Full Circle: Partnering with WITS to Empower Chicago Teachers

CLF Executive Director, Kristen Eidson, tutoring her first WITS student at Sojourner Truth School in Chicago in 2002!

More than a decade ago, long before Classmates Literacy Foundation was even an idea, I had the honor of working at Working in the Schools (WITS), a Chicago nonprofit devoted to advancing literacy in Chicago Public Schools. Even before joining the staff, I spent eight years as a volunteer tutor with WITS. The organization has been near and dear to me for over two decades. It was at WITS that I first met Jillayne Benjamin, who now serves as Vice President of CLF’s Board of Directors. Our time there shaped the way we approach our work today: supporting teachers who give their all, believing in every child's potential, and investing in lasting change.

This year, things came full circle.

Thanks to a grant we received last December from the Invest in Others Foundation, CLF was able to provide fully funded training and materials for 15 Chicago teachers. When we began looking for the right educators to participate, I reached out to the team at WITS, who connected us with some incredible teachers who are deeply committed to their students and were eager to grow their knowledge. In the end, we stretched the funding to train 19 teachers who serve more than 520 students each year. You can hear directly from three of the teachers here.

We are grateful to WITS for partnering with us and to Invest in Others for making it possible. As the new school year begins, we’re sending gratitude and good vibes to our friends at WITS and ALL the organizations making an impact in classrooms every day.