Ten homeless Chicago Public Schools students spent eight weeks this summer painting a mural that depicted their goals and dreams, all while living at a shelter. The students, age 5-14, worked with a Chicago artist hired by the Homeless Education Program at CPS to help uplift their spirits and to give them a sense of pride and hope.

The newest O’Hare Airport runway became a venue for showcasing some soaring talent Sept. 19, as dozens of teens who participated in the After School Matters program over the summer showed off what they learned at the organization’s sixth annual fundraiser gala event. The program’s culinary apprentices strolled the outdoor tents set up on Runway 9 Left/27 Right serving hors d’oeuvres to the who’s-who guests as paintings, sculptures and other crafts were put on display for sale.