"Unforgettable Game" at Soldier Field to Rally South Side Charter School Community

CHICAGO, Aug. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To truly kick off the school year, one South Side charter school will celebrate its proud 15-year tradition by playing its season opener football game at Soldier Field, in the Preseason Prep Bowl.

This Saturday, Aug. 25 at 9:30 a.m., the CICS Longwood Panthers will play against the Chicago Hope Academy Eagles, with fans from across Chicago cheering on their teams. CICS Longwood alumnus O'Dell D. White, III will sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" to rally the entire crowd.

CICS Longwood team members are thrilled for the opportunity. For any Chicago sports fan, the chance to play on Soldier Field is an incredible one, especially at a school where 90 percent of students receive free- or reduced-cost lunch and 100 percent of students are minorities.

"It is an honor and privilege to be able to play our season opener at Soldier Field," says James Norris, a CICS Longwood alumnus and former student-athlete, who now works at the school as an educator and assistant coach for the football team. "This is an event that our players and entire school will remember for years to come. Our football program here at Longwood has come from very humble beginnings. I only hope that our students realize just how fortunate they are to be in this position and enjoy every moment of it, because I know I will."

"This game is important in many ways," said Craig Henderson, a founding board member for Chicago International Charter School. "It is a great chance to showcase two great football programs and for CICS to celebrate the new school year with our new school management company, Charter Schools USA. It is also a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of the participants to play at Soldier Field. We thank the Chicago Park District and Soldier Field leaders Tim LeFevour and Jim McHugh for giving us this great opportunity – it will be a fantastic game."

Head coach for CICS Longwood, Douglas Ruth, shares in the spirit of anticipation: "We are very excited for this opportunity. The team, the school and the entire community will come together to make this an unforgettable game."

About Chicago International Charter School (CICS)

The mission of CICS is to provide, through innovation and choice, an attractive and rigorous college-preparatory education that meets the needs of today's students.  CICS was founded on the belief that every child has the right to a high quality education and currently operates a network of 15 campuses serving 9,200 K-12 students across the city of Chicago, and one campus in Rockford. For more information, please visit www.chicagointl.org.

CONTACT: Kate Proto, Director of Communications, CICS, +1-617-851-9067, [email protected], or Meghan Schmidt, Director of Family and Community Engagement, CICS, +1-773-931-3527, [email protected]

SOURCE Chicago International Charter School