In a little over two months, on Saturday, September 25, we will be hosting our inaugural Faith on the Fairway charity golf outing at Foss Park Golf Course to benefit the North Chicago Public Education Foundation. This partnership will enable us to help North Chicago graduates take their first steps toward having a successful career by providing scholarship assistance for students to attend the College of Lake County. Additionally, we are developing a mentorship program with the faculty of Concordia University Chicago to further support students and their families. We are excited about the possibilities this opportunity presents!
We hope you will consider joining us in supporting this new ministry. First and foremost, please keep this ministry in your personal prayers. With God, all things are possible! Next, think about how you can get involved. Would you or someone you know be willing to support our efforts as a corporate sponsor or golfer? If golf is not your thing, consider joining us for our dinner and awards banquet following play. Check out all the options at the website www.faithonthefairway.org.
As you consider how you can participate, let us share a little about the need for this ministry.
Why North Chicago?
Despite the district’s incredible efforts, students at North Chicago Community High School have a lot stacked against them.
Here are a few basic facts: North Chicago School District 187 includes the city of North Chicago and the Naval Station Great Lakes community. Local funding accounts for only 25% of district finances because the federal government is exempt from paying local property taxes. Of the 741 students enrolled, 99% of those students are minority. One-third of these students come from military families, who on average move every 2.9 years. The poverty rate is 21.2%, with 99% of students qualifying for free lunch.
Superintendent Dr. John Price recognized the need to support students beyond high school graduation. “While the school district is focused on pre-K through 12th grade, we realize and understand that for our students and families in North Chicago, this isn’t enough. We need to be doing more to care and support families.” This led to the creation of the North Chicago Public Education Foundation (NCPEF), which has focused on providing college scholarships for students.
Why a scholarship to CLC?
Many of the students at NCCHS need to stay close to home after graduation. They typically live in multigenerational families and hold down part-time or full-time jobs to support them. According to Dr. Price, “CLC is the first step for most of our students, so it made sense for us to start there.” CLC also provides tremendous support to ensure students succeed as they work to secure a career-oriented, family-sustaining job.
We cannot wait for you to join us in making the inaugural Faith on the Fairway charity golf outing a huge success!