SCI and Summer Enrichment Kicks Off Season of Learning

July 17, 2026

During summer at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, time away from classroom routines provides unique opportunities to learn and grow.

Our kids are actively engaged in our Summer Career Institute (SCI) and Summer Enrichment Program. The two programs are designed to strengthen academic skills, build confidence, and expose our young people to new experiences and professions that could shape their futures. 

The Summer Career Institute began recently with an orientation where the young adults established ground rules, goals, and learned about what the next month would have in store. Their first visit was to Richard J. Daley College where they received a tour of the manufacturing and technology center. The youth learned about different computer design programs, 3D printing, and obtaining an associate degree. 

Young people then toured the facility at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW Local 134) in Alsip, IL and learned about different careers in the electrical trade after high school. They also visited ABCO Electrical, Construction and Design LLC learned more about the role of an electrician in the city. 

The first week of the Summer Enrichment Program focused on art with additional classes for math and language art skills. Participants then learned about music around the world by playing drums and learning about beats in the learning center. 

Many young people arrive at Mercy Home already facing academic gaps among their peers. The summer months present a critical opportunity to address those challenges while continuing to build momentum. With structured academic support as well as hands-on learning experiences, our young people are encouraged and given the resources to keep moving forward.

While summer days at Mercy Home are still filled with fun activities, we also ensure that our young people stay engaged in learning year-round.

Whether climbing to the top of an indoor rock wall, participating in archery, or stepping into a new environment outside their comfort zone, young people are constantly encouraged to take healthy risks to build their confidence. These experiences help them overcome a fear of failure, a common barrier to success among our kids. In a safe environment, they learn that growth can come from trying new things. 

That same idea extends into Mercy Home’s Summer Career Institute, where older youth take the next step toward adulthood. Through site visits, networking events, and professional skill-building, they gain exposure to a wide range of career paths while developing the tools needed to pursue them. 

“I’m always most proud to see the growth of each of the youth from when they started in SCI to when they finished,” said Gabe Avalos, senior education & career resources coordinator. “I see growth in confidence and inspiration to put in the work. I hope these skills translate to the academic world in the fall and [to] the workplace in the future.”

Last summer, youth made site visits to the Chicago White Sox and Blackhawks facilities, Google, MidLakes Distributing, WaterSaver Faucet Company, MHub and the Chicago City Hall. Business professionals also came to Mercy Home for networking lunches and Huntington Bank’s Reality Day program.  

“They were not only well behaved, but they were engaged in these site visits,” Avalos said. “Many times, after I did meetings after the visits, they applauded our young people for asking thought-provoking questions.”

In the networking lunches, some of the young people learned about personal finance and the importance of budgeting. One of the young men said that he learned about W-2 and W-4 forms and most appreciated the CEO of a company sitting and talking with him.  

“The overall purpose of the networking lunch is to give youth the opportunity to learn about the power and purpose of building professional relationships,” Vice President of Education and Career Resources Liz Kuhn Tomka said. “In order to understand that they need to practice what their networking skills are and how to build up those conversations. We want them to be able to walk into a room and meet with somebody who is a stranger that could potentially benefit them one day in a professional relationship.”

For many participants, these experiences are revealing.

“This program brought me pride and fulfillment,” one of the boys said. “It gave me the confidence to walk into a building that once seemed out of reach.”

In between the site visits, the young men do on-campus work and participate in coworker-led research, crafting questions for the professionals they will meet in the following weeks.

It’s an opportunity to learn more about the companies so that they aren’t too surprised by anything from the visit and can ask more in-depth questions than what they see on the visit. These experiences help our young people, who may have never imagined themselves in corporate offices, law firms, or professional settings, picture a life outside of Mercy Home. They meet professionals from different backgrounds, practice interviews, and learn how to navigate conversations that could one day impact their futures.

Each young person enters the summer with unique goals, whether that means exploring college majors, securing a first job, strengthening social skills, or even just building confidence in professional environments. Whether encouraging one another during a difficult activity or learning how to introduce themselves to a stranger, Mercy Home’s young people are building the interpersonal skills that will support their success and growth long after summer ends.