New store inside West Side school offering incentives to motivate students
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's a new store inside a West Side school.
The Blackhawks Foundation along with officials at Michele Clark High School are spearheading an initiative to motivate students.
CBS 2's Mugo Odigwe takes us for a tour.
The school's principal says the goal here is to encourage and incentivize students to be the best that they can be.
Here's a look at the new store inside Michele Clark High School.
It's called Open Market Goods and it will provide students with opportunities to earn points.
But only after exhibiting positive behaviors and even acts of kindness at school.
Those points can then be redeemed for school supplies or sneakers and special merchandise and experiences created by Joe Robinson - a designer and creative director from the West Side of Chicago as well as the Chicago Blackhawks.
Those behind the initiative say it's all about pushing students to be better. Giving them opportunities to work hard for exciting rewards that then translate to better work ethics beyond the school grounds.
"And it's just based off of points," said principal Charles Anderson. "So, when you talk about points, we always look at things like our behavior, attendance, and grades."
"I think it's very important for people to realize, especially kids to realize that you can be from where I'm from and kind of take over the world so very excited about this," said Community Goods founder Joe "Freshgoods" Robinson.
"Our vision is that every student that visits the Open Goods Market leaves inspired. Along with community goods we want to make sure that space reflects the belief that any goal can be achieved," said Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz.
We're told the new store is one of several ways the three organizations will continue to work together to support students in the West Side of Chicago.
By the way, Michele Clark has a close connection to us.
She was a reporter here at WBBM TV back in the early 1970s before moving on to the network - becoming a CBS News correspondent.
Ms. Clark died in a plane crash at midway airport in 1972. She was just 29 years old.
