Unlocking Potential Through Literacy: A Partnership with DePaul

Literacy is the foundation of everything.

It shapes how children learn. How they see themselves. How they imagine their future.

In Chicago, only about 31 percent of students in grades three through eight met state reading standards last year. Nearly one-third of adults struggle with everyday literacy tasks.

At Union League Boys & Girls Clubs, that reality feels urgent.

Through a new partnership with DePaul University, led by Dr. Jessica Wacker, Director of Clinical Operations at DePaul’s Speech and Language Clinic, students are being given something powerful. The chance to change the story early.

Dr. Wacker has spent her career breaking down barriers that keep children waiting too long for help. Trained as a speech pathologist and learning specialist, she grew frustrated with systems that delayed intervention until gaps were already wide.

She opened her own practice to provide speech, occupational therapy, and learning support during the school day. Later, she founded a nonprofit that offered scholarships to families who could not afford critical literacy services.

Today, her work at DePaul aligns closely with the mission of Union League Boys & Girls Clubs. Access. Early support. Opportunity where it is most needed.

When asked what single action would make the greatest difference for students, Dr. Wacker answered without hesitation.

“Invest in literacy.”

From that simple answer, a summer partnership took shape.

DePaul brought deep expertise in speech pathology and evidence-based reading intervention. Union League Boys & Girls Clubs brought families, trust, and strong community connections. Together, they created a summer program focused on what matters most. Timely, targeted literacy support at a moment when young brains are primed to grow.

The program used the Wilson Reading System’s Fundations curriculum, grounded in the science of reading and designed to be structured and multisensory. Students began with assessments that placed them into small groups and one-on-one sessions.

Each day blended decoding, encoding, sight word practice, and writing with phonological awareness warm-ups, movement breaks on DePaul’s quad, and shared story time.

The work was focused and rigorous, but it never felt like summer school.

What made the program distinctive was its wraparound approach.

Trips to Lincoln Park Zoo and the Field Museum brought literacy off the page and into the world. Graduate students designed scavenger hunts tied to reading goals, spotting animals that matched specific digraphs like “sh” or “ch.” Before museum visits, students researched animals together. Afterward, they wrote reflections.

Literacy became a tool for curiosity and discovery, not just an academic task.

The progress over just a few weeks was striking.

Some of the youngest students entered the program still learning letter sounds. By the end, they were reading short words and finishing simple books.

“Watching children learn to read is unforgettable,” Dr. Wacker said. “The moment when sounds suddenly connect and meaning clicks is life-changing, for them and for us.”

Small groups and one-on-one sessions gave students a safe place to take risks and make mistakes. Immediate feedback built trust.

For bilingual students, assessments were offered in both English and their native language, reinforcing a clear message. Language and culture are strengths, not barriers.

For many families, the program removed obstacles of cost and access, providing support that would otherwise be out of reach.

Early intervention is about far more than learning to read.

Children who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Eighty-five percent of juveniles in the court system are functionally illiterate. Seventy percent of incarcerated adults cannot read above a fourth-grade level.

Literacy remains one of the strongest disruptors of the cycle of poverty and the school-to-prison pipeline.

For Dr. Wacker, the work is both professional and personal. As a Union League Club member and parent, she sees this partnership as a long-term investment in the community.

“Literacy is the single most powerful investment you can make in a child’s future,” she said. “It gives them confidence, tools to navigate the world, and the ability to write their own story.”

This partnership is only the beginning.

The goal is to expand the model to additional Club sites, deepen caregiver engagement, and provide bilingual support year-round. With graduate student expertise, shared resources, and the reach of Union League Boys & Girls Clubs, the foundation is strong.

With continued support, more children can gain the confidence and skills to read, write, and thrive.

Because when a child learns to read, they unlock more than words. They unlock their future.