The Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to educate, advocate, and provide services for families and youth suffering from asthma, with a focus on lessening the potentially adverse health effects on youth and young adults with asthma involved in athletics within underserved communities. ACHIEVE scholars supported the organization in identifying areas in Lake County that have high asthma prevalence rates and producing a survey tool for schools to complete about asthma prevalence and programming.

“We were successful in achieving the goal of having the research done to determine that [Lake County] is a viable marketplace for asthma education. They [ACHIEVE scholars] did create a great amount of research and contacts to allow us to go in and complete that next year.”

– Helen and Michael Redding, Founders

*Click to view school asthma survey tool

Gary Comer Youth Center, located in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, is a youth-serving organization that provides programming for academic success, enrichment, and college and career preparation. The organization partnered with ACHIEVE scholars to produce a report on the digital divide among youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My goal was to inform our community Grand Crossing and our staff on some of the struggles that exist within doing this work virtually. The ACHIEVE students were really great, conducting their research, and figure out what organizations are doing across the city and across the country.”

– Tyra Owens, Community Resource Manager

*Click to view the digital divide literature review

New Community Outreach is a non-profit organization committed to the Bronzeville community, leading several community initiatives including restorative justice programming and a community garden to provide fresh produce to residents. The organization partnered with ACHIEVE across several sessions. Through this partnership, scholars produced for the organization:

• Summary sheet of urban community gardens
• Data collection tool on produce distribution and volunteers
• Effective marketing approaches and relevant materials
• KEY program evaluation tool
• Community produce cards

“We [NCO] always want to create spaces for healing, reconciliation, and flourishing. When I think about flourishing, it’s about opportunity. Having fresh produce and access is one thing. Another thing is having the information/knowledge to be able to engage with it. And to me that’s what these info cards do.”

– Sonia Wang, Executive Director

*Click here to view more community garden produce cards

Pilot Light is non-profit organization that aims to provide and integrate food education within pre-K to 12 classrooms for teachers to foster informed food choices among students. Pilot Light partnered with ACHIEVE scholars to produce infographics illustrating the reach and impact of the program distributed to funders.

“The infographic was something that we had as a deliverable for probably close to a year and so that was definitely a priority when [ACHIEVE] came up. Then we will finally have it done, and it was done beautifully. So that was fantastic.”

– Kathy Argentar, Manager of Institutional Giving

Through the American Academy of Pediatrics – Illinois Chapter, Reach Out & Read Illinois is an early literacy program that incorporates books into pediatric visits, connects families to resources, and encourages families to read together. ACHIEVE students partnered with the organization to support their work in understanding the impact of their initiatives by producing

• Infographic on program impact
• Survey to distribute to site coordinators evaluating clinical program
• Final report for Reach Out & Read @ the Chicago Public Library

“When we worked with ACHIEVE we were hoping to get assistance in finalizing our report for “Reach Out and Read at the Chicago Public Library” pilot project. We were able to get quotes and personal anecdotes from the clinicians and the librarians involved [in the pilot program and] put in a lot of details that we would not have been able to because of staffing and time restrictions.”

– Bridgette Rasmussen, Program Coordinator

*Click here to view the Reach Out and Read @ the Chicago Public library program report

Respiratory Health Association is a non-profit organization advocating for healthier lungs and clean air for all. ACHIEVE students researched and prepared:

• Issue brief on race correction in lung testing
• Issue brief on harms of second-hand marijuana smoke exposure

“I think this issue brief is going to help us reach out to Black communities, other communities of color to see if we can expand services.”

– Avanthi Chatrathi, Senior Program Coordinator

*Click here to view the race correction in lung testing issue brief

UChicago Charter School is a charter school network in South Side, Chicago, serving K-12 students with the aim to prepare students for college acceptance and graduation. ACHIEVE scholars supported their initiatives by producing:

• Materials to increase awareness of the importance of vaccinations within school community
• Updated health and wellness school policy
• Materials to increase awareness of social emotional health within school community

“They [ACHIEVE scholars] were best equipped to give us the feedback that we needed as an organization to reach both the students and families [with the infographics]. Being in high school and in college, they are much more aware of some of the disparities and challenges that plague communities. Those things led to the success of the project. It’s something that will be long-lasting for our organization.”

– LaTonya Hill, Director of Family and Community Engagement

*Click here to view more social emotional health infographics.