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>> "CHICAGO TONIGHT, LATINO VOICES" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY: .

>> GOOD EVENING, THIS IS "LATINO VOICES" AND I'M ALEX HERNANDEZ.

WE SHOW EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING AT 5:00 AND 6:00 AND THANK YOU FOR SPENDING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND.

THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS HEAD BACK TO THE CLASSROOMS THIS MONTH AND WE TALK TO THE DISTRICT CEO AND AN OFFICIAL FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ABOUT RETURNING TO SCHOOL AS COVID CASES RISE.

MEANWHILE, SOME CITY TEENAGERS TRIED TO SOAK UP THE LAST FEW DAYS OF SUMMER BY LEARNING WHAT IT IS TO CAMP IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS AND BACK TO THE LEGACY OF THE MEXICAN OR -- ARTIST AND THE PUERTO RICAN AND THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC HERE.

CHICAGO SCHOOLS WILL REQUIRE STUDENTS AND STAFF TO GET A COVID-19 VACCINE MADE BY A DISTRICT ON FRIDAY, THIS COMES AS CPS CONTINUES TO BARGAIN ON THE CORONAVIRUS SAFETY PLANS, AND AS COVID-19 CASES RISE LARGELY DRIVEN BY MORE CONTAGIOUS DELTA VARIANT, THE STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY SET TO HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

JOINING US TO DISCUSS THE DISTRICT'S PLAN FOR UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR ARE JOSE TORRES, INTERIM CEO OF CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DR. GERALDINE LUNA, MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

MR. TORRES, I START WITH YOU, THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT" SINCE TAKING THE POSITION.

YOU ENTERED THE DISTRICT AT A TUMULTUOUS TIME TO SAY THE LEAST, SO HOW HAVE THE FIRST SEVERAL WEEKS BEEN, AND WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES AS THE STUDENTS GET READY TO RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM?

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, AND YES, IT'S BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE BACK IN THE DISTRICT.

I USED TO BE IN THE DISTRICT IN 2007, 2006-2008 AND MY PRIORITIES ARE TO REENGAGE ALMOST 100,000 STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN DISENGAGED IN SOME WAY AND OPENING SCHOOL AUGUST 30th, A WEEK BEFORE LABOR DAY.

>> MOVING TO THE IN PERSON LEARNING, DR. LUNA, MORE THAN 70% ADULTS IN CHICAGO OVER THE AGE OF 18 HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE AND 50% OF PEOPLE, 12-17 HAVE RECEIVED ALSO ONE DOSE, BUT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE STUDENTS WHO WILL BE BACK IN SCHOOL ARE NOT ELIGIBLE YET.

DR. LUNA, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR IN-PERSON LEARNING FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS THAT REQUIRING STUDENTS AND STAFF TO GET VACCINATED MITIGATE RISK?

>> OF COURSE, HAVING A VACCINATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL, AND WE KNOW NOTHING CAN SUBSTITUTE, THAT HOWEVER, IN ADDITON TO THAT, THE WAY IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND I KNOW DR. TORRES CAN TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT, THAT BUT WE'RE HIGHLY RECOMMENDING THE SAFETY MEASURES THEY ARE RECOMMENDING IN CPS TO CONTINUE USING MASKS.

UNIVERSAL MASK USE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.

WE KNOW VACCINATED STUDENTS CAN SPREAD THE VIRUS, AS WELL, SO TO GET THE SOCIAL DISTANCING IN A PERMISSIBLE ENVIRONMENT AND A COVID SCREENING AND MAKING SURE THAT NOBODY WITH SYMPTOMS GO INTO THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT OR THE SCHOOL AS IT IS, AND ANOTHER THING IS THAT OUR TESTING, COVID-19 TESTING WILL BE AMPLY AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE AND THIS IS SUPERIOR TO ANYTHING ELSE AND WE HAVE HAD THIS MODEL IN OTHER SCHOOLS AND CPS IS COMPLETELY STANDING BEHIND THIS.

WE WANT TO SEND THE CHILDREN BACK TO IN-PERSON SCHOOL.

>> SPEAKING OF THEESTS AND THE VACCINES, THE CHICAGO TEACHERS' UNION AND CPS ARE IN NEGOTIATION OF REOPENING AND THE UNION PRESIDENT SAID THE VACCINE MANDATE DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

>> IT DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY, I MEAN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THERE IS A VACCINE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS 12 AND OLDER AND AMONG THE BLACK STUDENTS, ONLY 12% OF THE STUDENTS ARE VACCINATED.

>> MR. TORRES, IS A VACCINE MANDATE IN THE FUTURE OF THE SCHOOLS FOR STUDENTS AND WHAT WILL CPA DO TO INCREASE VACCINATION AMONG STUDENTS?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALL ALL THE MITIGATION EFFORTS THAT DR. LUNA MENTIONED IN ADDITION TO UNIVERSAL MASKING, HAND WASHING, TESTING, THREE FEET DISTANCE WHENEVER POSSIBLE, ADDITIONAL VENTILATION EFFORTS, ALL THOSE THINGS WERE IN PLACE BEFORE THE VACCINE WAS POSSIBLE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE IN-PERSON SCHOOLING SO NOW THAT WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE VACCINATED, IT ONLY ADDS TO IT.

REGARDING TO WHEN THE STUDENTS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO TAKE THE VACCINE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL NEED TO LEAVE TO THE CDC AND THE EXPERTS AND EPIDEMIOLOGY WHEN THEY SAY IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE TO DO THAT, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE CONSIDERING IT, BUT I WILL REMIND YOU THAT CPS ANNOUNCED THAT WE WERE DOING UNIVERSAL MASKING BEFORE THE CDC RECOMMENDED THAT AND BEFORE THE STATE MADE IT A REQUIREMENT.

>> DR. LUNA, CONCERNS ARE RISING, AS YOU KNOW OF THE DELTA VARIANT, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTS THAT CASE AMONG CHILDREN ARE INCREASING.

WHAT THREAT DOES THE DELTA VARIANT POSE TO CHILDREN, HOW CONCERNED SHOULD PARENTS BE?

>> THE THREAT IS [INDISCERNABLE] THERE'S NOTHING OFFICIAL WE CAN SHARE, OTHER THAN THE VACCINE WILL BE AVAILABLE IN CHILDREN 12 AND YOUNGER AND WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE, AN INCREDIBLE EFFORT THAT WE'RE DOING WITH CPS ALONGSIDE AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO INCENTIVIZE VACCINATION AND WE GO TO YOUR HOPE, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, TO ID, NO DOCUMENTS, ANYTHING THAT POSES A THREAT TO UNDOCUMENTED FOR VULNERABLE POPULATION TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE VACCINATED, THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF VACCINES AND REALLY REACH OUT TO THE FAMILY, FAMILY, PLEASE VACCINATE YOUR CHILDREN AND PROTECT THEM TO GO SAFELY TO THEIR CLASSES IS THE BEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE IN 2021 TO OUR CHILDREN.

>> BACK TO YOU, MR. TORRES, THE COVID TESTING WILL BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE AT CPS, SO THE TEACHERS' UNION, THEY SAID THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DETAILS ON THE TESTING PLAN.

WHAT CAN YOU SHARE HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE TESTED AND WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO BE TESTED?

>> WE WILL TEST ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF TWICE A WEEK, WELL BEYOND THE CDC RECOMMENDATIONS AND PART OF OUR MITIGATION EFFORTS IN ADDITION TO CONTACT TRACING AND UNIVERSAL MASKING, WE BELIEVE WE'LL BE READY TO BEGIN SCHOOL ON MONDAY, AUGUST 30th FOR IN PERSON INSTRUCTION FIVE SOME DAYS A WEEK.

>> AS WE KNOW, METRICS ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT, HAVE BECOME HUGELY IMPORTANT DURING THE PANDEMIC.

MR. TORRES, WOULD CPS SET METRICS LET'S JUST SAY COVID CASE OR POSITIVITY RATES RISE, WOULD YOU CONSIDER CLOSING SCHOOLS, AND WHAT WOULD THE METRICS LOOK LIKE?

>> WE'LL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CPCH AND THE REALITY IS WE HAD METRICS IN THE SPRING THAT ARE NO LONGER VALID BECAUSE THE VACCINE IS WIDELY AVAILABLE, AND PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED, SO THE METRICS WILL CHANGE A LITTLE BIT AND I DON'T HAVE THEM PERSONALLY, BUT WE'LL HAVE SORT OF GUIDELINES AND THE STATE HAS GIVEN US GUIDELINES, AND IT'S REALLY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CEO WHEN YOU QUARANTINE A CLASSROOM, MULTIPLE CLASSROOMS, THE SCHOOL AND OBVIOUSLY IF DISTRICT.

MY HOPE IS, THOUGH, GIVEN THE MITIGATION FACTORS OF UNIVERSAL MASKING, HAND WASHING, THREE FEET AND SOCIAL DISTANCING WHERE POSSIBLE AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE HAVE TO PUT IN PLACE, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY START THE SCHOOL YEAR MONDAY, AUGUST 30th, BUT CONTINUE TO HAVE -- YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OF HEALTH FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED ONLINE IN ISOLATION HAS HAD MAJOR EFFECTS, AND SO THE BEST PLACE, THE SAFEST PLACE FOR STUDENTS TO BE IS IN SCHOOL, AND EVERYBODY AGREES ON THAT.

>> OKAY, WELL, I WANT THANK BOTH OF YOU, THANK YOU MR. JOSE TORRES AND DR. GERALDINE LUNA FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.

>> THANK YOU, MR. HERNANDEZ.

>> ON AN EDITORIAL NOTE, MR. TORRES MISSPOKE ON THE COVID TESTING, IT WILL BE WEEKLY, NOT TWICE WEEKLY.

IN 1924, JESUS TORRES CAME LOOKING FOR WORK BUT FOUND HIS ARTISTIC VOICE AND THIS THROWBACK FROM THE WRITER DROVE TO CARL STREET STUDIOS WHERE TORRES ARTISTRY IS EVIDENT IN JUST ABOUT EVERY CORNER.

HERE'S ALICIA WILSON.

.

>> ON A SHORT STREET, A COUPLE MILES FROM DOWNTOWN ARE A SET OF BUILDINGS CREATED TO BE A HAVEN FOR CITY'S ARTISTS.

THE CARL STREET STUDIO WAR DREAM OF THE CREATIVELY INCLINED RALLY STATE DEVELOPER SOUTH HOGAN AND HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT EDGAR MILLER.

>> WHEN THEY GOT HERE IN 1926, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TYPICAL CHICAGO VICTORIAN HOME, BUT THEY HAD OTHER PLANS.

THEY WANTED TO TURN IT INTO EIGHT STUDIOS AND TO BE SPECTACULAR, AND TO BE FILLED WITH ART AND THE KIND OF ART THAT NOT JUST ANYBODY COULD DO, AND THEY NEEDED HELP, SO THAT IS WHERE JESUS TORRES CAME IN.

>> A SKILLED ART SON WHO LEARNED HIS TRAIT IN THE WHOLE HOUSE AND HE WENT THERE TO LEARN ENGLISH AND SOON EXCELLED WITH WORKING WITH CLAY.

>> BEFORE WHOLE HOUSE, HE DID NOT IDENTIFY AS AN ARTIST AND HE WALKED IN AND SOMETHING DREW HIM TO THAT AND HIS LIFE CHANGED AFTER THAT.

THEY UNDERSTOOD PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE HOUSE.

>> THEY NEED TO CONTINUE TO EVOVLE THE HUMAN SPIRIT, AND THERE'S NO BETTER WAY TO DO THAT THAN WITH A LUMP OF CLAY OR PIECE OF WOOD.

SOME OF HIS EARLY TRAINING THERE WOULD HAVE BROUGHT HIM IN TOUCH WITH A BOOK THAT SYNTHESIZED THE MO DISCERN ART IDEAS AND DESIGNS OF MEXICO BY CONNECTING THEM WITH THE ANCIENT INDIGENOUS CULTURE.

>> TORRES BECAME MILLER'S ASSISTANT EARNING HIS LIVING IS MUCH MORE THAN A MANUAL LABOR.

MILLER WAS CREATIVELY FEARLESS MAKING ART, DESIGNING DOOR ORS AND REFASHIONING BUILDINGS AT GREAT SPEED.

THE NEARBY GLADNER STUDIO SHOWS THE FULL STOP OF HIS PRESTIGIOUS TALENT.

>> I WAS DOING A DECENT LIVING WITH COMMERCIAL ART, BUT HERE, HE COULD DO WHATEVER HE WANTED BECAUSE IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE.

EVERY DAY WAS AN ADVENTURE.

>> LET'S GET RID OF THE WINDOWS, LIKE A DEMOLITION SITE, PULL OUT THE OLD TIME AND REPURPOSE ALL THIS STUFF.

THEY KNEW WHEN THEY LEFT OR STOPPED, THAT WOULD PROBABLY STOP, TOO.

WHAT THEY CREATED HERE IS SOMETHING YOU WILL NOT FIND ANYWHERE ELSE NOT ONLY IN CHICAGO OR AMERICA OR PROBABLY ON EARTH.

>> MILLER AND HOGAN PARTED WAYS LEAVING MUCH OF THE CARL STREET STUDIOS UNFINISHED.

>> TORRES STAYED HERE WORKING FOR ANOTHER EIGHT YEARS DOING WHAT EDGAR DID AND BOOM, YOU HAVE THIS EXPLOSION OF CREATIVITY.

>> WITHIN I SEE THIS WORK, IT SAYS MEXICAN BAROQUE, THAT LEAVES NO SPACE UNTOUCHED.

>> TORRES EVENTUALLY OPENED HIS OWN STUDIO, SOLD POTTERY AND JEWELRY AND LECTURED AND HAD THIS ART ON THE ROCK ISLAND SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY.

MUCH OF TORRES' WORK WAS LOST AT TIME, BUT AT THE CARL STREET STUDIOS, EVIDENCE OF HIS HAND IS VISIBLE IN EVERY TURN.

>> IN MEXICO, THEY HAVE A TURN CALLED "SPEAKING SPANISH" A BRINGING TOGETHER OF MATERIALS AND REPURPOSING DESIGNS THAT MAY SORT OF BE A PREVIEW OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY, WAVES OF MEXICAN CITIZENS THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY TRANSFORM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

JESUS TORRES WAS ONE OF THE EARLY PIONEERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

>> YOU CAN ACTUALLY WATCH MORE OF THE ART AND DESIGN ON OUR WEB SITE.

UP NEXT, A NEW COLLABORATION GIVES A MUSICAL TASTE OF PUERTO RICO.

[MUSIC] .

>> IN A FIRST TIME COLLABORATION, THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC AND THE ART ALLIANCE ARE PRESENTING A TASTE OF PUERTO RICO IN A VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE THAT OPENS AUGUST 17th FROM SAN JUAN TO CHICAGO, THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC CHAMBER ORCHESTRA WITH MUSICIAN, INSTRUMENTS AND COMPOSERS.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

♪♪ [SINGING] .

>> JOINING US ARE THE LEADERS OF THE COLLABORATING ACCORDING, CARLOS HERNANDEZ OF THE PUERTO RICAN ART ALLIANCE AND TERRELL JOHNSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I WANT TO START WITH YOU, CARLOS HERNANDEZ, THE PERFORMANCE IS ENTITLED "FROM SAN JUAN TO CHICAGO," IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU CONSIDER THIS PERFORMANCE AS A BRIDGE?

>> OH, IN SO MANY WAYS.

THANK YOU FOR INVITING US HERE.

NUMBER ONE, WE ARE DOING A BRIDGE HERE WITH THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC, THIS IS A SPECIAL PROJECT FOR US.

WE'RE DOING A TRIBUTE BY TAKING THE FOLKS THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH PUERTO RICAN FORECHECK AND POPULAR MUSIC AND PUTTING IT OUT THERE TO A BROADER AUDIENCE, SO THIS IS GREAT.

WE HAVE SOME ARTISTS THAT WE HAVE INVITED FROM PUERTO RICO AND THEY THEMSELVES ARE ENGAGING WITH US, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PUENTE MUSICAL HERE, SO YEAH.

>> NOT TO MENTION TITO PUENTE, BUT IT REMINDS US OF THAT FAMOUS ARTIST OBVIOUSLY.

>> TERRELL, I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOU, THE VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE IS THE SAFEST OPTION FOR MUSIC LOVERS RIGHT NOW.

ARE YOU HOPING THE VIRTUAL FORMAT WILL HELP INTRODUCE A NEW AUDIENCE TO PUERTO RICAN MUSIC?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS TO PERFORM VIRTUALLY IS BE ABLE TO CAST A WIDER NET AND REACH, YOU KNOW, A LARGER AUDIENCES, BACK TO THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC AND THE COLLABORATION VIRTUALLY, AND WE WERE SO EXCITED WITH THE FIRST ONE TO REACH SEVERAL DIFFERENT CONTINENTS AND HAVE THE SAME REACH THIS TIME AND ENGAGE NEW AUDIENCES WITH THIS GREAT COLLABORATION WITH THE PUERTO RICAN ARTS ALLIANCE WITH "SAN JUAN TO CHICAGO," SO ONE OF THE GREATEST ADVANTAGES TO PERFORM VIRTUALLY IS NO BE ABLE TO HAVE A LARGER REACH AND BE ABLE TO CHAMPION GREAT MUSIC AND BRING US AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

>> HOW CAN PEOPLE WATCH?

>> THIS IS A COLLABORATION WITH THE HARRIS THEATRE IN THE HD VIRTUAL STAGE.

THEY CAN FIND THE LINK THERE.

SO THIS WONDERFUL COLLABORATION IS A TERRIFIC PARTNERSHIP AND WE'RE SO HAPPY THAT HARRIS WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT THROUGH THEIR VIRTUAL PLATFORMS SO ONCE AGAIN, THAT IS THE HP VIRTUAL PAGE.

>> THE CONCERT INCORPORATES TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS AND HERE'S SOME OF WHAT IS BEING PERFORMED.

LET'S TAKE A LISTEN.

[SINGING] .

>> CARLOS, WAS 80 CHALLENGE WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA FOR THIS MUSIC?

>> NO, I THINK IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BRING TOGETHER TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT REALLY HAD A YEARNING TO COLLABORATE, SO I HAVE TO SAY, WE JUST SAW THAT CLIP OF THE PUENTE FOLK MUSIC.

THIS IS A JOURNEY OF MUSIC OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC FROM PUERTO RICO FROM THE LATE 19th CENTURY AND BOLERO MUSIC, SO HAVING IT IN OUR ORGANIZATION FOR THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC AND ORCHESTRA TO UNDERSTAND THAT MADE IT VERY EASY FOR US TO WORK WITH THEM.

YOU KNOW, OUR MUSIC, PUERTO RICAN MUSIC HAS EUROPEAN MUSIC FROM SPAIN AND THE AFRICAN, SO WE HAVE THAT KIND OF CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC.

>> WE HAVE VERY LIMITED TIME, BUT I WANT TO GET BACK TO, YOU, TERRELL, WHAT WAS THE COLLABORATION FROM THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC POINT OF VIEW, WAS THIS EXCITING, WE HAVE LESS THAN A MINUTE?

>> YES, COLLABORATIONS ARE THE ART OF THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC, AND I THINK IT'S PART OF THE ART'S ECOSYSTEM OF CHICAGO, SO TO BE ABLE TO PLAY TERRIFIC FOLK MUSIC AND ENHANCE IT WITH [INDISCERNABLE] WITH THE PIECES TO ENHANCING THEM FOR OUR CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, SO I THINK IT WAS REALLY ENRICHING FOR MUSICIANS TO HEAR THE MUSIC FROM PUERTO RICO AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH UNIQUE INSTRUMENTATION, AS WELL WITH THE ENSEMBLE IN PARTICULAR, SO YES, THEY WERE THRILLED WITH THE COLLABORATION.

>> GREAT, GREAT EXPERIENCE.

WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE, AND I KNOW PEOPLE AT HOME ARE EXCITED TO WATCH THIS NEXT AUGUST 17th.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING NEWS THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.

>> THANKS, AGAIN, TO CARLOS HERNANDEZ AND TERRELL JOHNSON.

AGAIN, FROM SAN JUAN TO PUERTO RICO OPENS VIRTUALLY ON AUGUST 17th.

YOU CAN FIND MORE DETAILS ON HOW TO SEE IT ON OUR WEB SITE.

UP NEXT, BRINGING THE CAMPING EXPERIENCE TO A GROUP OF CITY TEENAGERS AT A LOCAL PARK.

STAY WITH US.

♪ ♪.

>> ROASTING MARSHMALLOWS, COOKING OVER A CAMP FIRE AND PITCHING A TENT ALL SOUND FUN, RIGHT?

A GROUP OF TEENAGERS IS LEARNING JUST THAT AT ONE OF THE CITY PARK AND JOANNA HERNANDEZ HEADS TO THE LINCOLN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

>> Reporter: IT'S A HOT SUMMER DAY IN OZ PARK, AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET HOTTER AS THESE TEENAGERS LEARN TO MAKE A FIRE.

>> IT LOOKS REALLY EASY WHEN THE CAMP LEADER WOULD DO IT, BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TRYING, AND IT'S NOT REALLY THAT EASY.

>> Reporter: JONATHAN HERNANDEZ IS ONE OF THE 14 TEENAGERS PARTICIPATING IN THE CHICAGO PARK'S DISTRICT URBAN CAMPERS PROGRAM.

>> ONE THING I WANT TO LEARN IS HOW TO BUILD A TENT.

>> HE ISN'T THE ONLY ONE.

>> I AM INTIMIDATED MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE COLD, AND I WAS WORRIED ABOUT SETTING UP THE TENT LONG.

>> Reporter: LIZ HOLLY SAYS THIS GIVES THE KIDS A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN THE OUTDOORS.

>> THIS GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVENTURE ROCK, NATURE EXPLORATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THEIR OWN PARK.

>> Reporter: THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT OFFERED A PROGRAM LIKE THIS FOR OLDER KIDS, A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE WHERE PARTICIPANTS LEARNING EVERYTHING FROM CREATING A FIREWORKS PITCHING A TENT AND TEAM BUILDING AND ENJOYING SLEEPING UNDER THE CITY STARS.

>> YOU DON'T LEARN THIS STUFF AT SCHOOL, SO IT'S SOMETHING A LOT OF STUDENTS WOULD LIKE TO LEARN.

>> THIS CAMPING HELPED HER NAVIGATE THROUGH THE LOWS OF THE PANDEMIC.

>> IT'S LIFE CHANGE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO RELY ON YOURSELF MORE, AND DISCONNECTED SOMETIMES, AND IT'S JUST VERY CHALLENGING, AND IT WILL OPEN YOUR EYES TO NEW EXPERIENCES.

>> THE CAMP LASTS UNTIL THE END OF THE WEEK AND THEY CAN PUT ALL THEIR SKILLS TO A TEST BY HAVING AN OVERNIGHT CAMP-OUT.

>> CONNECTING TO NATURE AND WHAT IS FUN FOR THEM IN THE OUTDOORS, AND I WANT THEM TO FEEL COMFORTABLE AND EXPLORING AND FEEL CONFIDENT IN THEIR ABILITY TO BE SAFE BUT ALSO TO BE ADVENTUROUS AND CURIOUS.

>> DESPITE COVID PUTTING A STOP TO DOZENS OF PROGRAMS ACROSS THE.

>> IS THE PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING MORE THAN EVER FOR ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE.

>> WE WANT TO BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE, AND WE KNOW WE HAVE AN ADVANTAGE BEING OUTDOORS AND HAVING A BIG GREEN SPACE.

>> A BIG GREEN SPACE TO EXPLORE RIGHT IN A LOCAL PARK.

FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT," I'M JOANNA HERNANDEZ.

>> THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT IS PLANNING TO PROVIDE THE URBAN CAMPERS PROGRAM NEXT SUMMER.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED FOR MORE INFORMATION HEAD TO OUR WEB SITE.

THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS SATURDAY NIGHT.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE ALSO FOR THE VERY LATEST FROM WTTW NEWS INCLUDING DETAILS FROM THE VACCINE VERIFICATION SYSTEM FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND JOIN BRANDIS FRIEDMAN FORM FOR BLACK VOICE TOMORROW AND SHE WILL DIVE INTO THE ISSUE OF CHILDREN HOMELESSNESS AND WHAT CAN BE DONE AND PEDALING FOR EQUITY IN BIG MARSH PARK.

TURN IN TO THE SHOW, AND AIM ALEX HERNANDEZ AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

BUENAS NOCHES!

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