After School Matters, Obama Foundation partner to provide programs at presidential center

The Obama Presidential Center is often referred to as more than a presidential library, but a community center, a gathering place, and a space for people to visit, learn, grow, and play.  

A big part of that mission is directed at kids.

The Obama Foundation formed a partnership with After School Matters—a 35-year-old organization providing opportunities to Chicago teenagers.

Mary Ellen Caron has been the CEO of the organization for 12 years and says it's hard to put value on joy and hope. She says "hope" is a popular word for the organization.

Under her leadership, After School Matters has grown to become one of the largest providers of after-school and summer programs for teenagers in the nation.

Just weeks ago, the organization announced a partnership with the Obama Foundation to provide many of those programs at the new presidential center.

"I am so excited for the South Side of Chicago," Caron said. "I just heard one of our teens say that he was inspired by this place. So to be able to have our teens access this place with the Obama legacy as well as this building and all that it is, it's unbelievable."

The center will be home for a number of After School Matters activities. Home Court, as it's called, a 60,000-square-foot athletic center on campus.

"The versatility of what we're looking for trying to build that programming across this campus. We're starting with sport at Home Court this summer, but art, food, media, music, over time being able to scale our programming with After School Matters to bring these spaces to life is really exciting," said Joe Kennedy, director of athletics and sports leadership at the Obama Presidential Center.

Kennedy played basketball at Northwestern University and began his career in public service as an intern for then-Senator Barack Obama. That led to jobs as a campaign staffer and ultimately as a special assistant in the Obama administration, supporting Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign and organizing championship team visits to the White House.

"When I had the chance to see that this center was being built, that Home Court was being built, that sport and play was going to be at the heart of it. It just aligned with my own personal journey ... I believe in the same thing the foundation does in the power of sport," Kennedy said.

He went on to coach in the college ranks, and it's no surprise to him that Home Court is a centerpiece of the campus—knowing too well the former president's love of basketball.

Kennedy reluctantly confessed the two have played some pick-up hoops together over the years.

The question is, can he beat the former president in a game of HORSE?

"I don't know about that one … I gotta make sure I maintain my paycheck here at the foundation," he said jokingly.

The center hosted a one-day After School Matters songwriting class in the media center before Thursday's grand opening.

"When I walked in here, not gonna lie, I was just a little bit intimidated. Just a little bit," Heavynn-lee Sims said, laughing.

"I didn't think it would have all this recording equipment and stuff. It's like ... I'm still fanning out," said Demetrius Melton.

Melton and Sims were impressed, especially with the class leader—singer and poet Jamila Woods, who was once in After School Matters herself.

"Grow your own is the best thing that has ever happened to us. We encourage our young people," Caron said. "We have many who used to be in the program and now are teaching the program."

After School Matters pretty much says it all—a statement that reflects the purpose and the mission. Kids even get a stipend for taking part.

"It's just a big group of people just talking. You feel welcome, you feel very welcome when you walk into After School Matters. The staff members are very accepting, your instructors very accepting, and then they make the program fun. It's like I don't even go there to get paid anymore. I just go to have something to do after school," Sims said.

"This is a one in a lifetime chance. You only get this once," Melton said.

All the summer programs here are already full, but more programs will be added at the center during the school year, and there are still other opportunities around the city. For more information, visit afterschoolmatters.org.