The Chicago Bulls have contributed to After School Matters for years now. Bulls’ Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf sits on the organization’s Advisory Board, and Bulls’ President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Reinsdorf sits on the Board of Directors.





This article really hit home for me. I am from north Minneapolis, which is the inner city of Minnesota. During my elementary years all the way up through middle school, I participated in a program like this called This article really hit home for me. I am from north Minneapolis, which is the inner city of Minnesota. During my elementary years all the way up through middle school, I participated in a program like this called A.C.E.S.,

which stands for Athletes Committed to Educating Students. This was an after-school program that primarily focused on providing tutoring service and mentoring to area children. While in the program, we went on field trips, such as going to see a Twins baseball game, received help on our homework and studies, and participated in many team-building activities to help us learn life skills and lessons. Being a part of such an organization that is still popular and is continually expanding to new middle and high schools was beneficial to me. It has made me the person I am today. If it weren’t for A.C.E.S., who knows where I would have been after school let out or what I have been doing to kill time until basketball practice or going home. I might have easily joined a gang or had been doing other things that my peers and older kids were doing to try and fit in.





Throughout the years, I have kept in close contact with the former Head of Operations at A.C.E.S, Chad Caruthers. Chad became the Head of Operations during my last year in the program(8th grade) and has since moved on to pursue a different career at St. Thomas University in Minnesota. Chad and I became very close and we still text, email, and get together to catch up when I am home for a break. He is also a huge fan and has followed me throughout my basketball career.