OWLS Lacrosse Expands School Partnership Footprint by 60%
Local sports-based youth development program now serves students in five schools across 20 Chicago zip codes
[Chicago, Illinois, December 2022]
Outreach With Lacrosse in Schools (OWLS) announced it has expanded its partnership footprint in 2022 to five schools thanks to an evolving partnership with Chicago Public Schools. The expansion brings the organization one step closer to its ultimate goal of embedding an OWLS hub in every opportunity neighborhood in Chicago.
OWLS Lacrosse offers coaching for lacrosse, school, and life through outreach, competitive play, and school partnerships, helping their student-athletes manage stress, accelerate learning, and build critical life skills while building physical fitness and friendships. The expansion opens the OWLS Outreach program to elementary, middle school, and high school students across 20 critical ZIP codes.
OWLS Outreach partner schools now include:
Herzl School of Excellence
St. Malachy School
Plamondon STEM Elementary School
Hamline Elementary
Chicago Jesuit Academy
“For most students, OWLS Outreach is their first time ever picking up a lacrosse stick,” says OWLS Executive Director Sam Angelotta, who founded the organization in 2011 with a mission to combat an epidemic of physical inactivity and lack of quality enrichment programming in underserved Chicago schools and communities. “And for some, it’s their first time stepping onto an athletic field of any kind. It’s a great way to open the door to the skills that are more critical than ever these days—problem solving, goal setting, relationship building, and stress management. It’s so exciting to see so many kids literally getting into the game.”
OWLS added two new program managers this year, and the expanded staff and school partnership footprint enabled OWLS to have its most impactful fall in history in 2022. The organization provided more than 700 hours of after-school programming across four partner school sites.
Each stage of the OWLS programming life cycle addresses key areas of development for kids—physical, mental, social, and emotional—all offered to communities and schools free of charge.
Students introduced to the sport through OWLS Outreach often go on to join the OWLS Competitive Play Program, which focuses on structured competition, consistent lacrosse training, social-emotional growth, and team-building experiences. Finally, the OWLS Academy provides middle and high school scholars with academic support, career mentorship, and enrichment opportunities to develop the skills they need for success on and off the field.
Tamara L. Davis, principal of Herzl School of Excellence, said she values the OWLS Outreach program for, “providing a positive trajectory for scholars not only in the sports arena, but also in the development of their character and well-being.”
Adds Morgan Jahnke, physical education teacher at Plamondon STEM school, “My students absolutely love it when OWLS comes to our school to facilitate lacrosse lessons. Students are able to get exposure to a new sport they've never played before, and really improve their skills over a small period of time.”
With programs supporting students from third grade through high school and beyond, OWLS works together with schools, community centers, local businesses, and national brands to help make Chicago’s communities healthy, safe, and connected to the resources that help them thrive, all so kids can easily play—and ultimately win.
About Outreach With Lacrosse and Schools:
OWLS Lacrosse works to engage, enrich, and inspire Chicago kids and communities through the power of lacrosse. Together with donors, community partners, schools, coaches, tutors, and student-athletes, the organization bridges the achievement gap for Chicago’s opportunity neighborhoods through mentorship, academic support, enrichment experiences, and one of the greatest games on the planet. For more information on how you can get in the game, visit owlslacrosse.org.