Education & Enrichment:
The Beacon Place Education & Enrichment Program is a curriculum-based remediation program for students in grades K-8th. It provides support in math, reading, writing, STEM, SEL, and art.
The program requires a commitment from the student and parents to attend programming during scheduled session days. Learning is made fun with field trips, special activities, performances, workshops, and end-of-semester showcases of student work.
Year-round activities and programming occur 10 hours per week for up to 120 students enrolled after school and in the summer. Students in this program have shown significant progress in their academic and social-emotional learning. All the learning is done using a hands-on approach while providing diverse experiences.
Our overall goal is to enrich our students through academic success, personal growth, and fun activities.
Launch:
The Beacon Place LAUNCH Program engages youth in grades 9 - 12 in becoming healthy and successful adults in their communities.
The program focuses on 3 main pillars: college and career preparation, life skill building and social emotional learning. Through discussion-based learning, real life experiences, and enrichment activities, Beacon Place youth empower themselves to live by their values, while gaining tools and confidence to make informed decisions about their futures.
The program meets at least once a week during the academic year and summer. Additional enrichment activities include cooking classes, field trips, special guest speakers, games and activities, and outdoor adventures such as kayaking, camping, and swimming.
Moms' Group:
The Beacon Place moms' program strives to build a social support network for mothers to educate, foster positive relationships, and build a sense of empowerment among community residents.
Activities include speakers sharing information on social, educational, health, and nutritional issues; resources available to families; and their legal rights. Informal English as a Second Language (ESL) education occurs daily.
Cooking and handicrafts are employed to share nutritional and cultural information, increase the sense of achievement, and promote bonding and discussion within the group.
Our Programs
Cooking with Ernie:
Cooking with Ernie is a beloved Beacon Place program where students step into the kitchen to create delicious, family-style meals—right from their own homes.
Led by our talented Finance Manager and volunteer chef, Ernie, each session combines hands-on cooking instruction with fun and learning.
Beacon Place provides all the ingredients, and students take the lead in preparing dishes for their entire family, building confidence, independence, and a lifelong love of cooking along the way.
Summer Lunch Bunch & Backpacks:
The Summer Lunch Program provides lunch and afternoon fun activities to kids in grades K-8th on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the summer.
This program ensures nutritional consistency during the summer and a safe, fun environment for outdoor play.
Participants will be served breakfast and lunch on program days. Every Thursday, all participants receive a backpack filled with nutritional food for the weekend.
Chicago Voyagers:
Beacon Place partners with Chicago Voyagers to provide our students with transformative outdoor adventure experiences that build confidence, leadership, and resilience.
Through activities like hiking, canoeing, and team-building challenges, students step outside their comfort zones, explore nature, and develop valuable life skills—all while having fun and strengthening bonds with their peers.
This partnership helps empower youth to grow not just academically, but also personally and socially.
