Sinai Schools Initiative: Ogden/Jenner
Chicago Sinai strives to improve the quality of education in Chicago by continuously providing volunteer and financial support to a local, public school. From 2009-2018, Sinai partnered with Jenner Academy of the Arts, a pre-K through 8th grade elementary school in the former Cabrini-Green neighborhood. Nearly 100% of the students enrolled in Jenner School came from low income, under-resourced households.
In 2018, Jenner merged with Ogden International School, offering students at both schools equal access to a high quality education with a diverse study body. Chicago Sinai supports this merged community with programming on both the Ogden East and Jenner campuses.
Whether you’re looking for a weekly volunteer opportunity or just an hour occasionally, there are many ways for you to support the Ogden/Jenner community.
Classroom Aides
Are you interested in working directly with students? If so, please consider serving as a classroom aide. Sinai volunteers assist a classroom teacher as needed by working with small groups, helping with all-class projects, or providing one-on-one instruction. Members volunteer one or more times a week based on their schedule and the teacher’s needs.
Special Projects
Throughout the school year, Sinai volunteers assist with special projects as needed. Past projects include welcoming students to school on the first day, decorating school bulletin boards, helping in the school office, assisting at school celebrations, hosting a teacher appreciation breakfast, assisting students with an art project, and partnering with the administration to update the teacher’s lounge.
Other Support
Chicago Sinai has been able to support the Ogden/Jenner community in a variety of ways, including delivering computer technology to students, and assisting families with getting access to reliable Wi-Fi. In addition, we’ve provided gift cards for the purchase of food and essential items.
If you would like more information about any of our programming or are interested in volunteering, please contact Heidi Wagman and Jessica Diamond at jennerogden@chicagosinai.org.
If you would like to donate to support our programming, you can do so online. Thank you for everything you do to make an impact on these children’s lives.