Onward House, a service club based on tutoring children in Northwest Chicago, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, Kathy Coskey, Math Teacher and Onward House Co-Sponsor, said.

To commemorate the milestone, Onward House hosted a party at South, inviting teachers, students, and families involved in the program, Coskey said. The club also set up a fundraiser for donations, she added.

During the party, Coskey and Patricia Haben, Spanish Teacher and Onward House Co-Sponsor, presented the fundraiser money and a plaque to the Onward  Neighborhood House Community Center located in Chicago. The $500 dollars they raised will go towards buying games, art supplies, and resources for homework help, Haben said.

“Donations came from faculty, community members, parents, and students,” Haben said. “[We hope the money] can [help them] purchase what they [need] in their program.”

Onward House is one of the oldest clubs at South, with student volunteers going to Chicago since 1974, Coskey said. Every Tuesday, the club takes twelve volunteers to tutor elementary students, she said. Not only do students get to help kids with homework, they also form special relationships, she explained.

“The kids love [seeing] the tutors come,” Coskey said. “They form a [sibling-like] relationship, and that’s really special.”

Because Coskey is retiring this year, Haben, along with Math Teacher Karly Sachs, will co-sponsor Onward House.

“[We will continue] tutoring weekly in the city, promoting education, and building relationships,” Haben said.

Junior Kailey Crouse is excited for the future of Onward House. Because of the strong connections she has with the kids, she finds herself coming back every week.

“The kids I tutor always make my day better,” Crouse said. “[It is] remarkable [that] they [keep] wanting us to come back [after] 50 years.”