The Navigating College Workshops are a series of six (6) interactive,  virtual workshops, each focused on a different, relevant topic, for college-bound high school students who have IEPs or 504 Plans and their parents/guardians.  The workshops provide information not taught elsewhere to help students who have invisible differenes navigate through college and graduate. 

The 2020-2021 virtual workshop series begins December 8, 2020.   Only people whose names are on the registration form will have access to the workshops.  

Please register below.  

Do you have a college-bound student with Invisible Differences, such as ADHD, learning disabilities, ASD, and/or mental health disorders? The Navigating College Workshops are a series of 6 interactive workshops, each focused on a different topic, that provides important information to help students who have invisible differences navigate through college and graduate.   Due to COVID-19, the next Navigating College Workshop Series will be offered virtually. 

The next Navigating College Workshops will kick off on December 8th, on Zoom, and continue throughout 2021. Register here.  

Who Should Attend:

This workshop is for intellectually-typical, college-bound students who have invisible differences and their parents/guardians.  Invisible Differences are: learning disabilities, mental health disorders and neuro-behavioral challenges, including ADHD, ASD, and executive function disorders.  The workshop is limited to 12 families.  If the course is full, you may add your name to a waitlist.

The topics of the six sessions are: 

1. Legal Rights Covers legal rights as a high school student and as a college student, how the rights differ, and personal impact

2. Choosing and Applying to College Helps students identify what attributes of a college are important to them as a unique learner and how to determine whether a school has the resources and environment they are seeking

3. Disclosure, Documentation, and Disability Services Covers requirements for registering with Disability Services on campus and receiving accommodations

4. Accommodations Covers the process for seeking accommodations as well as discussing a variety of different accommodations that might be useful

5. Self-Advocacy Teaches students how to advocate for themselves and introduces them to the various “players” on campus to whom they might need to advocate

6. College Life Provides a comprehensive overview of all aspects of college life and invites students to think about how their disability will impact college life

Facilitators

Marci Koblenz, M.A., the Navigating College facilitator, as well as the program developer, is an educator who has worked with students who have invisible differences for more than 18 years.  As those students grew up and struggled with college, she saw first-hand the unique challenges these students face in college and realized there are no existing resources to help them (and their families) plan for and succeed in college.  That realization led to the creation of the Navigating College Workshop series. In addition, as the mother of four adult children who are intellectually-typical and have invisible differences, she brings her insights as a parent to the workshop.    Marci is also the Founder and President of Center for Companies That Care, a nonprofit dedicated to dramatically increasing college graduation rates among vulnerable students, including those who have invisible differences. 

The sessions will be co-facilitated with Dr. Adina Kleiman, a Licensed Psychologist and Certified School Psychologist with 40 + years of clinical and therapeutic experience.

The STEM track of the Summer Stretch and STEM Institute will introduce students to different STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields, offering them the opportunity to learn a skill or become familiar with a discipline. These skills are the basis for many highly coveted careers.

College-Credit Course

Take advantage of the opportunity to get a college course out of the way this summer at Companies That Care HQ with the help of a 5-star tutor. We’ll register for an online course, and work on it together each week in the office. When you start college, you’ll already have a collge course under your belt, and most importantly, avoid the trap of being placed into a remedial course. By passing this course, you’ll have already qualified yourself as passed the remedial level, so you’ll skip the courses that suck your financial aid and time, while not earning you college credit in the process. 

Fee: $150
Dates: Dates TBD
Location: 641 W Lake St, 2nd Floor
Who: Rising Seniors and students entering college in fall of 2019

Click Here to Register for the College-Credit Course

Computer Modeling and Robotics
Center for Connected Learning & Computer-Based Modeling at Northwestern University is partnering with Companies That Care to offer this course.  From our instructors:

NetLogo: Using Computer-based modeling to solve soceity’s tough problems

Are there any ways we can increase people’s involvement in democratic processes? Can we predict the long-term success of a basketball team? How do viral stories spreak on social media? What are some potentially effective strategies to reduce crime in a neighborhood? Can we find pragmatic solutions to income inequality? Computer-based modeling helps scientists, economists, health care professionals, and others more deeply understand such complex questions and offer potential solutions. 

In this 8-day summer institute, students will learn to program in the NetLogo agent-based modeling environment that they will use to tackle problems that they care about in their everyday lives and communities. Each student will work on laptop computers to develop simulations and scientific models to propose solutions to important contemporary challenges of their communities and contribute to the betterment of society. 

Fee: $100, lunch provided
Date/Time: Dates TBD
Location: 641 W Lake St, 2nd Floor
Who: CPS High School Students

Click here to register for Computer Modeling and Robotics

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The “Stretch” track of the Summer Stretch and STEM Institute has two main components, College and Career. We think of “stretch” as growth, or how we can use this time to expand, grow, or stretch students’ knowledge, skills, or preparedness. In the Career path, you’ll find ways to explore different fields, expand your resume, or learn about the education required for a career path. On the College path, we’ll offer different angles to help students prepare for college, by identifying common roadblocks, getting a course out of the way, or giving a taste of what college might be. We hope you’ll join us to stretch some aspect of your mind this summer!

Summer Stretch Internships 

This is a 6-week program exploring different industries, careers, and projects.  

For students participating for their second year, they have the chance to build upon their skills and to develop new ones as well as to explore career options for specific industries.

CAI Chicagobility (July 1 – August 9)

This is a 6-week paid internship designed specifically for 9th graders. This program will introduce 14 and 15 year olds to a variety of careers, and the education necessary to work in those fields. We will also help these students identify things about themselves as learners and workers, while teaching professional development skills that will be helpful in the future. Diverse learners are encouraged to apply. Upon satisfactorily meeting all program requirements, participants will be awarded a stipend. We will meet from Mon-Thurs, 9:30a-2:30p.

CAI One Summer Chicago Plus (OSC+) (July 1 – August 9)

This is a 6-week paid internship for ages 16-22, in which they will:

• plan a job fair
• learn about topics such as event planning, finance, operations, marketing, sales, and project management
• do the actual finance, operations, sales, and project management required to host a job fair that engages Chicago youth and businesses

Upon satisfactorily meeting all program requirements, participants will be awarded hourly wages up to 120 hours. We will meet Mon-Thurs, 10a-3p. 

To Apply:

Applicants must complete a two part application. The first step is to apply with One Summer Chicago, available here. Please select “City of Chicago-Department of Family and Support Services” from among the 6 choices when prompted. Second, please apply directly to Companies That Care, here. Applications are due June 3rd at 5PM.

College Onboarding Colloquium

A big name for an important summer: the summer before college.  This four-session seminar is for first generation parents and students heading off to college in the fall.  There will be speakers, discussion topics, interactive activities, check lists and dinner!  By the end, students and their parents will be fully prepared to start college in the fall without experiencing the mishaps commonly occurring for first generation college students.  We will cover such topics as budgeting, time management, forms completion, housing, loans, and so much more. Get prepared while having fun!

Fee: $100 for students and parents, dinner provided
Date/Time: Date and time TBD
Location: 641 W Lake St, 2nd Floor
Who: Students Entering College in Fall 2019

*One session will be designed for students with Invisible Differences and their families. This session will help families identify the transitions and accommodations their student will need.

Click Here to Register for College Onboarding Colloquium

College-Credit Course

Take advantage of the opportunity to get a college course out of the way this summer at Companies That Care HQ with the help of a 5-star tutor. We’ll register for an online course, and work on it together each week in the office. When you start college, you’ll already have a collge course under your belt, and most importantly, avoid the trap of being placed into a remedial course. By passing this course, you’ll have already qualified yourself as passed the remedial level, so you’ll skip the courses that suck your financial aid and time, while not earning you college credit in the process. 

Fee: $150
Dates: Dates TBD
Location: 641 W Lake St, 2nd Floor
Who: Rising Seniors and students entering college in fall of 2019

Click Here to Register for the College-Credit Course

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