Sparks flew from the hands of 13-year-old Tristan Williams to the concrete floor. Wearing gloves, goggles and a welding jacket, he maneuvered a plasma cutter above a thin sheet of metal. Beside him, a few students gasped.
“We learned how to be careful with the fire, and to trace around the shapes,” Tristan said later, with a toothy grin.
Tristan was one of 21 middle schoolers who visited Prosser Career Academy Monday, as part of Chicago Public School’s first-ever career exploration event for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The group gathered to tour Prosser’s vocational workshops in Belmont Cragin — including welding, electricity and carpentry facilities.
“If you know you’re walking in with a language barrier, it’s really nice that there’s the comfort of belonging in this event,” said Prosser Principal Sandra Shimon. “What I always want for our students is for them to have choices about how they live their lives.”
As they visited each workshop, students were encouraged to consider attending the vocational high school. Tristan, who uses hearing aids, was already interested. “I’m kinda thinking about coming here … They have all different kinds of programs, and it’s a bigger school,” said the Chase seventh grader.
The event was made possible by a $100,00 grant from the New Chance Fund — funded by Chance the Rapper’s nonprofit, SocialWorks. Four other schools on the South and West Sides received the grants this summer, aimed at encouraging Chicago youth to explore careers in the trades. For Prosser students, the grant money will support expanded career and technical education opportunities.
Since 2017, the New Chance Fund has invested $5.1 million in 51 CPS schools, reaching more than 27,000 students. Chance the Rapper, a Grammy Award-winning artist, grew up in Chicago and attended Jones College Prep.
“When you get a grant like that, it’s really fun to reimagine what your curriculum can be moving forward,” Shimon said.
As the middle schoolers — who attend Chase, Bell and Jamieson Elementary Schools — explored the campus, activities ranged from building wooden cars to watching a welding demonstration. Staff also gave a presentation on different career opportunities after high school graduation. A group of American Sign Language interpreters remained closely in tow.
“The fact that (staff) are putting it together, and rolling out the red carpet to show the students what their options are is pretty amazing,” said Josh Long, chief officer of the district’s Office for Students with Disabilities.
Junior Jabari Wallace helped guide students in the carpentry workshop. Wallace, who spoke through an interpreter, said he was excited to show the younger visitors his craft: He’s found purpose in his projects and Prosser’s programming. “It gives me a sense of vision where I can think about building, and be creative in building,” Wallace said.
Wallace is planning to go to college after graduation, but hopes to pursue carpentry or become a teacher — especially for other students with special needs.
“I love kids. I love teaching them, especially the deaf and hard of hearing,” he said. “You know, giving them a vision of what it is to teach in carpentry, talk about carpentry.”
There are 19 students who are deaf or hard of hearing at Prosser, according to the school’s sole teacher of the deaf, Cicely Boggan. Boggan teaches nearly every subject, and noted that there is a “scarcity” of ASL specialists in schools. It made Monday’s career exploration event all the more important, she added.
“I think it’s equally as important to start thinking about career development, and to let deaf and hard of hearing students know Chicago Public Schools believes that they can grow,” Boggan said. “This is the perfect way to expose them to that.”
After concluding the activities, Bell eighth grader Evelyn Ramirez bounded outside of a classroom. She had just sampled a meal cooked by Prosser students, part of a demonstration of the school’s culinary training opportunities.
“I love Prosser,” Evelyn said, before running back to her classmates. “It’s my favorite.”