CICS Northtown Academy students have earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. These National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and connect students with universities across the country, helping them meaningfully connect to colleges and stand out during the admissions process.

Students Thrive and Grow with Internships

CICS Northtown Academy partnered with Genesys Works last summer, an organization that provides pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities. The primary elements of their program model include skills training, meaningful internships, college and career coaching and alumni support.

Two CICS Northtown Academy students, Maria Tencio and Justine James Reyes, applied to the Genesys Quarter 1 Works training program. As part of this program, these NTA students were accepted to a summer internship program. We interviewed both students and they shared some of their experiences and lessons they learned over the course of their intership. 

Taking a Chance Pays Off

Maria Tencio wanted to start her senior year the right way with an internship experience added to her name. She applied for a summer internship because she was motivated to step out of her comfort zone. She saw the Genesys Works program as an opportunity to gain skills she could use in the future and work in a professional setting. Originally, she requested an accounting internship, but landed an IT internship with the advertising firm Ten35. Without hesitation, she took it even though she knew nothing about IT. Beyond learning everything from how to build a computer from scratch to understanding network topologies, Maria’s confidence grew exponentially to also improve her confidence in public speaking and the ability to collaborate with others. “I feel more comfortable sharing my ideas with others and am able to communicate my ideas in a group setting.”

Justine James Reyes was determined to apply for a summer internship despite the current pandemic. He knew he wanted to do something over the course of the summer before he started his senior year. He applied for a Genesys Works internship because he was unsure whether he wanted a career in the medical or the computer field and saw this internship as an opportunity to help him figure that out. Justin was placed with TransUnion as a Web Development intern. He describes the internship experience as an ideal one because he learned valuable skills such as time management, writing work emails, how to successfully interview for a job and the importance of networking. Although he enjoyed working with computers, Justine realized it was not something he wanted to pursue as a career, so he has now decided to pursue a career in the medical field.

Navigating the Future

Both Maria and Justine believe that their internship opportunity is something worthwhile and should be offered to all students because of experiences one gains. They both made contacts while at their internships including mentors they will continuously seek advice from throughout their academic careers. Maria said that the internship was hard work but totally worth the effort. Justine felt the internship helped with him with his personal growth and said he knew it had a similar impact on other students he met with the program. 

Maria and Justine agree that students need to be open minded and take advantage of opportunities that could help them think critically about work and realize the limitless career choices. They encourage other students to do internships while in high school. Real life work experiences gave both of these students a better perspective of the skills needed in a career but also helped them find what they are passionate about doing. Both Maria and Justine represent CICS Northtown Academy’s goal of providing an environment in which students’ creativity, intellectual prowess and problem-solving capabilities are nurtured and thrive to promote remarkable growth.

If students are interested in learning more about Genesys Works internships, please go to their FAQ page for more information about their program and internship opportunities.  

Nearly 40 years ago, the concept of charter schools was first introduced to encourage new and innovative ways of educating young people. Since then, charters have grown into a national movement serving 3.7 million students in nearly 8,000 schools in 46 states, plus D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam. While public charter schools have seen tremendous growth, success, and public support since their founding, many misconceptions exist about charter schools.

Whether you are curious about public charters or a member of the CICS family, we have put this page together to share the facts behind some of the common misconceptions.

Educator Profile: Paraprofessionals Support Student Success

A Call to Serve 

Erika Frazier wasn’t thinking about a career in education when she left Michigan and came to Chicago to care for her grandmother. Her family had always been involved in Christian ministry, so she saw her life as one of service but not necessarily in education. For those who have worked with her, it is not a surprise that Ms. Frazier will celebrate her twelfth year as a paraprofessional at CICS Ralph Ellison.

Supporting Diverse Learners and Their Families

Parents of diverse learners understand the role that paraprofessionals play in the academic lives of their children. CICS parent, Ms. Vivan Davis said, “ Mrs. Frazier is a great help to my daughter. I love that she takes her time to explain things to her so she understands.”

Throughout her professional career, Ms. Frazier worked at other schools in the Chicago area but ultimately found a home at Ralph Ellison and her niche as a paraprofessional working with diverse learners. She was drawn to that particular student population as she experienced so many rewarding moments in watching her students grow and go above and beyond expectations. Erika’s kind but no nonsense personality is something her students’ parents value. She has created long-term relationships with many of them through her consistent and persistent outreach. For Ms. Frazier, her customer service skills were learned early on in her professional life when she worked in a hotel. Having a people skills has become an even more important part of her job as families of diverse learners are often overwhelmed by the multiple challenges they face. She ensures that families are aware of upcoming events in their students’ lives, understand options when problems arise and see her as an advocate for their child.

Navigating Remote Learning

Now, more than ever, paraprofessionals who have established face to face instruction, prior to remote learning, provide diverse learners with a sense of personal connection and continuity that can help these students to continue to progress. Ms. Frazier is even more present for her students, using every available tools (phone calls, video chats and email) to ensure that they are learning. She is with each student in their Zoom classrooms, keeping an eye on their level of participation, checking on them if they appear to be lost or confused and, most importantly, creating a culture where diverse learners feel safe but are also held accountable. For students on the autism spectrum, she finds ways to encourage them to express their emotions in safe and appropriate ways. While her primary role is to assist them in their academics, Ms. Frazier is also aware of the need to make sure that diverse learners are learning life skills and will be able to navigate the world after they leave Ralph Ellison.

Moving Forward

Erika Frazier is continuing her own education and has been attending Grand Canyon University part-time, with the goal of becoming a SPED teacher. She sees this as the next step on the path in her education career. Until then, Ms. Frazier will continue to support her students. She is continually energized by feedback from parents, occasional connections with former students and seeing younger siblings and cousins of her students choose to attend Ralph Ellison.

Ms. Erika Frazier has been a paraprofessional at CICS Ralph Ellison for 12 years. Prior to coming to Ralph Ellison, Ms. Frazier worked at Proviso West High School in Hillside, IL. Ms. Frazier is currently attending Grand Canyon University to complete her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Special Education.

Step into a world where diversity isn't just a statistic but a lived reality, where inclusion isn't just a buzzword but a guiding principle. Within the vibrant tapestry of the CICS charter network, 94% of our students are young people of color, with 63% identifying as Black. These numbers aren't just figures on a page; they're a testament to our commitment to reflect and empower the communities we serve.

Dr. Lewis, a beacon of change within our network and the visionary principal at CICS Wrightwood, has recently received his Ph.D. for his groundbreaking dissertation, "Understanding Preparation Programs For Black Male School Leaders and Their Effectiveness." This pursuit isn't just a scholarly accolade; it has provided a roadmap to empowerment. Undertaking this exploration has been a profound journey for Dr. Lewis, driven by personal conviction and a deep commitment to fostering positive change within our educational systems. With a tenure at CICS Wrightwood spanning from 2013 to his recent return, Dr. Lewis is not only breaking barriers but also reshaping the education landscape.

Picture a dynamic hub where diverse groups of educators and school leaders converge to exchange insights, celebrate victories, and tackle challenges head-on – all within a dedicated space for data analysis and collaboration. Spearheaded by our Schools Team at Chicago International Charter School (CICS), we're excited to introduce our latest initiative: the Quarterly Collective Response to Data Meetings. These sessions are designed to harness the collective expertise of our network, empowering us to monitor progress, scrutinize systems, and ultimately enhance outcomes for the students and families under our care.

This year marks the 26th anniversary of the United States honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s  life and legacy as a civil rights leader. More than ever, we need a moment to reflect on what still needs to be done to honor him from both a human and civil rights perspective. To celebrate this day, Taquia Hylton, CICS Ralph Ellison School Director, offers her reflection on the importance of this holiday, and discusses the need to continue Dr. King’s work of justice and equality for all. 

On the morning of January 7,  a day after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, I woke up with the words from "The U.S Pledge of Allegiance'' on my mind. I remember thinking over and over the words, "one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all". I thought to myself, Francis Bellamy probably didn’t write this with black and brown children in mind. This anthem still does not ring true. It doesn’t feel like the citizens in this nation have been indivisible at all. Our country seems to be more divided than ever before. Why? Because, what we have seen in the last few weeks (and over four years) is the result of divisive rhetoric from the country's 45th Commander In Chief. His words drove hundreds of "U.S. citizens'' to storm a building that should have been impenetrable, the symbol and meeting place of our democracy.  

As an educator, when I think about liberty and justice I am drawn to each term's formal definitions. What is justice? Merriam Webster defines it as "the quality of being just, impartial, or fair." Liberty is defined as "the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges." Then, I reflected on the positives that came out of the day instead of the disheartening images that flooded every imaginable news media outlet.  I chuckled as "liberty" and "justice" presented themselves in the state of Georgia via the results of the Senate election.  

Just a day before the insurrection, the people of Georgia exercised their liberties at their polling places. As a result, Reverend Raphael Warnock, the senior pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, the same church where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached, was elected the first African American Senator from the State of Georgia. We have come a long way! It brought me a sense of joy knowing Dr. King’s hard fought journey for the equal rights of African Americans became a reality with the election of Reverend Warnock. But more needs to be done. 

As we celebrate Dr. King's life and legacy, I am grateful for the contributions that he and so many others have made for black people to be able to experience liberty and justice. Though African Americans have made incremental steps in society, we have a long way to go. In the words of Dr. King, "No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream." Justice is NOT for "just us" nor is it exclusive of the black and brown community.  It is for ALL of us! Like Dr. King, I have that dream too.  

Taquia Hylton

Principal 

CICS Ralph Ellison Campus

The Covid Monitor: A Young Author Responds to the Pandemic

More than 1,000,000 books are published in the US each year. In January of 2021, a paperback book, The Covid Monitor, was published. The audience is elementary age children, and the narrator is a young girl explaining her plans to keep everyone safe at her school when school opens back up. What makes this book unique among the millions of books is that it was written by CICS Wrightwood 4th grader London Warren with her mother, April Warren, as her co-author.

London’s inspiration for her book was Sunshine Day, the book her mother wrote and published in 2015. She said, “It seemed fun, so I decided to write a book too.” London regularly writes fiction, and loves creating characters and making up stories. Surprisingly, it only took her two days to write the story to the illustrated 30-page book. Their collaborative process was simple with London writing out her part of the story on paper and her mother April adding to the story and then typing up the manuscript.

April recalled that, “When London came to me about her book idea, I jumped right on it after I heard how knowledgeable she was regarding Covid safety.” Having worked as a special education classroom assistant at CPS and as a part-time drama teacher at CICS ChicagoQuest, April was keenly aware that kids are more likely to listen to their peers about issues because they can relate to them. She wanted to ensure that young people took Covid-19 seriously and thought what better way to enlighten them than to have the message come from a young author.

One of the interesting elements in the book is an embedded vocabulary lesson. April explained the inspiration for it. “Asymptomatic is a hard word to pronounce. Londwon had struggled with pronouncing it correctly, so I felt it was necessary for the child in the book to mispronounce the word to allow room for a fun spin on the word and to provide a vocabulary lesson.”

Both authors love to read. Some of London’s favorite books include Charlotte's Web, Dog Man and All Summer in a Day. April’s favorite author is Robert Kiyosaki and his book, Rich Dad Poor Dad, as well as her love of classic books including A Raisin in the Sun and To Kill a Mockingbird.

This is their first collaboration but not their last. London is writing her own movie script, again inspired by her mother. April already sees the success of the book. “It is educational and speaks directly to a huge issue that is plaguing the entire world and, most importantly, one of the authors is a young child.”

 London’s advice to other aspiring young authors is simple. “I would tell them to write their book because, if I can do it, they can do it.” She hopes that kids pay attention to what her book says because it can help them stay safe from Covid or other health crises in the future. We look forward to continuing to follow London’s career as an author, playwright and 5th grader.

Mrs. April Warren is an award winning screenwriter and film producer. She runs her own real estate company and has a not-for-profit organization called Art Is Life. Their goal is to help young children become published authors. She is also an author, having written and published Sunshine Day in 2015. London Warren is a 4th Grader at CICS Wrightwood.

CICS ChicagoQuest student Walisha Brown is on her way to greatness. She was honored as the Outstanding High School Senior of the Year by INCS in December 2020 and received a $1,000 scholarship for college, but that is only a part of her story. She will graduate from CICS ChicagoQuest (CQ) in June of this year. CQ is home to the Warriors, both the name of the sports team and the spirit of every student who attends. The students embody the mission of the school which is to engage, challenge and prepare students to impact the world as problem-solvers, designers, critical thinkers and innovators.

Walisha believes in the core values of equity, social connection and full participation. “When I first came into ChicagoQuest, everyone around me was a stranger, the people, teachers, staff and students. I was really shy, and everyone encouraged me to speak-up and to embrace my singing and my love for writing poetry. Even though we are remote learnign now, the staff and students at CQ are still my family. Even now, every day is a new memory.”

While she waits to hear from her college selections, she is grateful for the teachers that have played a role in her academic and emotional life. ‘There are so many teachers I could shout-out. One is Catherine Thornhill, my second-year history teacher and my One Goal teacher during my junior and senior year. She is very uplifting and supportive of me and all students. She wants the best  for all of us.” And teachers have also pushed her to reach beyond her comfort zone. “I have always been into ELA and reading but have taken Algebra 2 and Trigonometry. My math  teacher, Mr. Latimore, has really helped me in my Trig class, working with me one on one and taking time to teach me eacg problem step by step.”

Even her current thoughts about her major and career goals were influenced by her teachers. In one of her elective classes, Ms. Thornhill talked about the brain, how it works, what triggers it and so on. That elective really got her interested in pursuing medicine as a career though she is still considering three careers, either an OB/GYN, psychologist or lawyer.

Her high school experience has not just been academic. She has made lifelong friends. “I met my best friend Ailaja during my freshman year. I was shy and she got me to open up. She pushed me to persevere through everything and to give it my all. And I thank her for supporting a lot of what I have done and how we have sustained our friendship throughout our years here. I have so many Warrior sisters who have advised me every single moment.” Walisha has also found the time to pursue her creative side. She writes and performs poetry. “I remember the first time I performed at a poetry slam in middle school, then my  first Talent Show at CQ; I read a poem and there was so much cheering and energy from the audience, and I loved all of the support from my peers.”

Components of I

This is a poem Walisha wrote about herself, titled “Components of I.”

I am wings that fly without knowing my destination, without explanation I roam free as the wind applies pressure to push me places I can’t see. Thinking clean, and seeing clear like clean and clear can help clear a face, I’ll push and pass to clear a path not so clean just for me to get through. Soiling underneath and soaking in the liquid I desire, glazed by the sunshine I acquire, and admire because it brings out the bright side of my delicate petals. And my resilience is so brilliant, take a look at my skin from within leaves you clueless to the vernacular I speak on and speak in to begin with. so butterfly me my freedom, because I have the wings to fly away, far away from where I stand today. so stretch my stem from the base of where I was planted. Looked up for hope, having no rope to climb but still given a blessing to receive my sunshine. And as I recover from broken silence, I spring back into action , extracting you from my beautiful peace of mind, because I am my own guidance.

Civitas Community Impact Experience

Walisha also participates in the Civitas Community Impact Experience program (CCIE). The program offers students the opportunity to work collaboratively and use their own interests and passions to solve community challenges and earn high school credits as part of the program through their project-based learning. Her project is L.O.V.E., Ladies Of Virtuous Essence. The project commits to entering and exiting each day on a positive note so Black teen girls feel free to express our ideas while exploring talents such as poetry and art to develop our interests and bonds! 

She has been able to recruit a team to work with her on this project but also intends on keeping this project going no matter where she goes after graduation. “It has a life of its own. There is so much trauma, harassment and stereotypes of black women and this is to help them put themselves out there. The project is intended to uplift them and shine a light on them.” 

Schools are more than locations for learning. The best schools offer a sense of community. “I will always carry Quest with me, and I will forever be a Warrior as I have mighty blood. Quest will always be my second family. My time being at ChicagoQuest has been amazing, and I have built so many bonds that are now unbreakable ”

She leaves these thoughts for the younger classes of students. “Keep persevering. Don’t ever stop, when things get difficult, fight your way through. You’re stronger than you think you are. You’re capable of any and everything despite the challenges that come your way. If you have it set in your mind that you're going to achieve something, then go at it with full force and give it everything you got. Stay focused, believe in yourself, and never say you can’t, because you can excel at anything if you are willing to give it a try, and put the work in. ”

When I think about how and why I became the person I am today, it really centers on three things: Access, Community, and Voice.

What I Learned from CICS Wrightwood Still Applies to Me Today

I have now been at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School for over two years! As a native south side Chicago African-American woman, and CICS Wrightwood graduate, I have come a long way from home. 

Since I started law school in the fall of 2019, I’ve learned about myself and the legal profession. Although law school is unlike any other schooling I have experienced, my ease at transitioning to law school can be attributed to my experiences as a student at CICS Wrightwood.