Chicago Training Center (CTC)
This project's parent organization is Chicago Training Center
It operates in United States
It uses Rowing
Entered the Sport for Education Award
More about Chicago Training Center (CTC)
Via rowing, CTC provides low-income and minority inner-city youth with opportunities to improve their health and fitness, develop strong peer relationships, and build self-efficacy. CTC targets Chicago’s most economically disadvantaged and under-resourced neighborhoods and public schools, where teens face numerous challenges including exposure to violence/crime, gang activity, high rates of childhood obesity and other health problems, and low rates of academic success. As public schools continue to cut athletic activities due to budget constraints, these young people are losing access to sports programs that can positively impact their health, well-being, and academic engagement.
Rowing is a gender-equitable pursuit that does not require any special athletic talent or ability: success depends on individual dedication and exemplary teamwork. CTC leverages these qualities of the sport to foster confidence, self-discipline, leadership, responsibility, and respect. CTC further capitalizes on crew’s status as an elite college sport to encourage its members--many of whom are first-generation college aspirants--toward academic persistence and a wider array of postsecondary opportunities.