The Southside of Chicago can be a very beautiful place, but it can also be a place of horror and sadness. Gage Park High School is located at the intersection of 56th Street and Rockwell Street and includes people of all races and backgrounds. Gage Park High School takes kids from many neighborhoods of Chicago, but dominantley from the Gage Park and Englewood communities. There is high gang activity and we generally lose more than a few students to violence every year and are definately subject to the possiblity of violence everyday. The thing about high school students is they are high school students. They have so much potential and although there are a lot of broken families, everyone is doing the best they can. My volleyball team includes many different students, but has some of the brightest girls in the school. They learn how to be leaders, to think on their feet, how important practice is along with many other life lessons and relationships that they will take with them for the rest of their lives. The more opportunity these girls have to experience life the greater their goals will become and the determination of these students truly proves that they will accomplish whatever dreams they aspire too. This will help the community because the more success stories there are, the more students will be open to new things.

My volleyball team needs new jerseys. There is not much money in the budget for athletics and it is difficult to fund new team game jerseys. The jerseys we have now, besides from being over six years old, are now against the I.H.S.A. rules. We need them. Our girls need to be confident and proud to learn more lessons about life and teamwork. The quote, "dress for success" applies strongly here and high school girls are so wrapped up with the way they look, it is important that they can be confident on the volleyball courts. It also helps them develop a sense of pride for themselves and for their community that is so important when trying to improve the society as a whole.

My name is John Ely and I am a 23 year old history teacher on the Southwest side of Chicago, IL. I have taught for two years at this school and since have taken over many endeavors at the school. I am the Varsity Girls Volleyball Coach, the Sophomore Boys Basketball Coach, the Assistant Varsity Boys Baseball Coach, as well as the Athletic Director of the Athletic Department. Although I have only done of this for about a year, I have already seen how positive after school sports activities are to the students. I had the privelage of coaching the top two students on the team last year, who I became close with and aided them in their senior duties and college choice process. Our number one student is going to Indiana University and the number two is going to DePaul University. It was an amazing experience for me and I am excited to continue aiding them as they move their college years. I took over the team because if no one did, then there would be no team. Knowing the intelligence and committed nature of the girls on the team, I gave it a shot. I quickly became devoted to my players and we formed a family type bond. We did not win a game, but we had a great time and the GPAs of my players actually went up. I was so proud all year when they would run to me with their awesome tests and majorly improved report cards. It was an amazing experience. The overall atmosphere at Gage Park tends to make it very hard for students to achieve success in the poverty stricken Southside of Chicago. Almost all of our 1800 students are on free lunches. Although so many people are trying to answer the questions that cause the mayhem that exists, it is only slowly getting better.

Any donations will be used to purchase new game jerseys for the Gage Park Girls Volleyball Team. I am planning on using my own money now to buy jerseys for the school, so anything that can be donated will help. I would like to try and raise money for field trips and new equipment, but for now, the jerseys are the most important things we need. Thank you very much for your time.