Instead of writing traditional pen and paper letters to a pen pal in an elementary school classroom, school kids can connect with college athletes with software provided by the Chins Up Foundation in Madison.
The organization allows student athletes to message back and forth with fourth through sixth grade students, Chief Program Officer Lauren Parish said.
Since it was founded in 2011, Parish said the program has worked with more than 100 athletes and 100 students from both the University of Wisconsin and Edgewood College. Though it originally started as handwritten letters, now a software program helps them create connections.
Parish said when founder Israel Lopez was a child living in Madison, he looked up to a college athlete and got to know him while Lopez helped out at West High School. Lopez got a letter from the athlete and a signed picture, filled with inspirational messages.
“He wanted to give back in that same way, recognizing what a strong platform athletes have and how much influence they really have on kids,” Parish said.
Parish said Lopez wanted to create an organization which would help provide an athlete mentorship similar to his when growing up.
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When kids talk to athletes, these strong leaders can empower them. Athletes usually are people kids already look up to and aspire to be someday, Parish said.
“We want to inspire these kids to become more than what they think they can become,” Parish said. “Empowering them to set big dreams and set big goals.”
The athletes and students communicate through a software system created by the Chins Up Foundation. Parish said the organization screens the letters before sending them to the kids to make sure they are protected. They also include only the first name and last initial for all of the kids.
Billy Bull, a junior and a basketball player at Edgewood College, said it gave him a good opportunity to give back to the community and mentor kids.
“Growing up I think it’s huge having a mentor in your life and someone you can go to, to talk about anything,” Bull said. “We gave a lot of those kids that opportunity.”
Bull became involved with the Chins Up Foundation after one of his captains introduced it to both his team and the athletic department at Edgewood. Bull said working with the organization was a great opportunity since it not only provided a chance to give back, but it was also time-flexible.
Parish said the organization is working to continue developing the software for the communication platform. Though the main focus will still be the mentorship aspect, the organization wants to provide tools to help the athletes themselves with professional development like interview preparation, resumes and balancing budgets.
Parish also said the Chins Up Foundation hopes to spread the software to other cities and universities, possibly selling it to other organizations looking to start a similar program.
Throughout the discussion between the athletes and students, Parish said they focus on the importance of education and staying in school.
Parish said the organization wants students to know how much work and dedication is needed both on and off the field, focusing on the importance of school work as well. She said the kids often respond well to the athletes they look up to.
“We want to emphasize you’re a student athlete — student comes first,” Parish said.
