United Neighborhood Organization, which runs nine charter schools in predominantly Hispanic Chicago neighborhoods, is taking applications for its new soccer academy, a public charter school witha soccer focus. It will open this fall for 575 kindergartners through eighth-graders. The students will be picked by lottery.
“We have a tremendous amount of soccer talent within ourcommunity,” said Juan Rangel, CEO of UNO. “Unfortunately, a lot of kids may have the soccer skills, but they do not have the academic background.”
Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah reports that UNO organizers figured soccer could be a good hook to inspire kids otherwise prone to dropping out or not being interested in school, perhapsgetting some on track for college sports scholarships.
The school will offer soccer for gym class and host soccer drills and scrimmages after school. UNO officials hope to integrate soccerinto subjects like math and social studies, starting first with naming classrooms after countries that have hosted the World Cup. The school also plans on focusing on fitness and nutrition as part ofthe daily program.