Greetings ABC partners, supporters, and friends,

I hope that you and your families are staying safe and healthy as we navigate COVID-19 in our community. Never in my time at ABC could I have imagined a scenario like the one we’re living in now, with all Cincinnati Public Schools closed and CPS children at home.

As a friend of ABC, I want you to know how we have pivoted in response to the current situation. Throughout all of this, I have focused on two priorities: First, to ensure that ABC continues to serve CPS children and families wherever we are most needed. And second, that when this is all over, ABC is standing as strong as ever, with a full staff ready to implement our programs without any interruptions.

While our work looks different, ABC is still here, serving the children of CPS. Rather than delivering extracurricular programming, our 30 staff members are focused on the immediate needs of the children in our communities. Our work continues in the following ways:

• Our Resource Coordinators at nine schools are in constant communication with their school’s families, ensuring parents and students have the support they need while schools are closed, such as access to mental health professionals, food, and academic and enrichment activities. Plus, they are working with school partners to explore continuing student services via virtual platforms.
• Our Athletic Directors at nine schools are focused on providing structure to student athletes, offering at-home training routines, regular video and phone meetings, and outlining ways that coaches can stay involved in their athlete’s lives. In addition, plans are underway to recognize and celebrate graduating seniors, especially those who will not be able to participate in their spring season sports.
• Our Program Staff is coordinating efforts as the Site Champion at two of CPS’s food distribution sites, Winton Hills Academy and Cheviot School. As Site Champion, ABC is gathering donations of food, personal care items, and books and activities, and coordinating volunteers to be on-site at the two schools three days each week to distribute donations.
• Our Office Staff continues to keep the business side of ABC moving forward, planning for the future as well as rotating through the office to stay on top of money coming in and money going out.

These are challenging times, to say the least. But at the same time, I am humbled and full of gratitude for the outpouring of support and energy that we’ve seen these last few weeks. Our staff, volunteers, board members, and supporters have risen to the challenge, doing everything they can to make sure that CPS children stay healthy and engaged.

On that note, I’d like to send a personal thank you to the ABC staff. Our staff has gone above and beyond, jumping into this unknown situation and staying focused on supporting the children they work with every day. The passion for their work and love for the children shine through, and I am very proud to know they are representing Activities Beyond the Classroom.

Thank you for your continued support of ABC.

Sincerely,

Brian Leshner
Executive Director

Activities Beyond the Classroom (ABC) announced today the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors, Wayne Box Miller and Brandon Holmes.

Miller is an award winning media professional, communications veteran and diversity consultant. He is also the pre-game and post-game host for the Cincinnati Bengals Radio Network, a member of the Cincinnati Enquirer Board of Contributors, and a diversity training and facilitator for corporations and non-profits. He currently serves on the LaRosa’s Hall of Fame Committee, the CPS Athletic Hall of Fame Committee, and is involved with his fraternity’s (Kappa Alpha Psi) Golf Scholarship Committee and their Bond Hill Elementary mentoring partnership. Miller is a graduate of Woodward High School and was inducted into the Morehead State University Alumni Hall of Fame.

Miller said, “I am honored to join ABC knowing the focus and emphasis they place on providing our youth with a myriad of activities at no cost. Understanding how these activities translate to building confidence, promoting self-esteem and creating pathways to positive outcomes is easy to embrace, and I look forward to working with my fellow board members to fulfill ABC’s mission.”

Holmes, who joins the ABC Board of Directors for the second time, is the Director of Real Estate & Operations for the Avondale Development Corporation (ADC). Prior to joining ADC Brandon served as a Program Officer for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in Cincinnati and served as the founding Executive Director of the Peoria LISC office which opened late 2012. Brandon has spent a majority of his career utilizing his real estate, community development, and finance expertise to help improve and rebuild economically challenged neighborhoods.

“The progress ABC has made since my initial term on the board several years ago is very impressive,” said Holmes. “I’m excited and proud to be part of an organization that positively impacts our youth and our future leaders.”

With the election of Miller and Holmes, the ABC Board of Directors now includes nine members with diverse backgrounds in athletics, nonprofits, business, education, community development, communications, and politics. Dick Friedman, President of the Board of Directors, said “We are fortunate to welcome such well-known community leaders to the Board of Directors. Box and Brandon bring a great deal of significant expertise and knowledge that will complement the efforts and energies of the Board as we continue to support and assist the children of Cincinnati Public Schools.”

ABC welcomes Phillip O’Neal as the new Athletic Director at Western Hills High School!

Chuck Richardson III, Western Hills High School’s current Athletic Director, moves to Trotwood Madison High School, and O’Neal will become the school’s next Athletic Director effective July 1, 2018.

O’Neal received his bachelor’s degree in Communications at the University of Cincinnati. O’Neal is a commissioned officer in the Ohio National Guard and uses his leadership experience to positively impact the people he works with. A Walnut Hills graduate and six year veteran as CPS staff, O’Neal spent multiple seasons as a girls’ basketball coach for junior high and high school teams in the district and most recently served as the Athletic Director at Riverview East High School. While at Riverview East, O’Neal dramatically improved the school’s growing athletic department. O’Neal will now bring his tradition of excellence and impact to Western Hills High School.

“I am excited for my transition to West High and am thankful to Activities Beyond the Classroom’s Executive Director Brian Leshner for the opportunity to build on the legacy left by the previous athletic directors,” O’Neal said. “I’m grateful to the staff at Riverview East, especially Principal Charlene Myers and Assistant Principal Jason Dearwester, for the opportunity to grow Riverview East’s athletics, and now, with the support of West High Principal Carlos Blair, Dater Principal Steve Sippel, and CPS Athletic Manager Josh Hardin, I look forward to pushing the West High tradition of success to the next level.”

“I’m very impressed with Phillip’s depth of knowledge and desire for growth, and I have no doubt that he is the right addition to our team of nine athletic directors at ABC,” said Leshner. Hardin added, “It is exciting to have a great CPS alum continuing to lead our programs. Phil did an outstanding job at Riverview East and I look forward to having him take the lead at West High and Dater.”

About Western Hills

Western Hills High School is a school of choice within Cincinnati Public Schools and offers academic rigor to more than 2,300 students. Western Hills is combined with Dater High School for all high school athletics and is a Division 1 institution. The student body is culturally and ethnically diverse, with students attending from every major neighborhood on the west side of Cincinnati. Western Hills High School Athletics offers more than 10 varsity sports engaging hundreds of students annually.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRFY23K0x2o

Activities Beyond the Classroom’s Youth Tennis Program started four years ago with the goal of partnering with the Cincinnati Public School System to integrate tennis into their PE classes. Four years later there are over 5,000 students involved and we now offer after school tennis programs as well. With the objective of teaching students to be active, sportsmanship, teamwork and determination, the Youth Tennis Program sets students up for success on and off the court.

Increasingly popular at all age levels, soccer has slowly but surely found a place in the hearts of many young Americans.

Cincinnati, being a city that is in the process of getting its own MLS team, is a particularly fertile ground these days for all soccer-related activities. Therefore, it’s no surprise Activities Beyond the Classroom, Cincinnati’s premier extracurricular organization, has been a driving force in bringing soccer to the city. Continue reading Learning Life Lessons on the Soccer Field →

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH8SMQIBPaE

The After School Martial Arts Program provided by Activities Beyond the Classroom focuses on the core principals of respect and discipline. The expert teachers, like Master RJ Trusty, teach a balance of martial arts techniques focusing around the physical and mental training that comes along with these skills.By providing these programs, Activities Beyond the Classroom is giving after school programs to schools that previously could not afford them and teaching students important skills and mental fortitude.

Jeff Wiles joins Activities Beyond the Classroom as the next Athletic Director at Clark Montessori High School.

Brian Meyer, Clark Montessori’s Athletic Director, moves nearby to Purcell Marian High School, and Wiles will become the school’s next Athletic Director effective July 1, 2018.

Wiles received his bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management at Otterbein University where he participated at the varsity level in football and track. Wiles spent his first 25 years in the business world holding executive level positions in marketing and management.  He returned to the sports world in administration and coaching roles starting in 2010 when he joined the Sports Commission at St. Mary’s.  Wiles went on to become the Executive Director of Knothole Baseball, the country’s oldest youth baseball program.  His coaching experience has been at all levels in youth sports for both boys and girls.  He held coaching positions at Walnut Hills High School in football and baseball and, most recently, as the Head Varsity Coach for Girls Fast Pitch Softball.  Wiles joined the Cincinnati Public Schools’ Athletics team in 2016 when he began working as a Sports Coordinator for Baseball and Softball.

“Jeff joins a strong team of nine athletic directors at ABC, and is the right person coming in at the right time to take Clark athletics to the next level,” said Brian Leshner, Executive Director for Activities Beyond the Classroom. Hardin added, “Jeff is a program builder and very detail oriented, and he will thrive in this position at Clark Montessori. He has put in endless hours to grow the sport of baseball and softball in the city, and I know he will bring that same energy to Clark. We look forward to helping support him and to the growth of Clark Athletics,”

“I want to thank Josh Hardin and his team at CPS Athletics for embracing my vision and supporting me every step of the way over the past two years. I believe we have laid the foundation for CPS baseball and softball to continue to grow participation levels and provide  great experience for our student-athletes,” Wiles said. “I look forward to continuing the efforts put forth by the previous Athletic Directors and building on what they have already put in place. I’m looking forward to being part of the Montessori Triangle of Education — students, teachers and parents — working together to prepare our student-athletes to become contributors both on and off the field, and to contribute to society after they leave Clark Montessori.”

About Clark Montessori

Clark Montessori is the nation’s first Montessori high school, which has been nationally recognized for academic excellence. The school is best known for its field studies and intersessions, community service as a method for learning about the world, thematic work emphasis, seminars, and relationship building for grades 7-12.  The student body is culturally and ethnically diverse, with students attending from every urban neighborhood in Cincinnati. Clark Montessori Athletics offers more than 43 teams in nearly 21 sports with over 400 student athletes, and the athletic department at Clark is managed through a long-standing collaboration between Activities Beyond the Classroom (ABC) and Cincinnati Public Schools.