Wildcats Lend Their Efforts to Youth Impact Program

NU Sports:

EVANSTON, Ill. — For the second straight year, Northwestern Athletics is serving as a host for Youth Impact Program. The Wildcats along with Marines and Navy Corpsmen are welcoming nearly 100 at-risk middle school boys for a program that spans two weeks.

Starting on Monday of this week, the program lasts from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day. Under the leadership of program director Dan Hernandez, the goal of YIP is to educate the participants academically, provide them critical life skills, develop their leadership skills and give them structure in their lives while also competing as a team in football.

This year, the academic portion of the program is focused on the areas of mathematics, applied mathematics, English comprehension, science/physics, and brain training to enhance focus. The life skill development reflects that of the pyramid of winning values for the Northwestern football program. The program replicates the complete academic and athletic day-to-day experience of a Northwestern University student-athlete.

Members of the Northwestern football program are serving as coaches and mentors for the boys throughout the two-week period. The morning session each day focuses on academics while the afternoon period involves the opportunity to work on team-building skills through playing football. Activities on Tuesday included a presentation from former Northwestern football player and recent Cleveland Browns draft choice Ibraheim Campbell.

The program also includes a visit to the Halas Hall, the training home of the Chicago Bears in Lake Forest.

The Northwestern YIP is supported by the Benefitdecisons, American Children’s Fund, the Chicago Bears’ Bear Care foundation, World Sport Chicago, and individual private donations.

For daily updates on the Northwestern Youth Impact Program, please visit https://www.youthimpactprogram.org/programs/northwestern-university-yip-2015/ or follow along on Twitter at @YIP_NU. To donate to Youth Impact Program, please visithttps://www.youthimpactprogram.org/donate/.

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