Youth

Among the Take Flight participants was Lanya Scott, who got a full scholarship to Loyola University to study nursing. She was inspired by her grandmother, who she’d take to doctor’s appointments when she was a young girl of six years old. 

CHA and Springboard to Success, CHA’s non-profit partner, hosted 200 incoming freshman who will be attending 60 schools locally and around the country at the annual Take Flight College Send-Off. This was the largest turnout in the event’s 14-year history.

Every year, CHA offers paid summer opportunities for residents ages 13-24 to provide early exposure to career and education pathways and opportunities that stem potential summer learning loss. 

CHA welcomed its 2024 class of summer interns this month. Seventeen students are participating in the program – nearly all of them CHA residents. 

Three CHA students participating in DePaul’s “Become a Filmmaker” program got the chance of a lifetime in 2023 - traveling to the Cannes (France) Film Festival - thanks to the generosity of Chicago businesswoman Chaz Ebert, who funded the trip. 

Nearly 100 CHA college students joined representatives from 18 Chicago-area corporations, including BMO Harris, the Obama Foundation, and Cabrera Capital Markets, for the agency’s annual Take Flight Networking and Recruiting event.

Students at Aldridge Elementary School laid out their vision for the future of Altgeld Gardens as they presented the results of their two-year project to leaders form CTA and CHA, as well as other city officials, at the Altgeld Gardens Library and Family Resource Center. 

CHA resident Molly Wilson was recently named to the 5th cohort of the Mayor’s Youth Commission. The Youth Commission meets monthly to give their input on youth-related City projects and policy. Youth Commissioners are between the ages of 14-19 and were selected through a rigorous application process which saw a record number of applicants from across the city.

More than 180 incoming college freshmen celebrated their successes with a giant trunk party at CHA’s 13th annual Take Flight College Send-Off at the United Center in August 2023.