The Chicago Bears recognize the importance of offering and supporting educational programs for children from grade levels kindergarten through high school. Whether teaching children to read, encouraging them to become better citizens, or discussing life experiences, our desire is to instill a characteristic vital to their development - hope. Children are our future... and an educated child equates to a brighter future.

What Moves U Tales to Tackle Hello to our Heroes Power Hour Tutoring Goal Power: Alternative Careers in Sports Bears School Outreach

Safety Day Play it Smart NFL High School Tuesday  NFL Bring a Player to School

WHAT MOVES U

Responding to the continuing decline of physical education programs in many of America’s schools and the lack of physical activity for today’s youth, the National Football League and American Heart Association (AHA) have created What Moves U, a national youth movement and awareness campaign designed to

promote physical fitness and healthy living to an increasingly inactive generation of children. This initiative incorporates several key elements: an in-school activity kit created for teachers, by teachers, which includes curriculum-based activity sheets, program–specific learning materials and school promotional materials; and an interactive fitness-focused website for children.

In support of this initiative, the Chicago Bears and the Chicago office of the American Heart Association have joined forces to promote this program throughout Chicagoland. The Bears introduced the What Moves U program locally on Sunday, September 24 at the AHA’s Heart Walk at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. Bears mascot Staley was on hand to join more than 5,000 walkers during the morning’s festivities. What Moves U will officially launch in mid-October in over 15,000 middle schools nationwide. Teachers will then have the opportunity to download the in-school activity kit on www.whatmovesu.com. Unlike other physical fitness programs, What Moves U has been developed for teachers of various academic disciplines to help them find ways to integrate physical activities into their existing lesson plans. To learn more about the What Moves U program and the Chicago Bears, continue to check back at www.chicagobears.com/community.

TALES TO TACKLE

For the third consecutive year, the Chicago Bears are administering an exciting reading incentive program called “Tales to Tackle,” which runs from mid-September through mid-December. The goal of this program, geared toward 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, is for students to read three teacher-approved books per month. The main component of the “Tales to Tackle” program is a reading notebook, which includes photos of Bears players and features quotes from Bears players and famous authors about the importance of reading. The notebook also includes a list of suggested books and has plenty of space for students to write book reports. This notebook allows the students to keep track of the books that they read during the program. Every child who achieves the goal of reading three books per month for the three month period will be entered into a random drawing for the chance to win a special “Bears Experience” at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. The “Tales to Tackle” program is sponsored by ComEd, An Exelon Company, and is a component of the Chicago Bears Education initiative, which is presented by Chase. Please call (847) 739-5308 if you are a teacher interested in introducing the program to your students.

HELLO TO OUR HEROES

The "Hello to Our Heroes" program, which is sponsored by Staples, was developed by the Chicago Bears in an effort to help boost the morale of American soldiers who are currently serving overseas. In support of this program, a Bears player visits a different local school once a month during the football season to help students write letters to members of the military. These letters are sent to the USO of Illinois for distribution overseas. Staples provides letter writing kits to the students to assist them in writing letters to United States service men and woman abroad. In addition, Staples provides the same kits to the service men and women overseas who receive the students' letters. For more information about the "Hello to Our Heroes" program, please call (847) 739-5308.

POWER HOUR TUTORING

The Chicago Bears are once again partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago to present the Power Hour tutoring program. One Tuesday per month during the football season, members of the Bears organization, including players, wives, and staff, visit different Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Chicago to help tutor students who are part of the Club's after school Power Hour study program. The Power Hour is designed to encourage students to focus on academics after school and reward them for their academic achievements.

GOAL POWER: ALTERNATIVE CAREERS IN SPORTS

For the second consecutive year, Adewale Ogunleye has teamed up with the Chicago Urban League to present the community outreach program “Goal Power: Alternative Careers in Sports.” The purpose of this program, which was created by Adewale, is to introduce young people to different opportunities that exist in professional sports outside of being an athlete. This year, students involved with the Chicago Urban League will take field trips to different sports-related venues throughout Chicago to observe the day-to-day activities and responsibilities that are associated with careers in sports. Visits have been tentatively scheduled to FOX-TV studios; Halas Hall, the training facility of the Chicago Bears; and the United Center, where the Chicago Bulls executive offices are located. Adewale will attend each event, and students will have the opportunity to meet and speak with executives at each company they visit.

BEARS SCHOOL OUTREACH 

Each Tuesday during the football season, Chicago Bears players visit Chicago Public Schools to speak to, motivate, and interact with students as part of the Bears School Outreach program. The theme for player visits is character development, goal setting, and commitment to excellence. This program, which is in its 9th season, reaches more than 7,000 students each year.

SAFETY DAY (Safety Day group)

Wide receiver Justin Gage, fullback Jason McKie, and running back Adrian Peterson joined the Lake Forest Police and Fire Departments at the School of St. Mary in Lake Forest on Tuesday, September 19 for Safety Day. Students from kindergarten through 3rd grade participated in several hands-on safety demonstrations highlighting various issues such as “stranger danger,” dialing 9-1-1, bike helmets, fire safety, and more. This was the fifth consecutive year that the Chicago Bears have partnered with Chicago area fire and police departments and schools to educate children about the importance of public and personal safety.

PLAY IT SMART

The National Football Foundation's Play It Smart program was introduced in Chicago in 2001 at Hubbard High School. The Chicago Bears have supported this program over the years through many different avenues, including player appearances, volunteer opportunities, and a $20,000 donation in 2005. Since its inception, Play It Smart has grown to include six schools within the Chicago Public Schools system. As part of this education program, a trained academic coach works with student athletes for an entire school year and focuses on positive personal development, decision making, responsibility, maturity issues, and leadership skills. The results of this successful program are clear: graduation rates of participants are 11% greater and college matriculation rates are 40% higher than school averages. 85% of seniors take the SAT/ACT, a higher rate than their peers, and 97% of Play It Smart participants graduate from high school compared to the national rate of 86%.

NFL HIGH SCHOOL TUESDAY

The Bears will participate in the NFL High School Tuesday program during the month of October by having a Bears player visit a Chicago area high school. Students in each NFL market were able to submit nominations for their high school on NFLHS.com in August and September.

NFL BRING A PLAYER TO SCHOOL

The NFL is partnering with the JCPenney Aftershcool Program to present NFL “Take a Player to School Day.” Students were able to enter the “Take a Player to School” sweepstakes to win the chance for an NFL player to come to their school. The purpose of this program is to encourage children ages 6-13 to stay in school and become involved in their after-school programs. This event will take place in all 32 NFL markets.