Spring R.A.M.P. Program - Sign Up For Interview Today

NOW is the time to make sure that YOU are prepared

This program is all about helping teens prepare for the future and is ideal for serious 10th, 11th, and 12th graders.

R.A.M.P. (Readiness, Ability, Marketability and Progression) for College and Careers provides teens with an after school opportunity to develop skills and knowledge that will help them plan for success while in high school and after graduation.

Benefits for Students:

Next steps are listed below.

Program will meet two days per week and on a few Saturdays:

Schedule: 1/29/2014 - 4/3/2014 Wednesday & Thursday 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm Saturday 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Location: Christ The King College Prep, 5088 W JACKSON Boulevard

Next Steps: Go to the After School Matters website and sign up www.afterschoolmatters.org. 1. Pick the Leap Learning Systems program R.A.M.P. offered at Christ The King Col-lege Prep. 2. Once you complete the ASM application you will get an email to schedule you for an in person interview. 3. An interview is required to participate

meet other serious teens and build new friendships,

get to know college students and discuss campus life,

field trips/college campus visits, develop skills that will help you plan for college and careers,

meet professionals and discuss careers,

earn a monetary award.

Improve interviewing techniques and practice the academic skills that help critical thinking and effective communication.

Leap Learning Systems is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to results-driven language and literacy development. 180 N Wabash | Suite 604 | Chicago | IL | 60601