All posts by Adam

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ABC Clubs & ABC Fine Arts Clubs Finish Successful School Year

Finishing a Successful School Year with Student Showcases

Many students in the Cincinnati area have nowhere to go at the end of the school day. The majority of afterschool programs that are available to students are fee-based. For families experiencing financial hardships, this limits the availability and access for families that cannot afford the expense of quality afterschool care for their children. At ABC, we believe that all families should have the same opportunities for high-quality enrichment programming.

ABC Clubs and ABC Fine Arts Clubs were created with this in mind. These programs are offered free to the students and their families. ABC partners with local organizations and programs to produce high-quality, fun, and educational activity options for CPS students.

For the 2023 school year, ABC Clubs were provided for 150 CPS students at 3 elementary schools. In only the 4th year of the program, ABC Fine Arts Clubs expanded their reach, and were provided for over 300 CPS students across 14 elementary schools. 

As the school year came to a close, each ABC Club and Fine Arts Club program held a showcase to demonstrate all of the new skills and knowledge the students had gained throughout the course. Family and community members arrived at each school to witness and participate in these showcases, encouraging the students to continue exploring their newfound talents. 

More About ABC Clubs & ABC Fine Arts Clubs

Created in the 2017-18 school year, ABC Clubs provide elementary aged children with the opportunity to engage in free afterschool activities as well as a safe place to go for students when the final bell rings. ABC Clubs offer access to enrichment activities as well as child care that parents may not otherwise be able to afford. Students are able to engage in a wide variety of topics, such as dance, martial arts, team sports, sewing, painting, sign language, STEM, coding, drone flying, and more.

In the 2019-2020 school year, ABC Fine Arts Clubs were created in an effort to provide more extracurricular arts programming to elementary students throughout Cincinnati. ABC Fine Arts Clubs function in the same manner as ABC Clubs, but they focus on creating more opportunities in painting, music, drama, poetry, and other activities that expand the creative, artistic minds of the students.

ABC Clubs and Fine Arts Clubs also provide students with nourishment in the form of a healthy snack and meal, helping alleviate the burden from families. To maintain the integrity of ABC Clubs & ABC Fine Arts Clubs, we do not utilize volunteers, but instead hire professionals from the community, who are experts in their fields.

With an increase in attendance and interest in ABC Clubs and ABC Fine Arts Clubs, we anticipate these programs will expand for the 2023-24 school year. We look forward to providing even more children with the opportunity to participate in ABC Clubs & ABC Arts Clubs. If you’d like to be a part of increasing club impact, reach out today to learn more about supporting ABC!

News

Cheviot Elementary Students Welcome New Citizens

On Friday, April 21, 2023, the Cheviot School hosted its first ever Naturalization Ceremony, recognizing 61 community members from 30 countries as citizens of the United States. 

The event was led by the Honorable Karen L. Litkovitz, United States District Court Judge, who spoke to the audience and welcomed them to the United States. In addition, Cheviot students welcomed the guests in their native languages, led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance, and performed patriotic musical numbers, such as “This Land Is Your Land.”

As they were leaving, each new citizen received a piece of artwork from the students. 

ABC’s Resource Coordinator at Cheviot, Mr. Onyango Collier, was largely responsible for planning the logistics for the event, making sure that it went off without a hitch. ABC was proud to provide sponsorship for the food and beverages provided to guests at the event.

Principal Solomon-Gray, Assistant Principal Kevin Williams, and additional school leadership were incredibly vital to the creation and planning of this amazing event. Gifted Academy Teacher, Crystal McFarland, served as the contact for the Judge Litkovitz, coordinating her appearance at the event.

“This Naturalization Ceremony today speaks to the diversity we welcome and celebrate daily at Cheviot School,” says Assistant Principal Williams. “We educate more than 10 different ethnic and cultural backgrounds which directly reflects the make-up of our new citizens. We are extremely proud and humbled to have hosted this terrific ceremony.” 

Check Out Additional Coverage from this Incredible Event

The Cheviot School’s first ever Naturalization Ceremony has received recognition from prominent members of the Cincinnati media. Check out additional coverage by clicking on the links below:

News

Reds Community Fund Presents New Baseball Uniforms to Shroder

Charley Frank, of the Reds Community Fund, presents new uniforms to the baseball team at Shroder High School.

On Monday, April 10, 2023, the Reds Community Fund presented brand new uniforms to the baseball team at Shroder High School. Reds mascot Gapper was in attendance as well, to energize the audience and present the jerseys to the team. This opportunity came through the partnership of ABC, the Reds Community Fund, and Cincinnati Public Schools.

All interscholastic baseball and softball programs that submitted their 2023 budget or spending plan for donations were eligible to be chosen to win a new set of Nike uniform tops. This was made possible through their partnership with Nike.

ABC’s Senior Manager of Athletics, Ricky Miller, worked closely with CPS and Don Newberry, ABC’s Athletic Director at Shroder, to submit a plan for Shroder’s baseball team.

Through great fortune, Shroder High School was selected through a random drawing, awarding their baseball team with brand new uniforms.

Shroder Athletic Director Don Newberry addresses the audience.

Students and faculty gathered in the gymnasium after school on Monday April 10th for the presentation of new uniforms to the baseball team. Charley Frank, the Executive Director of the Reds Community Fund, addressed the crowd to congratulate Shroder and thank those who made this possible.

ABC’s Athletic Director at Shroder High School, Don Newberry, also spoke to thank Nike and the Reds Community Fund for gifting the uniforms to the team. In addition, Newberry thanked ABC and CPS for working together to make this possible.

After the speeches, Gapper presented the new uniforms to the baseball team. The team then tried on their new uniforms, and showed them off in a few pictures.

Gapper displays the new uniforms for the audience.

Immediately following the ceremony, Shroder’s baseball team headed out to play their first game of the season against Hughes. The team will have their next home game on Saturday, April 15th, against Riverview East. 

“Shroder had not had new baseball uniforms for several years and it’s great to get them something new and something as special as custom Nike tops, that the kids can take pride in wearing,” adds Newberry.

ABC is absolutely delighted to be able to partner with the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund and Cincinnati Public Schools, to bring these amazing new uniforms to students at Shroder High School. Through acts such as this, we hope to encourage students to participate in baseball and softball, and keep Cincinnati Public Schools students engaged in extracurricular programs.

News

Q&A With Alex Stillpass of the ABC Board of Trustees

1) The age-old Cincinnati question: where did you go to school?

I graduated from Walnut Hills High School in 1983. I earned my bachelor’s degree in political economy with a history focus from the Murphy Institute of political economy at Tulane University. It is basically a Philosophy, History Economics, and Political Science degree all wrapped up into one. 

I still hold fond memories of Walnut Hills, and believe my experience there has shaped who I have become in many different ways.

2) What is your professional background?

I had an interest in finance and investments, so I interned at a firm in New Orleans. Then I came home and got a job working for the oldest public finance bank in the state of Ohio, Seasongood & Mayer.

I then moved to Ross, Sinclaire & Associates and practiced there for nearly 29 years, until the Firm closed in 2020. I focused my practice on tax advantage investing, including municipal finance, tax credits, and ESG investments. I now work with a few partners as a consultant, specializing in tax credits.

3) Tell us a little about your family!

My wife Lisa is a lawyer who grew up in Finneytown, graduating from Our Lady of Angels High School (which has since merged with Roger Bacon) and University of Cincinnati College of Law. I have twin daughters, who are now in their mid-20’s, and both graduated from Walnut Hills High School. One attended Notre Dame and now works in finance, and the other attended University of Michigan and now works in tech. My daughters were the third generation of my family to graduate from Walnut Hills!

4) When you were in school: did you participate in any extracurricular activities? If so, which ones and what skills do you think you gained from them?

I loved basketball, but was not a very good player. I had an opportunity to participate by being the varsity basketball manager as a 7th grader. I played football until 9th grade, and participated in track & field, where I threw shotput and discus. I gained communication skills and learned a lot from being on the sidelines during basketball games.

5) Outside of ABC, in what ways do you give (or in what ways have you given) to the community?

My family was very philanthropic and helped put me on the right path. My parents were both always involved in community causes like the Community Chest (now the United Way), the symphony, community parks, and Findlay Market Foundation.

I am on the board of a national organization that is a community development entity focused on community impact projects. I was also on the board of Centerpoint Health, until it became part of Talbert House. Mostly, I try to give back through ABC. ABC is my passion project.

6) What do you see as the greatest challenge for today’s students, and what do you think ABC’s role is in addressing that challenge?

This is a difficult question to answer in simple terms because everybody is different and everybody learns and interacts differently. That said, I think the toughest challenge is for ABC to provide for students to learn and better understand themselves through how they interact with others. It can be challenging to provide an atmosphere for children to expand their curiosity about academics, and keep them focused on the importance of staying in school when there are so many distractions.

ABC [creates a] structured place through sports, dance arts and music, to give children a time to come together in teams and in a learning environment that is outside of the classroom. The activities we help provide are a piece of the path to understanding how to present themselves in social, work, and learning atmospheres.

7) What is one of your favorite ABC programs and why?

It is tough because ABC does so many beneficial things, and I love all ABC programs! If I have to choose, I would pick the two programs we support that focus on kids that do not have robust advocates these are Kids In School Rule (KISR) and the support of Project Connect.

These programs are incredibly important to help children who are truly at risk. These children do not always have access to the proper guidance in order to achieve academically and generally lack support in life. KISR and Project Connect help keep the most at-risk children engaged and involved with their studies and enrichment programs.

[Note from ABC: Kids in School Rule! serves students experiencing foster care, and Project Connect serves students experiencing homelessness]

8) What are some goals you’d like to see ABC accomplish in the future?

I’d love to see ABC expand our services. The model that ABC has honed over the years is one that can be replicated, and should resonate beyond our current geographic focus.

9) What is the most important thing you would like the public to know about ABC?

That we do good work that is very impactful to the children in our community.

News

CPS Basketball All-Star Showcase Set to Return in 2023

2022 CPS All-Star Basketball Showcase (photo credit: Cincinnati Public Schools)

Athletes From All 14 CPS High Schools Receive Recognition

On Saturday, March 25, 2023, the 2nd Annual CPS All-Star Basketball Showcase will return, taking place at Woodward High School. After a successful inaugural event, Cincinnati Public Schools, the University of Cincinnati, and Activities Beyond the Classroom are collaborating to bring the event back strong for 2023.

Each of the 14 CPS high schools will get to send all-stars to participate in the event, consisting of a skills competition, 3 point contest, dunk contest, cheerleader contests, and all-star games (boys and girls).

At the same time, there will also be a college and career fair taking place at Woodward. This presents a great opportunity for students to learn more about college and job opportunities.

“On behalf of ABC, I am so excited to be involved in this year’s CPS Basketball All-Star Showcase, presented by the University of Cincinnati, as the lead for sponsorships and donations,”  says Ricky Miller, ABC’s Senior Manager of Athletics. “The support we’re receiving from the Cincinnati community and beyond has given us a great chance to increase our donation to Project Connect, through the proceeds of this year’s event!”

University of Cincinnati Provides Support

The University of Cincinnati has stepped up tremendously to support the event in 2023. Not only is UC stepping in as the presenting sponsor, but UC is also giving their students an opportunity to be involved in planning and working the event, to strengthen their work-study experience.

Dr. David Kelley, Associate Professor in the Sports Administration program at the University of Cincinnati, is instrumental in making the connection between UC and the All-Star Showcase. Dr. Kelley is heavily involved in the planning and organizing of the event, and connects students in his classes to the event as well.

From Dr. Kelley, “the partnership between the University of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Public Schools, as well ABC and Project Connect has really evolved into a very powerful relationship. I am so pleased and honored to be a part of helping coordinate this All-Star Basketball event which includes an education/career fair. Overall, having my UC Sport Administration Program students involved as interns and volunteers provides them with the hands-on/applied experience of event management and simultaneously, teaches them that we are ultimately focused on Community Service and generating funds to counteract the real-world challenges of homelessness within the Cincinnati Public Schools.”  

Josh Hardin, the Athletics Manager at Cincinnati Public Schools has played a vital role in collaborating with Dr. Kelley to plan and organize the event. Hardin says of the partnership, ” Cincinnati Public Schools is grateful for the growing partnership with the University of Cincinnati. We are looking forward to working with UC & our great partners at Activities Beyond the Classroom Classroom, to host a phenomenal event for our students & community, with our call to action for Project Connect, and students experiencing homelessness.”

Additional Support Needed for the 2023 CPS All-Star Showcase

Due to a limited capacity at Woodward High School, spectators will be limited to student athletes, family members, and sponsors. Tickets are not available for purchase and will not be available at the door. The Showcase will be livestreamed, giving those who can’t attend in-person the opportunity to view this incredible event and support CPS student athletes. 

ABC is leading the sponsorship committee in efforts to raise money to donate to Project Connect, benefitting students in CPS that are experiencing homelessness. Sponsorships and donations are available and open to negotiation.

Click below to support the 2023 All-Star Basketball Showcase, and support Project Connect!

News

Leveling the Playing Field: ABC on Panel for National Girls & Women In Sports Day

ABC's Sally Grimes Invited to Speak on "Women In Sports" Panel at the University of Cincinnati

On Saturday, January 28, 2023, the University of Cincinnati celebrated National Girls & Women In Sports Day at Fifth Third Arena, before their women’s basketball team competed against Wichita State. UC Athletics honored the occasion by hosting a “Women In Sports” panel, with prominent women around Cincinnati who work in the sports industry. ABC’s Sally Grimes had the honor of being invited to speak at the event, along with other distinguished women from around Cincinnati.

Other panelists included Madison Mullinger of the Cincinnati Bengals, Jackie Regruth and Emily Robinson of FC Cincinnati, and finally Betsy Ross, the President and Founder of Game Day Communications, who also previously worked 5 years as an anchor at ESPN.

The panel was lead by Jen Strum, the Associate Athletic Director of Leadership and Learning at UC. Strum asked each panelist several question about their careers, such as what strengths they find important, challenges they have overcome, the work environment they currently encounter, and what led them to pursue a career in sports. In addition, the panel gave advice to and took questions from the young women in the audience, many of whom are looking to pursue a career in athletics. 

Thank you to the University of Cincinnati for hosting such an amazing event! ABC is honored to have our own Sally Grimes included on this panel, acknowledging National Girls & Women in Sports Day!

News

Alpha Delta Boule Adopts Winton Hills Academy, Provides Enrichment Opportunities to Students

A Plaque Dedication Ceremony was held on 11/22/2022 to honor Alpha Delta Boule's adoption of Winton Hills Academy. The crowd is addressed by Kenneth Parker, United States Attorney for the Southwest District of Ohio and Sire of the Alpha Delta Boule

Alpha Delta Boule is a national non-profit organization, with a local chapter that is heavily involved in helping students at Cincinnati Public Schools through various programs and opportunities. Alpha Delta Boule has been very active at Winton Hills Academy over the past few years, forming a strong relationship with Shelby Zimmer, ABC’s Resource Coordinator at Winton Hills.

In Cincinnati, the name Jim Anderson is commonly associated with the Bengals, given his 29-year tenure as the running backs coach. However, since retiring, he works tirelessly with the Cincinnati chapter of Alpha Delta Boule. Coach Anderson has been an incredible advocate for the students of Winton Hills Academy, showing great dedication to the students and families in the area.

This connection between Shelby and Coach Anderson has created numerous opportunities for students at Winton Hills, such as Donuts With Dudes and Muffins With Mom events, the Achievement Behavior Consistency Awards Ceremony, providing students with the opportunity to attend the Men of Honor Ceremony, leading a coat drive for students in need, and many more endeavors that benefit the students, families, and community of Winton Hills.

Alpha Delta Boule Adopts Winton Hills Academy, Honors School with Plaque Dedication

On November 22, 2022, the Alpha Delta Boule (ADB) held a ceremony to formally adopt Winton Hills Academy. Kenneth Parker, the United States Attorney for the Southwest District of Ohio and Sire Archon of the ADB, spoke to the crowd and presented Winton Hills Academy with a plaque, commemorating Alpha Delta Boule’s adoption of Winton Hills Academy.

Coach Jim Anderson gave an introductory speech, welcoming the audience and thanking them for their attendance. Coach Anderson pledged Alpha Delta Boule’s support of Winton Hills, making sure everyone in attendance knew that this adoption is more than just a display, but a vow that the Alpha Delta Boule will do everything in their power to support Winton Hills for years to come.

Following Coach Anderson’s introduction, Attorney Parker addressed the audience, speaking of how excited he is to try and reach students at a young age, and provide them with programs that instill hope. Attorney Parker said that in his work, he sees that many of the troubled individuals face socio-economical conditions that impact their ability to achieve a quality education. Because of this lack of education and lack of opportunity, too many times students lose hope.

Attorney Parker stressed that the staff in attendance are community problem solvers, helping to keep students focused and motivated to pursue their education. He also stressed how important it is to keep the students from losing hope, and “keeping the light from going out in their eyes.”

Attorney Parker echoed many of the same statements as Coach Anderson; that this formal adoption of Winton Hills means that the Alpha Delta Boule will be truly dedicated to supporting students at Winton Hills. He stressed that the faculty can come to the Alpha Delta Boule when they have a need or can create an opportunity, and the Alpha Delta Boule will utilize their expansive network of connections to make something happen.  

Attorney Parker then presented a plaque to the faculty at Winton Hills, with ABC Resource Coordinator Shelby Zimmer on-hand to accept the honor. The commemorative plaque is on display in the main atrium of Winton Hills Academy.

ABC Resource Coordinator Shelby Zimmer accepts the plaque on behalf of Winton Hills

ABC is incredibly humbled to by the abundant support of Winton Hills Academy from the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Alpha Delta Boule. We are very grateful to have allies in the Cincinnati community like Alpha Delta Boule, who share our mission to provide opportunities for students in need.

And of course, we are grateful for Shelby Zimmer, our amazing Resource Coordinator at Winton Hills! Shelby helped foster and grow the relationship with Alpha Delta Boule, and is a valued advocate for the students of Winton Hills Academy. 

ADB Supports Donuts With Dudes Event on 10/20/2022

Joe Kelly, of the Cincinnati Bengals, addresses the audience at Winton Hills Academy

On Thursday, October 20th, Winton Hills Academy hosted a former NFL great, as well as 130 students and paternal figures for the 2nd Annual Donuts With Dudes event.

The mentorship and guidance of parental figures can be profoundly impactful on the development of children. Studies have shown that more parental involvement can directly contribute to increased confidence, better communication skills, and positive cognitive and social adjustments. With this in mind, Shelby Zimmer, ABC Resource Coordinator at Winton Hills Academy, teamed up with Alpha Delta Boule (ADB) to create an event called Donuts with Dad.

The inaugural event took place in October of 2021, and the concept for the event was so popular, that all of the 50 registration slots were filled within four hours, and a second session was added. The first event was well received, with nothing but incredibly positive feedback from the staff, students, and parental figures.

After the success of the 2021 event, Shelby and the Alpha Delta Boule teamed up to bring it back for 2022, with one small tweak. Shelby and the ADB wanted to make an effort to include paternal figures such as grandfathers, step-fathers, and other men who have stepped up to mentor and inspire the children at Winton Hills. For this reason, the 2022 event was renamed Donuts With Dudes.

Upon arriving at Winton Hills for the event, students and their fathers chose what items they wanted for breakfast from a large assortment of Servatii’s donuts, juices, coffee, and water. After a greeting and introduction, the speaker took the stage.

The speaker for the Donuts with Dudes event was former linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Kelly. Born in south-central Los Angeles, Kelly shared the great amount of adversity in his life on his way to the NFL.

Kelly spoke of how his mother stressed the importance of getting an education, and would not let him participate in sports if he did not have the grades. Kelly stressed the importance of an education to the students, sharing how he utilized his education to start his own business, Kelly Youth Services, when his 11-year playing career came to an end. He encouraged the children to listen to the advice of their parents and paternal figures, and encouraged each to pursue their own dreams.

Kelly continued by speaking about the influence of caregivers, stating that the paternal figures in the audience can be more influential than any celebrities. He commended the paternal figures for their active attendance at the event, and commented on how excited the children were to see them arrive. Kelly stressed that little things like this can go a long way, and urged the adults in the audience to continue to support and be actively involved in the lives of their children.

After he was done speaking, Joe Kelly cordially took questions from students before participating in a photo session with the audience. The high level of engagement from the students and the nature of their questions made it very clear that they had taken the messages from Kelly to heart.

This event would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts of Coach Jim Anderson, Marty Dunn, and the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Alpha Delta Boule. Coach Anderson was vital in arranging Joe Kelly to speak at Winton Hills, and the Alpha Delta Boule supported the event financially as well. 

We are also grateful for Shelby Zimmer, ABC’s resource coordinator at Winton Hills, who was vital in organizing the event. From helping organize the sign-up process, coordinating the staff at Winton Hills, and being the point-person to ensure that the event went well, Shelby did exceptional work in the organization of the Donuts with Dudes event, and we are incredibly grateful to have her on the ABC team. 

Jim Anderson, of the Alpha Delta Boule
News

ABC Adds Staff for 2022 School Year

ABC has undergone major growth for the 2022-23 school year. We are expanding the number of schools where we offer our ABC programs, as well as expanding the number of CPS schools where we will provide direct support to athletics and act as the lead agency. In order to properly support our mission, ABC has created new positions within our organization. 

We are very excited to introduce our new staff members. You may also see some familiar faces in new roles within our organization. 

Program and Office Staff

  • Ricky Miller is the new Senior Manager of Athletics at ABC. This new role at ABC oversees, manages, and assists ABC’s high school athletic directors at Cincinnati Public Schools.
  • Vanessa Macy has been hired as the Member Services Manager. In this role, she will provide direct support to the members of ABC’s Fiscal Agency program (formerly known as Donor Directed accounts), such as the Ben Carlson-Berne Fund and Fourthwall Youth Studios.
  • Kaitlin Schiltz is the new Enrichment Coordinator at ABC. In this role, Kaitlin will advocate for children in the foster care system, attempting to connect 340 children with extracurricular activities. This includes managing the Kids In School Rule! program at Cincinnati Public Schools.
  • Austin Gullett has started a new role at ABC as the Athletics Coordinator. Austin works closely with the programs staff to execute ABC’s elementary athletic programs, such as soccer, martial arts, cross country, and more.
  • James Lacey has also begun a new role with ABC, in which he will be the Senior Manager of Resource Coordination. This new position oversees, manages, and assists ABC’s resource coordinators at Cincinnati Public Schools. James is also still very active at Woodford Paideia, where he previously served as resource coordinator.

Athletic Directors

  • David Miller (Gamble Montessori) and Chris O’Brien (Oyler) are not new to their positions, but starting this year, they are both now a part of ABC’s staff. We are honored and thrilled to have them both join our team, and excited to support athletics at Gamble and Oyler.
  • Gage Bley is the new Athletic Director at Riverview East Academy. ABC is excited to support athletics at Riverview East, starting this school year.
  • Davis Schaefer is the new Athletic Director at Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students. ABC is excited to begin supporting athletics at Spencer as well.
  • Jake Buchannan and Elijah Bugg are the new Assistant Athletic Directors at Walnut Hills High School. They will support head AD, Shauniece Steele, in her work at Walnut Hills.
  • Chloe Mayfield-Brown is the new Assistant Athletic Director at Western Hills/Dater. Chloe will support head AD, Phil O’Neal, in undertaking the athletics at Western Hills and Dater.

Resource Coordinators

  • Ashley Davis is the Resource Coordinator at Woodford Academy. She will work with ABC and the community to organize and support enrichment activities at Woodford.
  • Angel Griffin is the Resource Coordinator at Frederick Douglass Elementary School.  She will work with ABC and the community to organize and support enrichment activities at Douglass.
  • Karen Hordinski is the Resource Coordinator at Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students. ABC is delighted to be the new lead agency at Spencer Center, starting this school year. We look forward to supporting Karen and extracurriculars at Spencer Center.
  • ABC is thrilled to be the lead agency at LEAP Academy and Hartwell Elementary. We are currently looking to hire a resource coordinator to support enrichment activities at both of these schools. Please visit the “Join Our Team” page of our website for more information on these openings.
News

ABC and Adopt A Class Reaffirm Partnership Heading Into New School Year

As students and families embrace a new school year, ABC is excited to strengthen our partnership with Adopt A Class throughout the 2022-2023 school year. Adopt A Class connects teams of volunteer mentors from local corporate organizations and civic groups with schools in the community. Through their group mentoring program, Adopt A Class exposes students to a breadth of life and career readiness experiences, enabling thousands to engage in enrichment activities they otherwise wouldn’t be able to experience. They share ABC’s goal of bringing extra opportunities to students in need and inspiring students to explore new career paths that they may not have ever thought possible.

This school year, Adopt A Class will place teams of volunteer mentors at six elementary schools where ABC is the lead agency: Cheviot, Hartwell, Rockdale, Silverton, Woodford, and Winton Hills. Over 45 classrooms of students at these schools will get to explore a wide array of career paths through engaging, educational activities focusing on college and career readiness, STEAM, and essential employability skills, provided by mentors the volunteers during classroom visits. Students will also experience enriching field trips back to mentor teams’ places of employment or with an Adopt A Class community partner. Organizations such as VEGA Americas, Kroger, Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Paycor, Cintas, Macy’s, and many more, participate in the Adopt A Class program, supporting students throughout the entire school year.

Adopt A Class Supports Cincinnati

In addition to the 6 CPS schools where ABC is the lead agency, Adopt A Class has also connected over 240 teams of corporate volunteers to classrooms across 36 schools in the Greater Cincinnati area, including 23 CPS schools. With the help of over 140 partner organizations, Adopt A Class reaches over 6,500 students in our communities.

At the end of the previous school year, Adopt A Class named ABC’s Cheri Jordan the 2022 Resource Coordinator of the Year for her exemplary work at Silverton Elementary. Cheri was honored during their end of year awards ceremony on June 7, 2022, at the Greenacres Arts Center.

ABC is grateful for the work of Adopt A Class and we look forward to a prosperous partnership this year and beyond!

News

Cincinnati Public Schools’ Middle School Jazz Combo to Perform at International Jazz Festival in Spain

The CPS Middle School Jazz Combo was the only student group invited to perform from the United States

Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) Middle School Jazz Combo will perform at the JAZZING Sant Andreu International Jazz Festival in Spain. The group, led by Dr. Isidore Rudnick, is the only student group from the United States invited to perform at the festival.

Eight sixth-grade students and three seventh-grade students from seven schools across the district, along with two CPS teachers and six parent chaperones will head to Barcelona, Spain to jam with their European Jazz counterparts, take jazz workshops with prominent guest artists from Europe and South America, and perform in two concerts on the Education Stage.

“Our students have worked extremely hard over the summer to prepare for the festival,” said Dr. Isidore Rudnick, CPS Fine Arts Curriculum Manager and Jazz Academy Director. “They will have a truly life changing experience performing on an international music festival stage and exploring the unique Catalonian culture of Spain”.

The middle school combo is part of the Youth Jazz Cincinnati partnership between CPS, Activities Beyond the Classroom and Kennedy Heights Arts Center. CPS students in the jazz academy, which has grown to over 100 students, range from grades four to 11. They receive weekly high quality jazz instruction at no cost at the Kennedy Heights Arts Center’s Lindner Annex. The program is funded in part by a grant from Impact 100. Additional ongoing support for the program is provided by the Mayerson Foundation Artistic Excellence Fund.

The CPS Middle School Jazz Combo group leaves for Spain on September 1, 2022 and returns on September 8, 2022. Students will perform on Sunday, September 4 at 12:00 p.m. and on Monday September 5 at 12:00PM. For more information about the festival, please visit: https://jazzingfestival.com/jazz-education-stage/.