Volunteer Opportunities with Friends of Schurz

This fall marks FOS’s 5th anniversary! Since 2016, our organization has grown from an informal network of Old Irving Park neighbors curious about the high school down the street to a 501(c)(3) organization building relationships between the neighborhood and the students, staff, and alumni that make up Bulldog Nation. Now we’re looking for volunteers to help guide the organization into the next five years - including open positions on the board of directors and the Schurz Schuffle 5k planning committee.

Join the FOS Board of Directors

We have 2-3 positions open on the board of directors for the 2021-2022 school year. If any of the following describe you, we’d love to talk with you:

• Parents of current Schurz students (new and veteran Bulldogs welcome!)

• Someone with accounting experience willing to take on a role as treasurer

• Enthusiastic about Schurz and ready to help shape our vision and jump in to lend a hand

The FOS board meets monthly during the school year and provides volunteer support at 2-3 special events over the course of the year. Interested? Send us a note at friendsofschurz@gmail.com (or reply to this email) and let us know - we’ll follow up with more information!

Help plan the 3rd Annual Schurz Schuffle 5K

This year’s Schurz Schuffle 5K will take place in Old Irving Park on Saturday, October 23. The planning committee will start meeting regularly in August and could use a few more members. If you’ve enjoyed this event over the past two years and want to help it grow, we’d love to have you on board!

There are numerous ways to get involved - no experience necessary other than a willingness to pitch in to put on a fun community event that supports our neighborhood school. Drop us a note at friendsofschurz@gmail.com (or reply to this email) and let us know you’re interested in the Schurz Schuffle planning committee.

We can't wait to hear from you!

Share your story for the 2020 Schurz Career Speaker Series

Many in the Friends of Schurz community have generously given your time in recent years to participate in the Schurz High School Career Speaker Series. We are grateful and hope you will return in 2020 to participate in the program's new, revamped format. For those looking for a way to give back in a simple, yet meaningful way, here is your opportunity.

In response to feedback from students and past participants, the 2020 series will welcome speakers to Schurz throughout the year, allowing community members to more easily fit a visit into your schedule.

Sign up here for a date and time convenient for you:  http://bit.ly/careerspeakercalendar

Here's how it works: You'll meet with 10-20 students during one 50 minute period between approximately 11:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. (You do not need to use the entire period) You'll have an opportunity to share your career story and answer questions from students interested in following a similar path. Students will sign up in advance to participate. If you are able to stay for more than one session, even better!

Schurz's goal is to expose students to a variety of careers and give them the opportunity to connect with adults on a personal level. Presentations for bilingual students are welcome, so please indicate when you sign up whether you are able to present in another language.

Sign up to share your story here: http://bit.ly/careerspeakercalendar

If you'd like to participate but need to present earlier in the day email Dee Barrett at dibarrett@cps.edu to schedule your visit.

Schurz students have a wide variety of career interests!

A student survey showed interest in careers including (but NOT limited to):
Nurse
Doctor
Psychology/Counseling/Social Work
Veterinarian
Lawyer
Business
Journalism
Engineering/Computer Science
Automotive Technology
Law Enforcement (especially anyone involved in forensics)
Military
Firefighter
Cosmetology
Dental Hygenist
Languages
Construction
Education
Plumbing
Electrical

Sign up now: http://bit.ly/careerspeakercalendar

Before your visit:
The CPS Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising requires that  Career Day/Post-Secondary Representative speakers fill out this VERY BRIEF (4 questions) form  Postsecondary Representative Screening Form prior to your arrival at the school.

The 1st Annual Schurz Schuffle 5K was a huge success - THANK YOU!

November 16 was a beautiful day for a race! The 1st Annual Schurz Schuffle is now in the books! Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday and thank you to everyone involved in making this event a huge success!

Check out more photos from the day on the FOS Facebook page

Thank you to the Schurz baseball team and Schurz staff Amy, Julio and Cathy for keeping the traffic flowing through the neighborhood and helping keep runners safe.

Thank you Schurz students Jamila and Gus for cheering on the runners as the official Bulldog mascots!

Thank you to our security guards Daniel Sotelo Jr and Vince and our custodial and engineering staff.

Thank you to our school administration for helping ensure we had everything we needed to ensure an amazing event.

Thank you to future Schurz Bulldog (we certainly hope so!!!) Ben for setting up a spirit stop in front of his home with refreshments for the runners and for all of the other OIP neighbors along the race route that came out to ring their bells and cheer us on!

Thank you to the 5K committee Jodie Podraza Schaefer, Tom Scholle, Heather Debby Legan, Katie Orozco, Dorothy Wozniak Barrett, Barbara Gallagher Cohn, John Karnuth, and Cathy West Karnuth

Thank you to Portage Grounds, Starbucks, and Chicago Taco Authority CTA for warming up our cold hands and bodies with delicious hot cocoa, coffee and pozole!

Thank you to our raffle donors Jewel-Osco, Old Irving Brewing Co., Eris Brewery and Cider House, Foundation Tavern & Grille, and UpBeat Music and Arts.

Thank you to our business sponsors Park Place Group Real Estate, Tom Brandt, XOX Hair Studio, B&M Auto Collision Center, S&T Automotive, BRUDDERS' Sports Bar, Irving Park YMCA, Trattoria Porretta Ristorante, Pizzeria, and Catering, La Villa Restaurant, The Booze Hound at Grayland Station, Edible Arrangements, Jeff's Red Hots, Berman Subaru of Chicago, and to community members Barbara & Stephen Cohn and Missy & Bart Goldberg for their financial support.

We thank you from the bottom of our collective hearts!

We cannot wait for next year!

Save the date! Saturday, October 24th!

Love Purple. Live Gold. Go Bulldogs!