On Saturday, January 12, Playworks Illinois partnered with The JPMorgan Chase Fellowship Initiative for a day of intergenerational fun and learning as part of National Mentoring Month. The Fellowship Initiative (TFI) is a JPMorgan Chase program that provides intensive academic and leadership training to help young men of color from economically distressed communities complete their high school education and better prepare them to excel in colleges and universities. TFI is part of the firm’s broader ongoing effort to provide adults and young people with the education, skills, and resources that contribute to greater economic mobility.
At the event, Playworks AmeriCorps Coaches led TFI Fellows, Playworks Junior Coaches, and several JPMorgan Chase mentors in various games and activities throughout the day to encourage teamwork and meaningful reflection about identity. In the morning, participants rotated between game stations and played games like Watch Your Back Tag, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Switch, and Dodgeball.
After lunch, Junior Coaches and TFI Fellows discussed how their identity impacts their lives and wrote “I am…” poems to share with the group. They shared their experiences through an activity called “Tint of Your Glasses,” and then learned how they were connected using a yarn web.
The day ended with an epic game of RoShamBo Rockstar and Junior Coach Gabriel as the winner! We enjoyed seeing participants connect across generations, geography, and cultures, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with TFI and JPMorgan Chase. Special thanks to the University of Illinois at Chicago for providing space for us!
Photography by Zuno Photographic