A major new youth development collaboration is bringing expanded opportunities for Chicago teens at one of the city’s most anticipated cultural landmarks, according to CBS Chicago.
The After School Matters has officially partnered with the Obama Foundation to launch paid, hands-on programs at the upcoming Obama Presidential Center on Chicago’s South Side, giving teens direct access to learning, mentorship, and skill-building opportunities in a historic setting.
The partnership will center around the Obama Presidential Center’s Teen Action Lab, a youth-focused initiative designed to engage high school students through sports, wellness, arts, and leadership programming. According to the organizations, the goal is to create a space where young people can explore their interests while developing real-world skills in a supportive environment.
The first wave of programming will include co-ed sports-based initiatives such as basketball, health & wellness and volleyball, health & wellness, giving students structured, paid experiences that emphasize teamwork, discipline, and personal development.
Programs will take place on-site at the Obama Presidential Center campus, including dedicated youth spaces designed to serve teens from surrounding South Side neighborhoods such as Washington Park, Woodlawn, and South Shore. Organizers say the collaboration is built to ensure local young people are among the first to benefit from the new campus once it officially opens.
Leaders from both organizations have emphasized that the partnership reflects a shared mission to invest in Chicago’s next generation. After School Matters—already one of the largest youth program providers in the city—will help expand the reach of the Teen Action Lab as additional programming is rolled out over time.
The initiative is expected to grow beyond sports into arts, media, and other enrichment areas, aligning with the broader vision of the Obama Presidential Center as not just a museum or landmark, but a community hub for education and opportunity.
With the campus set to become a global destination, officials say this partnership ensures that its impact starts at home—with Chicago teens at the center of the experience.
