The 2014 CIW YOU(th) Program officially began with a kick-off event on September 30 that introduced high school students from all over the city to Chicago Ideas Week! CIW YOU(th) is a dynamic program providing approximately 50 Chicago Public School students the opportunity to go beyond their school walls to explore their home city and connect with their peers and inspiring leaders.

At the kick-off event at Adler Planetarium, the high school students participated in CIW YOU(th) and had the opportunity to hear from author and entrepreneur Chris Gardner and son, Chris Gardner Jr. – whose personal stories are told beautifully in Gardner’s book, The Pursuit of Happyness, which was adapted into an acclaimed movie starring Will Smith. Gardner and Gardner Jr. shared insights into their personal successes and struggles. The students also had exclusive access to the Adler Planetarium’s exhibits and learned about the art of networking from the Startup Institute.