CHICAGO(Sept. 8, 2015)– The Chicago Fire Foundation’s P.L.A.Y.S. (Participate, Learn, Achieve, Youth Soccer) Program will begin its fall season on Monday, Sept. 21. This is the first year that the program will run both in the spring and the fall.
“With a program such as P.L.A.Y.S., we’re able to witness first-hand the positive impact that the game of soccer has in these students’ lives,” said Chicago Fire Foundation Executive Director Jessica Yavitz. “Now in our third year, we’re excited to now include the fall session and continue with our dedicated work of bettering the community around us.”
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Created in 2013 in partnership with World Sport Chicago, the program integrates soccer with social and emotional learning (SEL) to not only help kids learn and enjoy soccer, but also strengthen academic performance. Earlier this year, the program expanded from eight to 12 Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) schools across Chicago. The ten-week program will serve 384 third through fifth grade boys and girls.
P.L.A.Y.S. integrates soccer and a curriculum focused on instilling grit as a means to grow social and emotional learning (SEL) skills of youth. Research into grit has shown that kids with a high degree of emotional control, goal setting and attainment, cooperation, respect, communication and teamwork are able to more effectively handle adversity and perform well in school.
The students participating in the program engage in 10 weeks of instruction via five out-of-school hours each week, plus an additional three game days. The 12 participating schools are Bradwell School of Excellence, Casals School of Excellence, Chalmers School of Excellence, Curtis School of Excellence, Deneen School of Excellence, Gresham School of Excellence, Herzl School of Excellence, Marquette School of Excellence, McNair School of Excellence, Piccolo School of Excellence, Sherman School of Excellence and Tarkington School of Excellence.
