Update from the Executive Director

It’s been an exciting, growth year for Playworks Illinois, and we are grateful and overjoyed to have effectively concluded another school year positively impacting the lives of children across Chicagoland. 

This year has been a testament to our ingenuity and grit, as we navigated through changes and uncertainty within the Illinois landscape. We didn’t let hurdles or obstacles stand in our way! Not only did we establish new partners, we deepened our relationships with existing partners and have adopted the approach of developing mutually beneficial partnerships.  

We believe that every partner is an extension of the services we provide, as well as our high-touch engagement, and what matters to us is increasing each partner’s capacity in a way that empowers their success and recess implementation. We value qualities such as joy, equity, community and shared understanding. These are aspects of our impact that are consistently experienced in addition to providing high-quality programming through our service offerings. 

One of our most impactful initiatives this year was our Recess Takeover with a middle school partner. This idea stemmed from the need to be scrappy, collaborative and solutions focused towards our goals within the school. Our expectations were exceeded by having the participation of the entire 8th grade class, and the support of our Playmakers. As a result, school leaders were able to tangibly see Playworks in action and their students thriving–which is the ultimate win-win. The launch of this successful Recess Takeover helped to inform how we will continue to utilize strong tools and resources to develop youth leadership, enhance Junior Coach programming, and increase opportunities to engage the community, volunteers and our donors. 

Of course, none of this would be possible without the dedication and hard work from our committed team. It is always our goal to bring safe, healthy and meaningful play to all children, and we’re both intentional and unapologetic in our efforts to ensure holistic success for every child. 

As we head into the next school year, we are looking forward to partnership expansion, increasing our visibility, and leveraging our strengths as a team to deliver equitable outcomes for all children we encounter. 

Here are a few things you can expect from us: Innovation, Thought Leadership, Strategic Initiatives, Program Sustainability, and a lot of fun along the way. You can count on us to bring more play to more children and solidify Playworks Illinois’ footprint throughout the entire region. 

Stay tuned, 

Phasha Spencer
Executive Director
Playworks Illinois