Extracurricular Programs

In partnership with Chicago Animal Care and Control and the Safe Humane program, Rudy students help socialize shelter dogs to be ready for adoption to find their forever homes.  Students and animals are student/teachers and teachers/students as they process trauma and bond through their shared connections, empathy, and communication.

When Rudy students did not see their Latinx identity represented in the exhibitions while on a field trip to the Chicago History Museum, they made posters, launched a social media campaign, and wrote letters; however, before the letters were even in the mail, CHM staff reached out to Rudy and welcomed the students to have a restorative circle. Out of this initial circle with students and Museum staff, bloomed a beautiful initiative to develop a temporary, special exhibition about Latinx Chicago at CHM, the formation of a Latinx advisory board for this project made up of local leaders, artists, professors, and student-activists, and an internship program with Rudy youth and CHM staff to highlight the absences in the existing signature exhibition and create teachable moments in preparation for a new signature (permanent) exhibition that will appropriately include Latinx Chicago.

The English/Spanish Language Club provides the opportunity for our native Spanish-speaking newcomers to practice their English language communication with our native English-speaking students, and at the same time, allows our students most comfortable with English to practice their Spanish language ability.

Alternatives leads a cohort of 10 youth to be peer leaders in restorative justice practices including talking circles, conflict resolution circles, and restorative conversations, helping youth building leadership skills at home, in their families, and throughout the community.