Energy was high in Upper Kovler Gymnasium on April 11 for a new community event that brought together three schools, including U-High, despite a turnout of around 30 spectators.
Developed by U-High Principal Martin Woods, U-High hosted the Beloved Community basketball game in collaboration with Hyde Park Academy and UChicago Charter School Woodlawn.
“As I was reflecting on programming that would bring the community together, I thought it would be a great idea to do it around sports,” Mr. Woods said.
The event included a five-on-five game, with teams made up of students from all three schools, though only two U-High sophomores — Colby Chavin and Axel Lintz — played, as well as a halftime performance by Chicago musician Zion Ali. The game was close, with a final score of 50-48.
On the morning of the game, U-High hosted community building and wellness activities for the players, including yoga sessions and a three-on-three game. Players also prepared independently in the week before the game.
“Really by, like, running through my school gym room,” Makayah Thompson, a sophomore at UCW, said, “practicing my drills with my teammates.”
The event was partially sponsored by Project Love Chicago, an organization that supports Chicago youth through education, employment and athletics opportunities, founded by 2013 U-High graduate Curtis Henderson.
“Our goal is to give you all access to resources and opportunities that you, generally, may not have,” Mr. Henderson said to the audience during the halftime break. “We focus on mental health, academics, personal development and athletics.”
The game included volunteering opportunities for U-High sophomores to earn service hours. About a dozen students helped with set-up and clean up.
“Me and Mr. Woods have been working on this since the announcement in February,” said junior Zoe Cobb, who helped organize the event. “We’ve met a couple times to figure out, like, how to organize the volunteers and how to promote the event.”
The Beloved Community is a philosophy coined by Josiah Royce and popularized by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which emphasizes a community in which “all people can share in the wealth of the earth,” according to the King Center. This year, Mr. Woods has emphasized this philosophy, with the Beloved Community basketball game as its first event.
“I’m excited about the community coming together with all different types of schools,” Lawshawnda Ray, a U-High parent who attended the game, said. “This is amazing.”
The game included food from two food trucks, Reggie’s On Wheels and Tacos Dos Carnales, a performance of “Star Spangled Banner” by Lab eighth grader Binah Fahri and DJ-ing by sophomore Colin Williams, who also volunteered.
