KidsMatter

Meet the second half of our amazing KidsMatter Summer Intern Team! ☀️ These students have spent their summer gaining real-world experience, developing new skills, and contributing to projects that support youth and families throughout our community. Their enthusiasm, creativity, and dedication have made a meaningful impact, and we’re grateful to have them as part of the KidsMatter team.

Thank you for sharing your talents with us this summer. We can't wait to see all that you accomplish in the future!

It’s that time of year! Time for KidsMatter’s annual Volunteer Fair 🙌 Join us on September 3rd at the Fort Hill Activity Center to learn about all of the volunteer opportunities in our community. No matter your passions or preferences, there is a perfect volunteer opportunity waiting for you!

Are you a nonprofit interested in exhibiting? Sign up here: https://kidsmatter2us.org/volunteerfair/

A huge thanks to our partners: City of Naperville, Illinois, Government, Naperville Park District, Naperville Community Unit School District 203, Indian Prairie School District , and Giving DuPage.

Did you know that July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month? This month is observed to bring awareness to the unique struggles that racial and ethnic minority communities face regarding mental illness.

KidsMatter is doing its part by offering both English and Spanish programs for our Youth Mental Health First Aid training! Visit https://kidsmatter2us.org/ymhfa-training/ for more information.

We are so grateful for the support provided for this important program by the DuPage County Transformation Partnership, a collaboration between DuPage County Board and DuPage Foundation. Additional support is also provided by Endeavor Health Community Investment Fund and Endeavor Health Linden Oaks Behavioral Health, and other key partners including: Addison Township Mental Health Board, Naperville Township 708 Mental Health Board, Bloomingdale Township Mental Health Board, Milton Township Community Mental Health Board-708 Board, City of Naperville, Illinois, Government Social Service Grant, Rotary District 6450 and area rotary clubs.

A big round of applause for the graduates of our SpringBoard Series Creativity in Careers Program! 🎨

Throughout the program, students explored how creativity can be transformed into meaningful careers, learning from professionals across a variety of industries and discovering the many ways innovation, imagination, and passion can shape their futures. They made vision boards, told stories, practiced improv, built their own product brands, produced marketing campaign videos, and designed personal portfolios, all while learning how AI actually works and how to use it thoughtfully as a creative tool. They also heard from professionals across various industries who showed them the many paths open to creative thinkers.

We are excited to celebrate these students as they continue exploring their interests, developing their talents, and taking steps toward their goals.

A big thank you also to our intern Kendall Klimek and to Soham Shukla for the class support. Thank you to Shilpi Srivastava, Shannon Greene Robb, and our advisory group for developing this amazing curriculum and teaching our students. We are grateful for our additional presenters and partners for helping inspire the next generation of creative thinkers and leaders: Argonne National Laboratory, Naper Settlement, Naperville Art League, Photography by Emily Cummings, Google Chicago, Paramount Theatre + Paramount School of the Arts, Discovery Partners Institute, Kaylin Risvold – Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, Patti Minglin – Go Girl Communications, Sophia Forero – Sophia Forero Design, Kate Uhler – Budget Blinds of Naperville and Aurora.

This program is funded by DuPage Foundation, Budget Blinds of Naperville, Bosch Community Fund, Alissa Johnson Tripas and other generous partners. The program is a collaboration between KidsMatter, Naperville Community Unit School District 203, Indian Prairie School District 204, Elmhurst School District 205, Lisle School District 202, and Benet Academy, and other area high schools.

This summer, KidsMatter is happy to invite ☀️ nine ☀️ talented students to our team as summer interns! They are gaining hands-on experience, building professional skills, and helping advance KidsMatter’s vision of empowering youth to realize their purpose, know their value, and find their pathway.

We’re grateful for the energy, creativity, and fresh perspectives they bring to our team each day. Join us in celebrating these future leaders as they learn, grow, and make a difference in our community! Stay tuned next week as we introduce the rest of our amazing summer intern team.

KidsMatter is excited to be celebrating our 25th anniversary this year, and we're grateful to Naperville Community Television (NCTV17) for "Spotlight"-ing our story! Check out our CEO & Executive Director Nina Menis and Director of Programs Sherilyn Hebel in a special spotlight conversation, sharing the highlights of our history and KidsMatter's current programs in youth mental health, empowerment, philanthropy, leadership development and family support.

We're grateful to everyone at NCTV17 for shining their storytelling skills on KidsMatter as we celebrate a quarter-century of building resilient kids, empowering families and helping youth discover their pathway. And we're ever-grateful to all of the amazing people and organizations who have been part of our collaborative work along the way, building community and making a positive impact -- together.

Want to see the video yourself?! Give it a view here: https://www.nctv17.org/spotlight/kidsmatter-celebrates-25-years-of-empowering-youth/

KidsMatter’s SpringBoard Summer Series has lived up to its name for York Community High School graduate and Louisiana State University student Naami Townsel. Before enrolling in SpringBoard, Naami was considering a career in nursing or psychology. So she signed up for Survey of Healthcare Careers in 2024.

“The course was perfect because it was centered around healthcare and careers in the medical field. It really taught me a lot more than just the fields I was interested in. From ophthalmology to dermatology, phlebotomy and more — we learned about so many expansive careers,” Townsel said. Now, she’s zoomed in on a goal to become a forensic psychologist. “It’s the bridge between the mental health world and the legal system,” she said. And SpringBoard showed her the way. “It really led me down the psychology path. Hearing from panelists who are psychologists and learning about a day in their life led me to think, ‘I want to become that.’”

Townsel has returned this summer to support the SpringBoard program as a KidsMatter intern for the Survey of Healthcare Careers course at York Community High School. This summer, more than 175 students are enrolled in SpringBoard courses exploring various high-demand fields — each of them discovering their own purpose and finding their pathway to college and career success.

We are very grateful for the funding for this program from Endeavor Health's Community Investment Fund and other generous partners. Want to learn more or become a SpringBoard supporter? See details at kidsmatter2us.org/springboard-series/.

Congratulations to the graduates of our SpringBoard Series Trades & Construction program! 🎉

Over the past several weeks, these students explored career pathways in the skilled trades and construction industry, gained valuable insights from industry professionals, and built knowledge that will help guide their future education and career decisions.

We are proud of their commitment to learning and grateful to the incredible organizations, businesses, and industry professionals who provided hands-on experiences and career exploration opportunities for our students throughout the six-week program: AMS Industries, Bulley & Andrews, CAGE Engineering, Cement Masons Local 502, City of Naperville, Illinois, Government, College of DuPage, PowerForward DuPage-IBEW Local 701 Electricians, Iron Workers Local 63, Kevin Peterson Architects, Naperville Bank & Trust, Naperville Development Partnership, Nicor Gas, Schillerstrom Home Builders, Sequoia General Contracting, SMART Local 265 Sheet Metal Workers, and Tecta America.

This program is supported by AMS Industries, Inc., Bulley & Andrews, PowerForward DuPage, Marquette Management - Naperville, IL, Ryan Hill Group - Century 21 Circle, Nicor Gas, and other generous partners. The program is a collaboration between KidsMatter, Naperville Community Unit School District 203, Indian Prairie School District , Elmhurst CUSD 205, Lisle CUSD 202, Benet Academy, and key partners in the construction and trades industry.

July is Make A Difference to Children Month, where we can reflect on our childhoods and think about those who made a positive difference in our lives. Now, consider how you can be that positive influence for today's children!

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training at KidsMatter gives adults who work with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to children and adolescents (ages 6-18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them with the appropriate care. Check out more details and sign up here: https://kidsmatter2us.org/ymhfa-training/.

We are so grateful for the support provided for this important program by the DuPage County Transformation Partnership, a collaboration between DuPage County Boardand DuPage Foundation. Additional support is also provided by Endeavor HealthCommunity Investment Fund, Linden Oaks Behavioral Health, and other key partners.

Happy Independence Day from KidsMatter! We hope you all have a safe and happy holiday with your friends and family as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of America. 🇺🇸