Sue Duncan Children's Center
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- Chicago, IL
- Sue Duncan Children's Center
Our mission is to enrich the lives of youth of all ages by nurturing their academic, athletic, and artistic growth.
Address
4225 S Lake Park Avenue
Chicago, IL
60653
Opening Hours
| Monday | 2:30pm - 6:30pm |
| Tuesday | 2:30pm - 6:30pm |
| Wednesday | 2:30pm - 6:30pm |
| Thursday | 2:30pm - 6:30pm |
| Friday | 2:30pm - 6:30pm |
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Our Story
Sue Duncan is one of the most extraordinary, admirable figures in the history of Chicago education. Many identify her as the mother of Arne Duncan, former United States Secretary of Education and former CEO of Chicago Public Schools. However, after discovering the deep educational roots she established through groundbreaking work she spearheaded on the city’s south side, one quickly realizes the more appropriate fact is Arne is the son of Sue Duncan. Her modest, yet unwavering commitment to doing whatever it takes to help children reach their full potential through academic achievement is legendary, and long precedes her eldest son’s tenure in education and politics. Sue Duncan quietly transformed the lives of thousands of children over 50 years by donating her time and personal resources to establish the Sue Duncan Children’s Center. She is a revered mainstay and mother figure to multiple generations of families in one of Chicago’s most poverty-stricken neighborhoods.
During the Civil Rights Movement in 1961 when after school programs were almost unheard of, Sue Duncan was a 26 year-old white teacher who opened a children’s center for inner-city black youth on the racially divided south side of Chicago. Her selflessness and genuine desire to be a positive influence began when she was asked to teach Sunday school at a local church and learned her students could not read. She made a commitment to meeting with them regularly and taught them to not only read, but to comprehend and interpret literature. She was undeterred by any barriers that would prevent her from teaching children she knew had limited resources yet deserved an opportunity to succeed. With her own three children in tow, she would literally drive through the neighborhood in her blue station wagon, picking up kids block-by-block to take them to the Center she had created by utilizing space at local churches and area schools. She bypassed gang members and fearlessly established her program in a high-crime neighborhood where her presence was often questioned. But once the people of the community witnessed her indiscriminate love for children and the magical transformation of the students she taught, parents made her program a requirement for their kids, and students at nearby University of Chicago began to serve as volunteer tutors alongside some of the parents in the neighborhood. The program quickly blossomed into a quiet, yet monumental movement of achievement against all odds. Even known gang members were inspired by her unconditional love and uncompromising commitment to excellence and began attending her program.
Over the next five decades, Sue taught thousands of children at what officially became the Sue Duncan Children’s Center and established lasting personal relationships with her students and their families. The phrase “Going to Sue” became a common reference in the neighborhood for children attending her program. Although the Center moved to several locations throughout the community over the years, she maintained a consistent presence, and everyone knew they could rely on her to be there.
Sue’s educational model is based on the belief that, with nurturing, fulfillment of their basic needs and consistency, all children can and will succeed. Her motto is to support each child based on their individual circumstances and to “meet them where they are” academically, emotionally, socially and geographically. This approach has been crucial to the Center’s ability to gain trust and respect in communities that may not be receptive to other programs. Her curriculum is designed to consider the personal needs of every child by going beyond basic academic tutoring. The program engenders intellectual curiosity, a love of learning and encourages healthy lifestyles by fulfilling children’s artistic, recreational and nutritional needs. Based on this commitment to supporting the “whole child,” Sue established a culture that emulates the village it takes to raise a child and where everyone has a role to play in helping others succeed, including the children themselves. Older students mentor the younger by reading with them and providing tutoring for difficult subjects. This benefits both children; the younger receives individualized attention from a positive role model they can look up to, and the elder builds self-esteem and sense of responsibility as well as teaching and leadership skills.
