All Stars Project of Chicago

All Stars Project of Chicago Helping Chicago's young people grow and develop - one performance at a time! These and other organizations sponsor program graduates in paid summer internships.

All Stars Project of Chicago (ASP of Chicago) brings innovative, performance-based development opportunities to youth in Chicago's poorest neighborhoods. All Stars' after-school programs support young people to grow as leaders and builders of their communities and to see new possibilities for their lives. ASP of Chicago was launched in 2007 under the direction of longtime community organizer David Cherry and has since reached thousands of young people in Englewood, Gage Park, Roseland, Woodlawn and other neighborhoods throughout the South and West Sides. By using performance as a tool for growth, All Stars provides young people the opportunity to develop as learners and performers, onstage and off. ASP of Chicago's office is located in the historic Monadnock Building in the Loop and serves as the hub of activity for our programs. All Stars Talent Show Network (ASTSN) gives young people ages 5-25 and of all talent levels the chance to produce and perform in hip-hop talent shows in their neighborhoods. Prior to the Talent Show, young people participate in an audition and performance workshop. Talent Shows have been held at Harper High School, Team Englewood Community Academy, Gage Park High School, Bogan High School, and the South Side YMCA. The Development School for Youth (DSY) connects inner-city young people with the business community through workshops and paid summer internships led by corporate executives. The DSY exposes Chicago's youth to people and places outside of their neighborhoods and helps them learn new performances to navigate the broader world. DSY's leading partners in Chicago include Latham & Watkins, Dun & Bradstreet, Nuveen Investments, Equity Residential, MetLife, Winston & Strawn, Grant Thornton and Neal, Ge**er & Eisenberg.

One hour a week. A meaningful connection. New possibilities.Enrollment is now open for fall Development Coach mentors wi...
10/02/2026

One hour a week. A meaningful connection. New possibilities.

Enrollment is now open for fall Development Coach mentors with the All Stars Project!

As a virtual coach, you’ll connect with a young adult ages 18–24 to support their personal and professional development. Bring your curiosity, willingness to listen, and experience to share. Together, you’ll explore new perspectives and build a relationship where you both can grow.

Here’s what to expect:
✔️ Orientation to help you get started
✔️ Six one-hour virtual sessions
✔️ Flexible scheduling
✔️ Enrollment open through early November

Make time for a connection that matters this fall—and invite a colleague to join you.

👉 Learn more and register today: https://tinyurl.com/y39dwnyp

A professional introduction can open a conversation and rehearsing it can help a young person build the confidence to ta...
09/30/2026

A professional introduction can open a conversation and rehearsing it can help a young person build the confidence to take that first step.

At Nuveen, 29 Leslie J. Raffel Development School for Youth (DSY) participants practiced introducing themselves during our Professional Dress Rehearsal Workshop. With insights from Nuveen employees Julian Torres, Madison Spencer, and Valeria Enciso, alongside ASP of Chicago Board Member Joy Crenshaw, they learned what an elevator pitch is, when to use it, and how to craft their own.

Working in small groups, participants developed and rehearsed their own pitches. By experimenting with different voices, body language, and characters, they explored how to share their stories in a way that felt authentic to them.

This is performance-based development in action: creating space for young people to try something new, learn alongside caring adults, and discover new possibilities for themselves.

Thank you to Joy Crenshaw, Angie Bell, our panelists, and the entire Nuveen team for making this engaging workshop possible!

Interested in helping Chicago’s young people grow? 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟲!

𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 to help students create their first resumes and practice talking about their experiences. No resume-writing expertise is needed—just a willingness to share your perspective and encouragement.

𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂: https://tinyurl.com/3wfvkrsk

09/25/2026

An All Stars Talent Show Network (ASTSN) stage gives young people a supportive space to try something new, share their creativity, hear their community cheer them on and build their confidence.

These moments from past All Stars Talent Shows offer a glimpse of what that can look like. On Saturday, October 24, young performers will take the stage at BUILD Chicago, and we’d love for you to be part of it.

Volunteer to help bring the show to life, or join the audience and cheer on the performers!

📅 Saturday, October 24
📍 BUILD Chicago | 5100 W. Harrison St.
🚪 Doors open at 2:30 PM | Show starts at 3:00 PM
🔗 RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/yr8cjs6y

Sign up to volunteer or attend, and invite your friends, family, and colleagues, all are welcome!

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

09/23/2026

⏰ One week to go!

Next Tuesday, September 29, our newest class of young leaders will take an important step in their DSY journey, and there’s still time to join us!

Come to 𝗗𝗦𝗬 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 at Swissôtel Chicago to meet our Fall 2026 class and help young people put their networking skills into practice as they begin building relationships with professionals across Chicago.

▶️ Hear from DSY alum Miguel about the impact Orientation had on his personal and professional journey—and see why showing up for our young people matters.

📅 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟵 | 𝟱:𝟯𝟬–𝟳:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠
📍 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘀ô𝘁𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗼
🔗𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://tinyurl.com/wzk4kdku

Your presence can make an impact. By sharing your experience, starting a conversation, and offering encouragement, you can help our young people build confidence, expand their networks, and discover new possibilities for their futures.

👉 Join us next Tuesday and bring a colleague or friend!

And Orientation is just the beginning. Throughout the fall, there will be more opportunities to stay connected and support our young people through resume writing, mock interviews, and other DSY activities.

09/22/2026

The Fall 2026 Leslie J. Raffel Development School for Youth (DSY) semester is officially underway! 🌟

Our new cohort of 31 young people kicked off their 10-week journey alongside six Alumni and Program Associates. Through ensemble-building improv, collaborative skits, and an engaging panel discussion with DSY alumni, they began creating a supportive community where they can take risks, strengthen their professional skills, build confidence, and discover new possibilities.

Now, we’re inviting our partners and community champions to help welcome this inspiring new cohort!

Join us next Tuesday, September 29, at Swissôtel Chicago for our DSY Networking Orientation. Come meet our young people, share your professional experiences, and help them begin practicing the relationship-building skills they’ll develop throughout the program.

📅 Tuesday, September 29
⏰ 5:30–7:00 PM
📍 Swissôtel Chicago

Register to join us: https://tinyurl.com/3rpakhwt

Help young people build confidence, express their creativity, and discover new possibilities through performance! 🌟Join ...
09/17/2026

Help young people build confidence, express their creativity, and discover new possibilities through performance! 🌟

Join us on Saturday, October 24, for the All Stars Talent Show Network (ASTSN) Talent Showcase; an inspiring afternoon where young people ages 5–25 will take the stage, share their talents, and connect with peers and caring adults from across the community.

No experience is necessary, and all talents are welcome!

📅 Saturday, October 24
📍 BUILD Chicago | 5100 W. Harrison St.
🚪 Doors open at 2:30 PM | Showcase begins at 3:00 PM

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀! Volunteer at the showcase or join us in the audience to help create an enthusiastic, supportive environment where every young performer feels celebrated and encouraged.

🔗𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺, 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿, 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱: https://tinyurl.com/yr8cjs6y

Together, let’s show up for Chicago’s young people and continue building ONE Chicago for everyone!

Leadership grows when young people are given opportunities to step forward, and when professionals stand beside them.Thi...
09/15/2026

Leadership grows when young people are given opportunities to step forward, and when professionals stand beside them.

This semester, we’re expanding the community supporting our Leslie J. Raffel Development School for Youth (DSY) workshops with a pilot group of Alumni Associates. These recent DSY graduates are continuing their own leadership journeys while giving back as peer leaders, supporting workshop activities, and helping the next class feel welcomed and encouraged.

They’ll work alongside our dedicated Program Associates, adult volunteers who share their professional experience and provide guidance to our young people throughout the semester.

At our kick-off training, the group began building their ensemble, exploring the All Stars Project’s 8 Dimensions of Development, and of course, doing a little improv!

We’re excited to see how our Program Associates and Alumni Associates learn from one another and create a powerful developmental environment for our newest DSY class.

09/11/2026

🚨 ONE LAST CHANCE to interview for the Fall DSY! 🚨

Nervous about coming alone? Don’t. 👀 Grab a friend, cousin, sibling, or teammate and come together for Bring a Friend Day! 🤝

📅 TOMORROW, September 12 | 12 PM
📍 The Hub | 542 S. Dearborn St.

DSY Alumni: you know the deal—who are YOU bringing? 👀

🔗 Sign up through the link in our bio!

From benefits and graduations to making things happen behind the scenes, Morgan has been showing up for All Stars and ou...
09/01/2026

From benefits and graduations to making things happen behind the scenes, Morgan has been showing up for All Stars and our young people, and we’re so grateful to have her in our volunteer community! 🙌

💬 “The All Stars Project has given me a meaningful way to connect with the Chicago community and support young people as they build new paths and relationships.”

Thank you, Morgan, for sharing your time and talents with out young people!

✨Whether you have a few hours to give, skills to share, or simply want to make a difference, there’s a place for you at All Stars.

Ready to get involved? Join our volunteer community this fall and help create new opportunities for young people across Chicago. 💫

🔗 Sign up to volunteer through the link: https://allstars.org/talented-volunteers/

For Arkeela, a summer at Nuveen was an opportunity to step into an unfamiliar industry, ask questions, and discover just...
08/26/2026

For Arkeela, a summer at Nuveen was an opportunity to step into an unfamiliar industry, ask questions, and discover just how much there was to learn.

As she explored Nuveen’s business and different areas of the financial industry, Arkeela challenged herself to become a more curious and detail-oriented learner. That meant listening closely, taking thoughtful notes, and perhaps most importantly, becoming more comfortable speaking up when she wanted to know more.

That curiosity paid off. By the end of her internship, Arkeela walked away with a better understanding of the professional world and greater confidence in her ability to learn, contribute, and continue growing.

💬 “My internship at Nuveen helped me become more confident, organized, and detail-oriented. It also taught me the importance of staying curious, learning from others, and continuing to improve myself.”

A special thank you to Nuveen for creating an environment where Arkeela could explore a learn from professionals and build skills she can carry into her education, future career, and beyond.

Experiences like Arkeela’s are possible because companies across Chicago choose to invest in the development of our young people.

🤝 Interested in becoming an All Stars Project partner and hosting
a DSY graduate for a paid internship next summer?

Send us a message or reach out Sarah Haley at [email protected] to learn how your company can help create the next opportunity for a young person like Arkeela.

Address

542 S Dearborn, Suite 200
Chicago, IL
60605

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